March 8, 2026 • 53 mins
deck stacked against consumers Ron, Hurtibise, Business Writer, South Florida Sun Sentinel Ron, Hurtibise, Business Writer, South Florida Sun Sentinel
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
Welcome to the weekend and this edition of the Florida
Round Table. I'm Bill Mick. You can catch up with
me and our podcasts at billmick dot com. This week,
we're taking a look at property insurance in the Sunshine
State with South Florida's Sun Sentinel reporter Ron Hurdibis. Ron's
recent column details how property insurers keep secrets from policy holders,
(00:26):
making claims and other interactions more difficult. And it's all
done apparently with the state's help. From premiums, claims and
profits to the law, court rulings and regulatory policy. It's
like the consumers in the dark, and on his own
we'll get examples of just how tough the situation is
and what, if anything, can be done about it. Ron
(00:47):
hurd ABIs from the South Florida Sun Sentinel with us
this weekend on the Florida Round Table from the Florida
News Network. We dig into it in moments. Glad you're
with us this weekend on the Roundtable. It's Bill Mick.
Let me take a moment to tell you about my
financial advisor, Art McPherson. The McPherson Financial Groups of fiduciary
(01:07):
That means they make their money when you make money.
But it's more than that, it's their commitment to you.
It all starts when you sit down with the McPherson
Financial Group and get to know each other. There's no cost.
It's a chance to set the stage and lay out
your goals and abilities and develop a strategy for your
retirement planning. And there's more. They do my taxes. Those
strategies are important as well. Let Art and his staff
(01:29):
work with you to make your retirement and financial legacy
what you want it to be. They'll take a look
at your current plan or help you get a new
one started. They're doing great things for me. Shouldn't they
be doing the same for you? Call three two one
four two five eighty five fifty or see them online
at McPherson Financialgroup dot com. Financial planning designed around you.
(01:49):
Security is offered through World Equity Group member FINRA and sipik,
a registered investment advisor the McPherson Financial Group.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Do you have an invention idea but don't know what
to do next. Call invent Help today. We have representatives
nationwide who will explain the Invent Hall process step by step.
Over ten thousand patents have been secured through invent Hol's
patent referral services. The invent hol Data Bank includes thousands
of companies who've agreed to review new ideas. We've been
helping inventors since nineteen eighty four. Let's help you next
(02:19):
get started today.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Call us for free information at one eight hundred five
y five eight five four nine seven Again one eight
hundred fivey five eight fifty four ninety seven.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Head with the shopping cart.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
It's us leafy greens, leafy what greens? Delicious, locally grown
leafy green vegetables.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I'm romine. This is a rugel.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Hello, spinach hi escorld an end.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Oh yeah, the.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Sandwich guys, We're more than just a sandwich layer.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
We had crunched the salads.
Speaker 6 (02:46):
Flavor to soups and say little Jeta si hua to
your bust edition.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
That is, if you let us for meals with personality,
look for this sonny fresh from Florida logo, where are
you shop?
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Nice to have you with us this weekend on the
Florida round Table, Bill Mick and joining me is Ron
Herdebeis with the South Florida Sun Central Ron Wright's business
reporting There run tell us a little bit about your background,
what got you into to the reporting business, and what
are you doing currently.
Speaker 7 (03:24):
Well, I've been a reporter since early nineties. I started
in the Daytona Beach News Journal, worked there for seventeen
years and did just about every every slot that they had.
Started out as a sports clerk back in the early
nineties for five dollars and fifty cents an hour, and
then moved to the copy desk, moved to local news
(03:47):
reporting covering local towns. Then I went to the investigative
reporter job. Then I went to an online job. I
walked around with video cameras and shot videos and edited them, and.
Speaker 8 (04:04):
Then I was.
Speaker 7 (04:07):
Then I had an opportunity to put together to help
put together a documentary about the history of spring Break
in Florida, and I worked on that for a few years.
In the meantime, we moved from Daytona down to South Florida,
living in Broward County in the city of Margate, and
(04:29):
started working for the Sun Sentinel. Back in twenty fourteen,
they had a business job open. I had written a
lot of business stories at the news journal as part
of the investigative job, so I took it and they
told me after I took it that, Oh, by the way,
you're covering insurance now, so insurance. I had no experience
(04:51):
with insurance.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Other than writing a check.
