The Florida Insurance Roundup, a podcast on the people, issues, and regulations shaping Florida's insurance market was recently launched by Lisa Miller and Associates, a Tallahassee-based business development, government consulting, and public relations firm. It's the first and only podcast devoted exclusively to Florida insurance issues.
"Insurance issues have a big impact on Florida's nearly 21 million residents and consumers - and to the insurance companies that serve them," said Lisa Miller, the firm's CEO and a former deputy insurance commissioner. "Just right now, the legislature is dealing with abusive practices of certain contractors and their lawyers gaming the system to put one over on homeowners and insurance companies as recently reported in the Wall Street Journal, together with a workers' compensation system ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court," added Miller, who brings 30-plus years of insurance industry experience to the microphone as host of the podcast.
Those major issues are among a backdrop of insurance bills before the Florida legislature that include repealing the state's no-fault auto insurance requirement, cracking down on fraud, expanding the private flood market, eliminating a nearly $300 million tax credit for insurers, and expanding medical marijuana rules required by a recently passed state constitutional amendment.
The podcast's premiere episode "Beating Back Flood Rates" examines Florida's over-reliance on the increasingly costly - and broke - National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Although Florida accounts for nearly 40% of the NFIP policies, it remains a huge donor state to this federal monopoly, with property owners here paying $4 in premiums for every $1 in claims received. Maria Wells, President of Florida Realtors, has been a driving force behind efforts to encourage a private flood market in the Sunshine State. Ms. Wells shares her advocacy efforts in the podcast and how reauthorization of NFIP this year in Congress is being linked to further incentives to create a robust private market alternative that will benefit property owners and taxpayers alike. Listen to "Beating Back Flood Rates" podcast.
The Florida Insurance Roundup from Lisa Miller & Associates, was created to bring Florida residents and seasoned insurance professionals alike the latest developments in Property & Casualty, Healthcare, Workers' Compensation, and Surplus Lines insurance from around the Sunshine State. "We want this podcast to be a vehicle for constructive conversation with our neighbors, colleagues, policymakers, and friends on these important topics," said Miller. Subscribe to The Florida Insurance Roundup podcast here.
