Florida Underwriter December 2009
Cover Story
2009: A Shift in Direction for Florida's Market
When it comes to insurance in Florida, the focus for most of the last three years has been largely on the volatile nature of the state's property insurance market. But 2009 may have marked a turning point.
Features
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Good Scores, Better Rates
I know I made some lousy choices that damaged my credit, but why does that affect my insurance rates? I just don't think my credit score is any measure of what kind of driver I am.
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2009 Property & Casualty Market Review
Dim the lights, turn on the projector, and cue the voiceover: "In a world gone mad, when everything was crumbling around them, one industry stood strong -- INSURANCE!"
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Cat Fund Still Paying for 2004-2005 Seasons
The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (Cat Fund) is likely to increase its assessments early next year because it is still paying off claims associated with the eight hurricanes that struck Florida back in 2004 and 2005.
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A Look Back at 2009 Through Our Eyes
As in previous years, our December issue offers readers a retrospective of the topics we covered over these past 12 months.
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CPCU Program - Training for Success
For the past 20 years, Florida has ranked in the top 10 states with the most new Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU(R)) designees in the nation.
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Q&A With Marjorie "Midge" Seltzer of NAPEO
The National Association of Professional Employer Organizations (NAPEO) chose Marjorie "Midge" Seltzer as the new chair of its board of directors at its annual conference in October.
From the Editor
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In Closing - Goodbye 2009!
Here we are at the end of another year together. Looking back, these past twelve months fall somewhere between an annus horribilis and an annus mirabilis, with a decided slant to the horribilis side.
People
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Gonzalez Joins UPA
Unisource Program Administrators (UPA), a workers' compensation wholesaler with a processing office in Sarasota, has named Carol Gonzalez vice president of sales.
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Starkman Named to Board
Jay Starkman, president and CEO of Ft. Lauderdale-based AlphaStaff Group, Inc., has been named to the board of directors for the National Association of Professional Employer Organizations.
Company Notes
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FIGA Votes for Assessments
The board of directors of the Florida Insurance Guarantee Association (FIGA) has recommended assessments of 0.8 percent for 2009 on All Other Accounts in the program.
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BB&T Buys Oswald Trippe
Oswald Trippe & Co., a Fort Myers-based agency, has merged with BB&T Insurance Services.
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OIR Budget Requests
During a late October public hearing from various Florida regulatory agencies regarding their 2010-2011 legislative budget requests, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation requested two budget items.
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Fringe Acquired
First Service Administrators, Inc. (FSAI), a risk manager for the health-care industry and mid- to large-sized public and private employers, has acquired the self-funded division of Fringe Benefits Management Company (FBMC).
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iPhone for Homeowners
Security First Insurance Co. of Ormond Beach has launched a free homeowners' insurance iPhone application.
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Offer Rejected
The board of directors for Lauderdale Lakes-based 21st Century Holding Co. unanimously rejected an unsolicited buyout proposal by insurer Homeowners Choice, Inc.
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AlphaStaff Seeks to Expand
AlphaStaff Group, Inc., of Ft. Lauderdale has executed an agreement with Selective Insurance Group, Inc., to acquire its Sarasota-based PEO subsidiary, Selective HR Solutions, Inc.
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