Articles by William Rabb

Fla. Court Rulings Hand Tool to Insurers to Stem Claims Litigation

A decision handed down Thursday by the Florida Supreme Court, along with a recent ruling by state regulators, could give insurers another tool that could be used to stem the tide of claims litigation. In AirBnB Inc. vs. John Doe, …

Insurers Applaud Charges Against Fla. Contractors in ‘Free Roof’ Scheme

The recent arrest of two men associated with a large Florida roofing company, on charges of offering “free roofs” and rebates to cover homeowners’ insurance deductibles, has met with strong reactions around the state. The insurance industry has complained loudly …

Citizens Still Struggling With Lawsuits, but Legal Fees and Payouts Decline

A committee of the Citizens Property Insurance Corp. governing body produced some good news on litigated claims and some bad news Thursday, giving further insight into a big part of Florida’s insurance market. The bad news first: The number of …

Insurers Hope to Head Off Claims With IoT Devices

Wouldn’t it be nice, if, instead of relying on adjusters and restoration companies to surmise how much damage was actually caused by a water leak, an insurer could stop the leak almost before it starts. That’s now the reality for …

Insurers Win 1 Bad Faith Case, Lose Another Before Fla. Appellate Courts

Remember George Costanza’s trick in “Seinfeld,” the 1990s TV sitcom? When he couldn’t (or didn’t want to) pay his rent or other expense he would conveniently “forget” to sign the check, buying himself a little more time. In a South …

Some Hope New Florida Appeals Court Will Be Friendlier to Insurers

The Florida Supreme Court’s call for an additional appellate court and six – now seven – new judges in the state has met with mixed reviews, with some attorneys welcoming the idea, while others, including a few judges, have said …

Some Experts Say Too Many Work Comp Claims Are Litigated

Employers may be warming up to the idea that fighting some workers’ compensation claims and medical treatments can be counterproductive, and new emphasis should be placed on keeping injured workers happy – and out of the courtroom. “The workers’ comp …

Insurers For High Crime Areas on Notice After Georgia Court Affirms $43M Verdict

A Georgia appeals court has upheld a $43 million premises liability verdict against the CVS Pharmacy chain, ruling that the company failed to take security measures to prevent the shooting of a patron in 2012. The case is the latest …

Fla. Appeals Court Finds Insurer Not Prejudiced by 5-Month Wait on Claim Info

A week after a federal court found that waiting two years to file a property claim is too long, a state court reached a different conclusion: Failing to timely file supporting documents on a claim does not necessarily harm the …

Citizens Insurance Property Inspections to Soar in Next 4 Years

As part of its effort to reduce its ballooning exposure level and trim the number of policyholders, Florida’s insurer of last resort will increase its property inspections by almost 70-fold over the next four years — with plans to spend …