Alan Gomez, USA TODAY 10:44am, August 10, 2017 Before Hurricane Katrina, before Superstorm Sandy, there was Hurricane Andrew. The intense Category 5 hurricane, a compact buzzsaw that ripped the roofs off thousands of South Florida homes 25 years ago, was so catastrophic that it led to sweeping changes in the insurance industry, weather forecasting and disaster response. And Floridians…
August 9, 2017 Miami Herald By Jennifer Kay, Associated Press Twenty-five years after Hurricane Andrew struck south of Miami, the city’s vulnerability to catastrophic storm damage has grown exponentially, according to a new insurance underwriters’ analysis. At the time, the Category 5 storm was the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history, causing more than $26 billion…
August 7, 2017 Contact: Ashley Carr (850) 413–2842 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced the appointment of Ryan West as Chief of Staff, effective later this month. CFO Patronis said, “Ryan has been a trusted member of my team since day one, and there is no one better suited…
For Immediate Release: August 4, 2017 Contact: Ashley Carr (850) 413–2842 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced the retirement of his Chief of Staff, Robert “Budd” Kneip. Kneip will be retiring after nine years of public service and his last day with the Department will be August 31st. An announcement…
Story by Darryl Fears, Animations by Kolin Pope July 28, 2017 TAMPA BAY, Fla. — Mark Luther’s dream home has a window that looks out to a world of water. He can slip out the back door and watch dolphins swim by his private dock. Shore birds squawk from nearby nests in giant mangroves. He said it’s hard…
For Immediate Release: July 31, 2017 Contact: Ashley Carr (850) 413–2842 As Tropical Storm Emily Drops Rain on Central Florida, Consumers Urged to Remain Alert TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – As waves of heavy rain stemming from Tropical Storm Emily cross the central corridor of Florida, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis reminds Floridians to remain…
Phil Buck, WTSP 3:16 PM. EDT July 25, 2017 TAMPA, FLA. – It’s a problem that affects almost anyone who owns or rents a home in Florida. Assignment of Benefits (AOB) fraud is costing thousands of people money even though they may not even know what it is or how they end up paying…
NEWS FROM THE OFFICE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 20, 2017 Contact Information: Amy Bogner/Karen Kees (850) 413-2515 press@floir.com Commissioner Altmaier Welcomes New Chief of Staff to the Office of Insurance Regulation TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier is pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Yaworsky as the new…
Miami Herald, July 16, 2017 BY ANDREA JANUTA ajanuta@miamiherald.com As South Floridians head into a hurricane season predicted to be busier-than-average, homeowners are wondering whether their insurers will pay up if their house is hit — and how to find out before a storm arrives. Marcelo Salup, a Coral Gables resident who owns a three-bedroom home…
Insurance Journal By Amy O’Connor | July 11, 2017 The Southeast has seen its fair share of natural disasters and flooding in the last several years, including two hurricanes in Florida last year – the first hurricanes to hit the state in more than a decade. But none of these events have come close to reaching the potential impact a…