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What you need to know about Florida today
Florida insurance companies dealing with their own rate hikes as more collapses loom
More Florida insurance companies could go belly up in the next 18 months. It’s a prediction being made by many insurance industry experts and it’s scary news for everyone who is already struggling with insurance rate hikes or even finding a company to insure them. However, the insurance companies themselves are dealing with rate hikes too. It’s called re-insurance. That’s insurance for the insurance companies. The new rates for those companies are expected to come out in June and they could be so large that some companies won’t be able to afford them and could risk going out of business. [Source: NBC]
Business Beat - Week of Aprili 28th
Get top news-to-know with Florida Trend's headline-focused video newsbrief, hosted by digital content specialist Aimée Alexander.
Appeals court largely backs Florida 2021 election law, overturning federal judge
An appeals court on Thursday overturned the bulk of a federal judge’s ruling that a 2021 Florida elections law was intended to discriminate against Black voters, finding that he relied on “fatally flawed” analyses and “out-of-context” statements by legislators. The Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis approved the elections law as GOP leaders across the country pushed to make voting changes after former President Donald Trump’s loss in 2020. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Florida’s dental deserts leave millions without access to oral care
Annual dental checks are essential to overall health. But of the 67 counties in Florida, experts say, only one has enough dentists to treat all patients. Nine counties in Florida have fewer than three practicing dentists apiece. Lafayette County, in north Florida, doesn’t have a single one. In Florida and across the nation, vulnerable and marginalized communities — already prone to higher rates of chronic disease and limited access to health care — are left behind in these dental deserts. There, patient volume exceeds the capacity of providers, or too few dentists are willing to serve those on Medicaid or the uninsured. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida legislative bill could lead to more robocalls
Two years ago, Florida lawmakers passed legislation that help protect residents from those nuisance robocalls. The law passed in 2021 is called the Telemarketing Act. Now legislation is being proposed that would make big changes, including making all telemarketing calls legal. In 2021, the number of Federal Trade Commission complaints from Floridians for unwanted calls was a whopping 388,000. After the Telemarketing Act when into effect in July 2022, the FTC reported 211,000 complaints, a 45 percent decrease. [Source: CBS News]
Reach your education savings goals with Florida Prepaid
Paul Roldán spends his days advising his clients about making smart financial decisions for their families. One of the most-discussed topics is college savings. His guidance is typically influenced by a few factors, including the age of the children in question, the client’s aversion to risk, and their current capacity to save and invest. But one program Roldán says he consistently stands behind is Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans. [Sponsored report]
'Outsourcing' general counsel benefits business health
Think of a corporate general counsel much like you would your primary care physician. They are responsible for overseeing all aspects of your company’s or organization’s legal health. The general counsel’s mission is wide and varied, depending on the needs of the company. This may include bringing a legal eye to internal functions, such as HR, zoning, consumer protection, and contractual relationships with business partners and customers. [Sponsored report]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Florida's Space Coast leads nation in living-wage jobs
Driven by a booming tech sector and ample affordable housing, the Space Coast of Florida leads the nation in the percentage of workers with living-wage jobs, while two west Texas regions lead the nation in "functional unemployment," with one community approaching 50%, according to an analysis released by the Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP).
› Tampa Bay home sales are down. Why are real estate prices still rising?
This time last year, it seemed like the whole country was caught up in a home-buying frenzy. But thanks to high interest rates and stubborn inflation, “the housing market is pretty much on ice,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist for real estate analytics firm RedFin. U.S. home sales are down 22% year over year according to March data from the National Association of Realtors. This has caused significant price drops in some markets. But not in Tampa Bay.
› State hears discrimination complaint against 'men-only' Key West resort
A Florida Keys woman alleges that Island House, a decades-old resort in Key West's Old Town, discriminates against cisgender women, transgender people and those who identify as non-binary by keeping a men-only policy for patrons. Amina Chaudhry, 38, of Cudjoe Key, filed her civil rights complaint last June against the resort with the Florida Commission on Human Rights.
› Miami-Dade adopted a Tenant Bill of Rights last year. Legislature seeks to evict it
Dozens of cities and counties across Florida have passed bills of “rights” for tenants, setting standards around rent increases, applications and evictions. State lawmakers are looking to undo all of them. Instead, landlords and renters would have to follow the state’s Florida Landlord and Tenant Act, which is less robust than local ordinances.
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