Speaker 7 (04:53):
Maybe other than writing a check, yes, which went from
about four hundred and fifty dollars back twenty three to
several thousand dollars now.
Speaker 8 (05:05):
And so I just.
Speaker 7 (05:10):
Figured it out, learned over the last ten years, tried
to learn as much about insurance as I could, and
figured out what people were interested in, figured out what
people's concerns were, and primarily the cost. Sure what their
concerns are. Yeah, well, but along the way go ahead.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
It's a recent column that you wrote end of February
of this year. You wrote a column that has to
do with insurance companies, how they appear to hide things
from their clients, maybe from the state, how the legislature
and the regulatory agencies and the courts even are involved.
What brought you to this part of that story? What
(05:53):
got you looking at this in particular?
Speaker 7 (05:58):
Well, there's several bills in the legislature right now that
aimed to tear down the veil on a lot of
that stuff. Unfortunately, the Senate President doesn't want any major
insurance bills passing this year, so those bills are going
to those bills are going to die on the vine.
(06:22):
A year ago, there was a report that came out
that the Office of Insurance Regulation had depending on who
we asked, they lost it, misplaced, it, forgot about it.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Had a change in leadership, and somewhere in all of
that lost a report to the legislature.
Speaker 8 (06:43):
That's what they said, yes, and it showed. It showed that.
Speaker 7 (06:48):
Companies were funneling billions of dollars into affiliates through affiliates
while claiming either losing money or that they weren't making
very much money on their underwriting.
Speaker 8 (07:03):
Tasks.
Speaker 7 (07:05):
So that got everybody cranked up about what else are
you hiding? And I've noticed. I've noticed that insurance companies
have increased the amount of secrets that've been allowing insurers
to keep. And you can look at their public facing
databases to see that. One is the database that insurres
(07:30):
file rate increases or manual changes, manual revisions to right
that's right up there, that's right up on the Office
of Regulations website.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
And I can imagine it's a lot to look into.
And I want to ask you about how you got
it how easy was it to get folks to talk
to you? And what did you find out? When we
continue in moments here on the Florida Round Table from
the Florida This Network.
Speaker 9 (08:00):
One in three traffic crash fatalities in Florida are the
results of an impaired driver. These fatalities are one hundred
percent preventable, Yet thousands of people drive impaired every year.
I'm on the way home from college for spring break.
Don't let your decision to drive impaired be the reason
I don't arrive alive. Stay aware, and never drive impaired.
(08:20):
You only have one life. Visit FLHSMB dot gov slash
impaired for more information. Brought to you by the Florida
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
You with the shopping cart, it's us leafy greens, leafy
what greens, delicious, locally grown leafy green vegetables. I'm romaine.
This is a rugle all spinach hi escorlan end I
oh yeah. The sandwich guys, we're more than just a
sandwich layer. We had crunched the salad flavor to soups
and say little jenniese hua to your bost edition, That is,
(08:52):
if you let us for meals with personality. Look for
the sunny question from Florida Logo where you shop.
Speaker 10 (09:00):
Hello, I'm Hector Alessandro, Emmy Award winning actor, and I
want to talk to you about getting older. My body hurts,
my joints ache, and sometimes I forget.
Speaker 11 (09:12):
I forget the Doing all your own scenes for a
movie isn't always the best decision, especially when you gallop
inside saddle down a countryside road on a horse named
Archiebello who seems to have only one speed high and
pulling on his reins only.
Speaker 12 (09:27):
Seems to encourage him to go hum and faster. So,
of course my body hurts and my joints ache. But
it's not because of my age. It's because I'm living
my life. Oh Archibello, don't let life pass you by.
Take care of your brain health. It may just help
you stay on top of your game.
Speaker 10 (09:43):
As soon as this scene wraps, I'm gonna kiss the ground.
Thank Archibello for his outstanding performance, feed him a carrot,
and visit brainhealth dot gov. Find out how you can
make the most of your brain as you age at
brainhealth dot gov.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Continuing on the Florida round table with Ron Hrdebise. He
is with the South Florida Sun Sentinel and he's taking
an investigative reporter's eye to the insurance industry and secrets
they're keeping from We were talking about what got your
interest here, and I'm curious, as a former investigator myself,
what steps were you thinking about? What did you decide
(10:28):
to do as you decided to look at this issue.
