If you are driving in Miami-Dade county today, be aware that there is a coordinated effort by law enforcement today. As with all traffic stops, drivers will be asked to produce an auto insurance card. The difference today is the officer will now call a command center to verify the authenticity of the produced document. Drivers with altered or fraudulent insurance will now be charged with a third-degree felony as it is illegal to drive without or fake insurance. Before you get in your car today, please make sure your auto insurance is up to date. If you have any … Read Full Post
As Presidential hopefuls go around the country asking for your vote, one item seems to be off their agenda: Long Term Care. As the baby boomers enter retirement age, our country will be face with increasing medical costs for seniors. Given that the youngest of the group are now in their late 40s, this is going to be a long term problem versus a short term one. One of the things a consumer can do to ensure they control their medical well being as they get old is to purchase long term care insurance. Long term care insurance is not … Read Full Post
During the open Florida legislature sessions, the issue of property insurance has been discussed at length, and it’s not looking good. There are lots of reasons and now it appears the debate is getting some national attention. The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) recently had an editorial where it discusses the issues faced by the Governor and legislation. If a resolution is not achieved by March 9th, the end of the legislative session, no changes will be made to the ever rising insurance costs. The reason this is so important is because so many Florida homeowners have the government back Citizens Property Insurance … Read Full Post
Every time it seems like Florida’s bill to ban texting and driving gets going in the legislature it stalls out. It’s hard to understand why this would be such a divisive issue when you consider that you are 23 times more likely to be involved in an auto accident if you are texting and driving than if you weren’t. Consider what has happened in New York as a result of the newly enacted anti-texting and driving bill: over 119k tickets issued statewide with 73k in New York City alone. Reducing the number of accidents will impact the prices we all pay … Read Full Post
There is a lot happening in the Florida legislature regarding various types of insurance reform bills, specifically homeowners and auto insurance. Here are a few articles to help you keep up to date on the happenings. Florida Insurance Commissioner: ‘This Is Year for PIP Reform’ Citizens reform passes Florida House Opinion column: We must rid fraud from PIP system
A recent Chicago Tribune article tackles the question of when is the right time to purchase long term care insurance. Most experts say the best time to purchase is between the ages of 50-59. Two main reasons are 1. As you get older, you increase the likelihood of being denied coverage and 2. As you get older, the costs get to a point where it looks unaffordable. A CBS News report cites the insurance industry say that 2/3 of all people over the age of 65 will need long term care in their lifetime. Whether you are of the recommended age … Read Full Post
According to a Miami Herald article, one of the major reasons for increases in auto insurance premiums is the rise in auto insurance fraud increases. Gov. Rick Scott calls it a billion dollar scam on Floridians as the increase in lawsuits related to P.I.P. claims has risen 275% in the past 5 years. In many instances, the coverage for $100,000 is less than the coverage fo $10,000 in P.I.P. Insurance fraud is a serious issue and is being dealt with in a serious way by the state CFOl Jeff Atwater. Last week, a Miami man was charged with filing a … Read Full Post
Unless you have been in a haze following Sunday’s Super Bowl, you have noticed it is raining in South Florida. Not the usual afternoon downpour, we are getting rain, all day and all night! With South Floridians taking to the streets to return to work, accident risks increase. According to the US Department of Transportation statistics, almost 24% of all traffic accidents are weather related. See the chart below to see what the percentages are for wet pavement and rain So as you take to the streets today, please proceed cautiously.
In November 2011, FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, made changes to the flood zone maps allowing many homeowners to no longer carry flood insurance. This immediately left people to ask the question, Do I Need Flood Insurance? Since we live in the tropics and the threat of hurricanes are present six months out of the year, we recommend every homeowner to carry the policy. Before making a decision about your flood insurance, please assess your needs and what flood insurance covers.
