Homeowner insurance rates have climbed 69% in the last 10 years.  At the same time, deductibles have increased, certain coverages have scaled back and new restrictions have been added to policies. Coverage varies widely between carriers and most consumers shop based on price and reputation.  Key decision drivers, of...

The IRS has released proposed regulations that address how wellness incentives or penalties are applied to premium affordability (for purposes of the employer shared responsibility/play or pay requirements) and to minimum value. The proposed regulations provide that when deciding if the employee’s share of the premium is affordable (less...

As rising health care costs take their toll on traditional benefits offerings, voluntary options are emerging as a “win-win” situation for employers and employees alike. While voluntary benefits, in which employers pay little or nothing toward the cost of coverage, may seem like a downgrade compared with traditional employer-paid...

With recent sinkhole tragedies and the ongoing publicity around sinkhole risk in Florida, many Floridians are left asking the question: “Does my homeowner policy cover sinkhole damage?” The short answer is, “It all depends.” All homeowner policies in Florida are required by Florida State Law 627.706 to cover “Catastrophic...

Maybe it’s an age thing. An annual survey by the Center for Professional Excellence notes that the perceived professionalism of entry-level (and thus usually younger) workers by their managers has slipped during the past five years, with about 45 percent of those polled saying their employees’ work ethic has...

 A draft proposal released last week from the Florida Legislature to reform Citizens Property Insurance could have costly repercussions for millions of property owners.  Some highlights of the proposed bill include: Changing the legal mandate that insurance in Florida be “affordable,” adding new language requiring premium prices to “reflect...

About 175,000 homeowners face a choice this week: stay with Citizens Property Insurance Corp., or allow a smaller Demotech-rated private company to take over their policy.  Last month, homeowners across Florida received “takeout” offers from private insurers.  Homeowners that received the offers have had 30 days to either opt...

Even though we do not appear to be in a direct path for Tropical Storm Isaac flooding can occur. The National Flood Insurance Program offers wonderful Resources to Help with Your Flood Claim if it were to occur.  Worksheets, fact sheets and even an NFIP flood handbook for claims....

With the uncertainty of Tropical Storm Isaac, Connelly, Carlisle, Fields & Nichols (CCF&N) encourages all Floridians to establish and frequently revisit plans to deal with each phase of hurricane events — pre-storm, storm duration and post-storm. Pre-Storm, Storm Duration and Post-Storm Activities Each phase has distinct activities associated with...

In a recent opinion piece by Ross Buchmueller, CEO of Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE), Florida high-value homeowners should review their insurance options with great care over the next year with changes to the state program.  A thorough review of the current homeowner’s policy should go well beyond premium...