Who are you going to talk to? What were you
trying to pull out?
Speaker 8 (10:36):
Well, we talked.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
I talked to the policymakers. I talked to CEOs of
insurance companies. I talked to folks that are kind of
on the periphery of the insurance industry. There's a gentleman
that runs an outfit called the Federal Association for Insurance Reform.
He goes up to Tallahassee every every single year and
(11:00):
monitors all of the insurance bills. I talked to the
lawmakers that filed the bills I talked to in the
course of my job, I talked to just about everybody.
I talked to public adjusters, I talked to agents, a
lot of agents. I talked to policyholders about their issues,
(11:23):
and I also look at the I mean, i'd deeply
look into these databases. I have a little bit more
I would say, a little bit more patience to sit
down and just scroll and to compare to look at
what was filed in twenty twenty five and how it
was designated, and then I compare that to previous years
(11:46):
and saw that there was a lot more designated this
year's trade secret than there was six, seven, eight years ago.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
As you dove into this years, the deck is stacked
somewhat against the consumer, at least that's my read on it.
What were you finding that the issues are the consumers
are facing when it comes to dealing with property insurance
in the state.
Speaker 7 (12:14):
Well, there was the one gentleman that we featured in
the story. He claimed that he had sustained some insurance
or some hurricane damage in Fort Myers Beach two years
ago when Hurricane Ian came through, and he says that he,
in the process of filing his claim, tried to get
(12:35):
information from the company about its investigation into his claim
because they ultimately denied his claim and they refused, and
so he filed the public records request to challenge their
trade secret assertion and ultimately the Office of Insurance Regulation.
Speaker 8 (13:01):
Created a case. Well, they actually what does happened.
Speaker 7 (13:05):
What happens with this is that when you want to
challenge a trade secret assertion, the Office of Insurance Regulation
notifies the insurer that you filed this public records request,
and they give them thirty minutes thirty days to file
a lawsuit to challenge the release of the information. If
they don't file the lawsuit, then then the request or
(13:29):
automatically gets the information. If they do file a lawsuit,
it names the Office of Insurance Regulation as a defendant.
But the Office of Insurance Regulation says that they don't
fight on the behalf of the request, that they're a
neutral party, so they just send the conflict. They send
(13:53):
the claim up to a judge who rules on whether
the insurance insurance company deserves the trade secret.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
So what kind of information are we talking about? A
claims adjusters report, costs of materials, those kind of things
that the insurance company looks into or.
Speaker 7 (14:12):
What Yes, it's it's impressions that the claims adjuster makes
when he's walking through the when he's when he's investigating
the claim, when he's walking through the house. Also, communications
between the claims adjuster and the adjuster is back in
(14:32):
the insurance company that ultimately make the decision as to
whether the claim is going to be paid or not.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
So the claims adjuster are on side, not necessarily an
employee of these companies, but either an independent or a
contracted person.
Speaker 7 (14:51):
Yes, I assume so, because after big storms, insurance companies
higher independent claims adjusters. They don't have enough for the
you know, in house to sure handle all the claims
that they get.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Okay, there are.
Speaker 7 (15:05):
Certain records that they're required to provide, but their internal
communications are not, so are not open to trade to release.
And also any any impressions that go through his mind,
anything that he's thinking about, anything that he I guess
(15:27):
marks down as he walks through. And those are important
things that a homeowner wants to know because they want
to know what process takes place between the claim adjuster
and the office when they ultimately make those decisions.
Speaker 8 (15:45):
And those have.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
Long been held as trade secret, not only in Florida
but other states as well, and homeowners think that they
should have the right to understand exactly why the insurance
company made the decisions their makings.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Sounds like it's a difficult climb if you're trying to
fight a claim at all that process, and the gentleman
you're talking about in Fort Myers Beach, Jeremy Berman, looked
like he went through a lot. And it gets even
tougher if you get to the stage where you have
to sue your insurance company.
