Jacob OglesApril 28, 2021
11min1137
Legislation on House floor Wednesday still faces challenging path.
Tag: homeowners’ insuranceCrowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)
Jacob OglesApril 28, 2021Jacob OglesApril 27, 2021
5min1107
Bob Rommel said the state-run insurance carrier bears too much risk exposure now.
Peter SchorschJanuary 29, 2020
3min799
Lawmakers are considering reducing fees.
Drew WilsonMarch 27, 20174min466
The Consumer Protection Coalition launched a radio and television ad campaign Monday to warn homeowners of how Assignment of Benefits abuse could cause insurance rates to skyrocket in Florida. Assignment of Benefits, or AOB, is a system where homeowners can sign over their insurance policy to a contractor or lawyer in exchange for a quick […]
Peter SchorschMarch 15, 2017
3min248
An op-ed in The Wall Street Journal Tuesday called out the assignment of benefits (AOB) system in Florida, saying the abuse of AOB by trial lawyers will get Florida taxpayers “whacked with Category 5 bills.” “Florida homeowners already face risks from hurricanes, hail storms and other natural phenomena,” the article states. “Do they need to face […]
Michael MolineSeptember 1, 2016
3min261
What’s the first thing you should do with Hurricane Hermine approaching? “Secure family, important documents, and possessions, then contact family members outside of the disaster area to let them know your current situation.” That was the word Thursday from Chip Merlin, founder of the Merlin Law Group in Tampa. Dubbed the “Master of Disaster” by […]
Phil AmmannFebruary 2, 20167min328
When consumers experience water damage unconnected to hurricanes, they usually call a plumber, a roofing specialist or their insurance company to repair the damage. The plumbing or roofing contractor will probably suggest that the consumer assign the insurance benefits, so that payment for any work will go directly from the insurer to the contractor – […]
Drew WilsonJanuary 12, 20163min464
More than a dozen Florida real estate, construction and insurance groups announced Tuesday that they are teaming up to push for homeowners’ insurance reform in the 2016 Legislative Session. The Consumer Protection Coalition seeks to curb a practice known as “assignment of benefits,” where owners sign away their insurance policy to a third party who […]
Jac VerSteegJune 3, 2015
5min210
Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday vetoed a law – House Bill 1087 – that would have created protections for Florida homeowners who have insurance from Citizens, the state-run insurer of last resort. Scott said he thought the bill would hinder efforts to depopulate Citizens. But from my experience, he got things exactly backwards. Specifically, the […]
Guest AuthorMay 22, 20148min286
Eight and a half years is a long time. Since October 2005, The Colbert Report spun off from The Daily Show and aired more than 1,200 episodes; Pluto was downgraded to dwarf planet status; Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, introduced the iPhone with seven generations following after, and the last hurricane to impact significantly […]