Archives for 2026

It was happy hour. I was chatting with a friend and gulping a dark Modelo.  He was complaining about his Homeowner’s premium. I explained that rates have dropped and now is “…the best time to shop.”

His response was: “Shop!? I’m not retired like you. I don’t have time to shop. I work 24/7, blah, blah, blah!”  Then…  “Do you want another beer or not?”

I guzzled the last of my Modelo (see Note #1 below) and suggested he could save time and find a lower rate by calling an independent agent. To which he responded… “What’s an independent agent?” [Read more…] about Google it!

Written by JS Contributor, Don Brown

Why Florida’s insurance crisis isn’t about the storms — it’s about where we built

There’s an old joke about a 900-pound gorilla. Where does he sit? Anywhere he wants.

Florida has a 900-pound gorilla in the room, and for thirty years we’ve been pretending he’s not there. We’ve rearranged the furniture around him. We’ve hung curtains to block the view. We’ve held countless meetings to discuss the smell without ever mentioning its source.

And all the while, the gorilla has been growing.

His name is risk concentration. And if you own a home in Florida — whether you live on the beach or a hundred miles inland — he’s sitting in your living room right now. [Read more…] about The 900-Pound Gorilla in Your Living Room!

Published by Florida Politics. Written by Scott Johnson, AAI, CAE.  February 4, 2026

Maybe you read my last opinion on trial lawyers targeting insurance affiliates. The Trial Bar claims there’s a secret machine causing your home insurance premiums to rocket.  They’ve labeled it the “Affiliate Siphon.” They stood on the courthouse steps calling affiliated entities performing service work for insurers part of a “dark ritual” to hide profits, while premium payers suffered.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the apocalypse. Legislated tort reform put the kibosh on frivolous lawsuits and rates went down.  Oops! [Read more…] about Trial Bar’s Bogeyman Lowered Home Rates

In an earlier blog titled What You Need to Know About E-bikes! I provided information about the proliferation of e-bikes and how personal lines insurance policies respond (or more likely don’t respond) for claims related to e-bikes. I’d encourage you to find about three minutes to read each of those blogs.  [Read more…] about Dave’s Producer Corner… E Bikes!

Published by Florida Politics, written by Scott Johnson, AAI,CAE January 26, 2026

My Homeowners renewal premium just dropped by $600.  For the same coverage!

While rates in other states are rising, millions of Florida property owners are seeing reductions. Competition is flooding the market. The Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) just ordered Florida’s high-risk pool (Citizens) to reduce its rates by up to 10%.

Even reinsurance, one of the most significant cost drivers, has been trending down for two years.

But if you listen to trial lawyers, you’d think Florida’s property insurers just discovered a dark, occult ritual for disappearing money. They’ve conjured up another “bogeyman” to spoil our dreams called… “affiliated entities.” [Read more…] about Trial lawyers target insurance affiliates!