Speaker 7 (16:19):
Well, that's right, And I think partly that's why insurance
companies are so secretive, because I think a lot of
them have will have this idea in their mind that
virtually any claim decision could end up in court, and
that they have to protect their reasoning, They have to
protect their process, their manual for investigating these claims. They
(16:43):
don't want they don't want this stuff out in the
public so that trial attorneys or public adjusters can use
it to game against them.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
As you looked at this, how are you evaluating this?
Was it the consumers in a bad way? The company
has a right to its own trade secrets, whatever that
may be. And is there a balance somewhere to be
found in all of this?
Speaker 7 (17:07):
Well, that's the question, you know. I mean, that's what
we don't know, because we don't know what we don't know.
And I think that's what a lot of some of
these lawmakers are trying to figure out, you know, that
that we should be able to have access automatically to
certain information that we don't have access to now. It's
(17:30):
you know, insurance is it's it's like a utility, it's
like gas, it's like electricity, it's it's like water.
Speaker 8 (17:38):
You have to have it if you have.
Speaker 7 (17:40):
A mortgage, and who among us don't you have to
have You have to buy this product. And if if
it's the point where they have you know, the industry itself,
you could say has a monopoly because they have us
under the under the gun, we have to buy this.
Speaker 8 (17:58):
So shouldn't that fact.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
Make it more reasonable to expect that we should be
able to know things about what the insurance company do.
It does as well, decisions that they make, information that
they keep, how they how they determine the rates that
they've that they charge.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
If I understand correctly, insurance companies have an anti trust exemption.
They can actually talk to each other about rates and
setting rates and establishing what those rates are going to be,
and no penalty for doing so. It's almost like no
competition because we're in it together.
Speaker 7 (18:40):
I was unaware of that. They can they can collude
in other words.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
That's the word that was coming to my mind. Yes,
that that may be another angle for you to jump
into next time you're looking into this, because if i'm
and I talked to someone who worked in the legislature
and said that it was a shock when they learned
this particular fact too, that insurance companies had this ability
that other industries don't have.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
That's that would be fascinating if it's true. Yeah, you know,
they talk about it needing to needing to hold these
trade secrets for out of fear that the competition is
going to learn how they do what they do. But
if what you're saying is true, then that doesn't stop
them from communicating whatever they want to communicate to their competitions.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Yeah, that's very true.
Speaker 7 (19:30):
So that that would argue even strong more strongly that
they need to be able to keep fewer secrets.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
I would agree with you there. Did you find anybody
in your discussion that whoever you might have interviewed, that
is seeking solutions for this, that is something that's going
to be equitable for the businesses, for the homeowners and
the like.
Speaker 7 (19:54):
Well, like I said, the lawmakers, we had Don Gates,
I didn't speak to Don but I did speak to
Karma Carlos Giermo. Smith filed one of the one of
the major bills, and he's very very strongly in favor
of more information being as available to policyholders, while understanding
that businesses have to protect their ability to make money,
(20:16):
their ability to survive. I don't think anybody would argue
about that. I spoke to John Rollins, who's the CEO
of a new company called Patriots Select. He is of
the opinion that there should be more transparency. He wants
to see what other companies are are paying their managing
general agents also known as affiliates or holding companies, because
(20:42):
he says he's not afraid to let his competition know
what he pays.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
He's the gentleman that used to be in charge of
risk management for citizens from your column.
Speaker 7 (20:51):
Chief risk risk Officer. I believe it was his title. Okay, Yeah,
he makes a lot of sense. He's he's a pretty
straight shooter. I've spoken with them many times over the years,
and I admire his candor.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Well, that is refreshing. When you do what you and
I have done in our careers, you get somebody who's
willing to open up and be straightforward with you. You
got to value that and that sounds like an advocate
for both sides. Look, he's in the business, he's a CEO,
but he understands the consumer and maybe somebody's looking at
serving as consumer here. I like that idea.
Speaker 8 (21:29):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
As you looked at the legislature, I have often said
that the Florida Senate is where good ideas go to die.
You've mentioned that Ben Albritton, the President of the Senate,
has no interest in advancing any major insurance legislation this session,
preferring to let the previous measures they've taken try to
have time to take effect. We've seen new companies come
into the state. Is there anything else to be done
(21:53):
or to be gained from the former legislation? As far
as you've seen, and we've got just about a minute.
