There are two pieces of legislation working their way through the Florida House and Senate that are aimed at reducing fraudulent auto insurance claims resulting from auto accidents.  According to the Tampa Bay Times, “With the support of Gov. Rick Scott, a plan requiring that all victims injured in...

Anyone who has teenage drivers in the family knows that insuring them is much more expensive than insuring older drivers.  While it may seem unfair at first glance, a cursory review of accident data involving teenage drivers will provide ample evidence that teen drivers are more susceptible to distracted...

Property insurance issues stemming from windstorms will be the subject of a four day conference in Orlando beginning January 30th at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel.  According to information provided by Business Wire, “Nearly 1,500 property insurance professionals are expected at the three-day event, which is hosted by the...

There’s a battle going on in the nation’s mental health community concerning the nature of grief and its relation to clinical depression.  Presently, the American Psychiatric Association is reviewing the current criteria for depression in preparation for the new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,...

This evening the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual awards dinner and celebrate its 90th anniversary of supporting local businesses in the Clearwater area.  All of us at CCF&N wish the Chamber a prosperous future in their passionate pursuit of progress.  As a Division Partner, we...

It’s a sad fact of life that our houses of worship are not immune from criminal behavior that may lead to civil lawsuits.  Such lawsuits damage the credibility, morale and financial stability of the congregations as well as their ability to carry on worthy ministries in the community.  As...

The Boston Globe published an interesting article yesterday about common medical tests that are often ordered but not needed.  Now, you may think, “what’s the harm?  Better safe than sorry.”  However, unnecessary medical tests drive up healthcare costs for everyone of us.  The Globe noted, “The average employee has...

This past May, Governor Rick Scott signed into law Senate bill 408 which contained important and significant changes to Florida laws governing sinkhole damage and insurance coverage of these disasters.  According to the Digital Journal, “The comprehensive new Florida insurance law changes several aspects of property and casualty insurance,...

If you lack health insurance or dental insurance and you’re experiencing a health issue that requires medical attention, it’s important to know your treatment options, other than an expensive and frustrating trip to the local emergency room.  A few months ago, Steve Nohlgren, a reporter for the Tampa Bay...

Last Thursday evening, our insurance agency Connelly, Carlisle, Fields and Nichols were privileged to host Florida’s Chief Financial Officer along with key business leaders in our local Clearwater community for a business roundtable discussion concerning the local economy and state government.  Some of the topics we discussed included sinkhole...