We may have escaped unscathed this past hurricane season, but a forecast from London-based Tropical Storm Risk predicts a bad 2007. The long-range forecast predicts an above-normal Atlantic hurricane

It is unlikely that there is a person in Florida who is not aware that the state has major problems concerning insurance. The problems have resulted from some 50 years of neglect and mismanagement.

The spending outlook for 2007 is for more of the same as '06, but those famous words cautious optimism still are in play as carriers worry about the softening market and how they can keep a close eye

"The past four years have been marked by unrelenting regulatory scrutiny, unparalleled catastrophic losses and an incredibly vibrant hard market," said Pete Porrino of Ernst & Young Global Insurance