Speaker 7 (21:58):
Here, I think that there's always room for improvement. I
think that some of these some of these trade secret
bills would give people more confidence in decisions that they
make if there's more information available that helps people discern
between one insure or another. Because they're very different. They
(22:21):
go for different they target different markets, they target different
ages of homes, they target different values of homes. They
even target different homeowners because they run credit reports on everybody.
Sure they call them insurance reports. And so you'll have
(22:41):
one company that will target riskier properties and another target
that will another company that will target more high end properties.
And I think people ought to know more about the differences.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
And we pick it up when we continue in moments
here on the round table.
Speaker 6 (22:59):
Need to sign your house fast, whether you're facing for closure,
stuck with bad tenants, or just ready for a fresh start.
House Buyer Network can help we buy homes as is
for cash, no fees, no commissions, no repairs. Get a
fair cash offer in just twenty four hours and close
in as little as seven days. Call eight three three
four six four zero eight two seven now for your
(23:20):
free no obligation offer. That's eight three three four six
four zero eight two seven house Buyer Network, fast cash,
no hassle.
Speaker 13 (23:28):
Fresh Florida tomatoes. These ripe red rubies are the jewels
of the produce section, making every dish a real gem.
Sliced or dice, purade or sauteed. They are the.
Speaker 14 (23:38):
Sole of soups and salads, the toppings of pizzas and pastas.
They put the tea in blt literally, is there nothing
the Florida tomato can't do. Florida tomatoes the Swiss Army
Knife of vegetables, even if they are of fruit. Technically,
just see you what Florida tomatoes can do for you.
Visit Fresh from Florida dot com.
Speaker 15 (23:58):
Hi, I'm Johnny Erkson Todd. Growing up with a brother
with autism, Sarah Krank witness firsthand how kids with disabilities
felt left out by their peers. It's why, at the
age of fifteen, Sarah approached her cheerleading coach with an
idea to include girls with disabilities on her school's cheer team. Well,
what started out as an inclusive high school cheer team
(24:21):
in a small town in Iowa has led to what
is now known as Sparkle Effect, a thriving nonprofit with
over one hundred and eighty cheer teams across the United States,
bringing students with and without disabilities together through cheerleading. The
result more confidence, higher grades, and better school attendance for
kids with disabilities, and for those without a disability, new
(24:44):
friends and a greater empathy. You want to learn more, well,
visit disabilitycampaign dot org, where we have posted a link
to the fabulous work known as the Sparkle effect.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
We're here early before they wake up.
Speaker 6 (25:04):
We stay late, we stay informed. We invest in the
latest technology.
Speaker 12 (25:11):
We take the time to train the next generation of
doctors and nurses. We work together to make sure we
heal their bodies and their minds.
Speaker 9 (25:25):
We do this not because it's our job, but because
this is about our veterans' lives.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
This is our mission.
Speaker 13 (25:33):
More than three hundred thousand of us working as one together.
Speaker 7 (25:37):
With families and loved ones, no matter where they live
in this country, we'll be there.
Speaker 16 (25:44):
We all come together and stand together to serve our veterans.
We stand strong united, stand with us and caring for
our veterans.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
Imagine image being denied an apartment because of your religion,
or your race, or because you have children or a disability.
Speaker 11 (26:06):
It's so wrong, yes, But who has the power to
stop this?
Speaker 1 (26:11):
You do.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
Each of us has the power. The law is on
your side.
Speaker 17 (26:16):
It's illegal for landlords to discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, disability, or familial status. If you suspect that
you have experienced housing discrimination, find a complaint with HUD
immediately so we can investigate it.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
Fair housing is your right. Use it to learn more.
Speaker 17 (26:37):
Visit hud dot gov slash fair housing. That's hud dot
gov slash fair housing, or call one eight hundred sixty six'
nine nine seven seven seven one eight hundred six six'
nine nine seven SEVEN seven a public service MESSAGE from
hud in partnership With The National Fair.
