Articles by William Rabb

Hospital Can’t Avoid Med Malpractice Suit Over Birth Injury, Appeals Court Says

Florida lawmakers established the Birth-Related Neurological Injury fund in 1988 to provide a no-fault remedy for parents of children with certain injuries incurred at birth, with an aim toward reducing the soaring cost of medical malpractice claims. But hospitals cannot …

Coming Soon to Florida: New State-Fed Program to Elevate Homes in Flood Zones

At the Florida Chamber of Commerce Insurance Summit last week, the state’s emergency management director announced a multi-million-dollar program that many homeowners, lawmakers and insurers have long hoped for: New grants and low-interest loans that will help elevate homes above …

Mississippi High Court Tells USAA to Pay up in Hurricane Katrina Bad-Faith Claim

When hurricanes hit coastal areas, property insurers often breathe a sigh of relief when much of the damage appears to be the result of storm surge and flooding – losses that aren’t covered by most homeowners’ policies. But after Hurricane …

Florida Citizens’ Brass Tired of ‘Clickbait’ News on its Hurricane Claims Denials

Officials with Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. took issue Thursday with a number of national and Florida news reports that have suggested that the insurer has the “worst rate” on paying claims after recent hurricanes. “That’s just not accurate,” Citizens …

US High Court Declines Appeal, Upholds Coverage Ruling on Treated Wood

Insurance carriers may want to examine policy language – and what information they request from insureds – after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower court’s ruling which could force Argo Group to cover claims that a wood-treating company …

KBRA Says Florida Insurers Will Weather Helene and Milton; Cat Fund Can Handle Payouts

Florida’s Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, a state-created layer of reinsurance, expects to pay out about $4.6 billion to help cover insurers’ losses in Hurricanes Helene and Milton. But that won’t trigger a surcharge on premiums. And a number of Florida property …

Insurer Not Liable if Bank Improperly Cashes Insurance Check, Appeals Court Finds

Insurance carriers are not responsible if a bank improperly cashes a check made out to two insureds and gives the proceeds to only one of them, a federal appeals court decided this week. The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals …

Tennessee Eyes Claims Denials, Florida Offers to Check Contracts with Adjusters in Wake of Hurricanes

Officials in two Southeastern states have taken steps to hold insurers or recipients of insurance funds accountable after Hurricanes Helene and Milton spurred thousands of insurance claims. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance reminded insurance carriers that they must …

Universal, AmCoastal Report Some Costs from Helene, Milton for Q3

One of Florida’s largest property insurers and one of its smaller carriers reported losses at least partly related to Hurricane Helene, which landed just before the third quarter closed, and from Hurricane Milton, which struck less than two weeks later. …

Florida’s Heritage Insurance Reports 5,400 Claims, $57M in Cat Losses From Milton

More loss and claims estimates are trickling in from carriers after Hurricane Milton caused widespread wind and flood damage in Florida this month. Tampa-based Heritage Insurance Holdings said in a preliminary statement that about two weeks after Milton made landfall …