Speaker 5 (26:55):
Housing alliance.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Continuing to look at the business of. Insurance secrets we
are Talking To ron hrdebis With The South Florida. Sun,
sentinel ron, you say you've got some ongoing investigative work
going into the insurance world and you're looking for some information.
From folks what are you investigating or what are you
taking a look at and how do they get information?
Speaker 18 (27:23):
To, you.
Speaker 7 (27:25):
Well just, LIKE you, i mean we are looking into this.
Insurance industry, you know we, See stories we see various
facts and figures, coming out revelations like that report last
year that we were. Talking about but it's such a
huge picture that it's hard to get your hands. Around,
(27:46):
it sure it's hard to understand exactly what the impact
of the reforms from twenty twenty two are and have
been and are, you know are continuing to be. ON policyholders,
i mean when you file a claim? Is there are
you going to be treated any differently now than you
were before? These reforms before they feared that you were
(28:09):
going to be able to file the lawsuit because it
didn't cost you, Anything ultimately so we've gathered a team
together and we want to take, a, large broad big
picture Look at florida's. Insurance industry or we are, doing
that and we would very much like to get people's opinions,
(28:29):
on it people's experiences to find out in, recent years
if they filed, a claim how they, Were treated.
Speaker 8 (28:38):
Did they have any trouble that they?
Speaker 7 (28:41):
DIDN'T foresee, i mean it may well be that they
had a better experience than they would have before because
insurance companies aren't as concerned about, being sued.
Speaker 8 (28:53):
Or it may be that they're being nickeled and.
Speaker 7 (28:56):
Dimed even worse because the insurance companies know that they're
not going to. Be sued we just we don't we,
don't know, you know we we just it's so big
that you can look at any anecdote and decide to
draw conclusion based.
Speaker 8 (29:13):
On it but.
Speaker 7 (29:15):
Is?
Speaker 8 (29:15):
That fair you're.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Looking for a more base, of information.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Then we need a.
Speaker 7 (29:20):
Bigger database we're trying to build a big basket of
information that can.
Speaker 8 (29:24):
Help us.
Speaker 7 (29:26):
Tell readers where, they stand basically what their chances.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Are well and That's absolutely if you have listeners here
who have had those experiences and you said good or
bad ten, to one it's going to be. Mostly bad
but just because that's who reaches out, more often how
do they get information, To.
Speaker 8 (29:47):
You well we have an.
Speaker 7 (29:50):
Email address it's Insurance At sun sentinel. Dot com and
it's just simple as, it sounds the word insurance And
Then sun sentinel, one word there's no hyphen.
Speaker 8 (30:03):
And they'll get.
Speaker 7 (30:03):
To US and i hope that people with good experiences
would reach out, as well because we it would be
it would be misleading if all we got were bad
experiences and.
Speaker 8 (30:16):
That was, you know we don't want that to taint our,
our view.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Our conclusions absolutely so, Insurance, Courage annie. I'm sorry Insurance
At sun sentinel, Dot Com sun sentinels all, one word
Insurance at suncentral dot com and those experiences are going
to be very telling. For you that'll. BE interesting i
look forward to you following up on.
Speaker 8 (30:37):
That, stuff.
Speaker 7 (30:39):
Oh we're looking, forward to uh to being able to
get our hands. Around it it's Even though i've been
an insurance reporter for. TEN years i have to, admit that,
YOU know i can't speak authoritatively on whether or not
the insurance industry.
Speaker 8 (30:57):
Is bad or. Is good are?
Speaker 7 (31:00):
You know how do you drive that conclusion in a
market as big, as this with so many.
Speaker 8 (31:04):
Different companies we have to find out what's.
Speaker 7 (31:09):
Going on maybe we find out what certain companies aren't
as as generous as other. COMPANIES are.
Speaker 8 (31:21):
I.
Speaker 7 (31:21):
Don't know we're completely Going at we're going at this
with an open mind and just looking to collect as
much information as we can the first help lead us.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
To conclusions The first florida ROUNDTABLE show i did was
about homeowners insurance in. The state it's a little over two.
Years ago i'd actually reached out to an insurance broker
On The gulf coast and had him on for an
hour talking about the issues that we were facing from
the insurance company perspective and what would have made. That
(31:54):
better and he mentioned some of the reforms that were
actually accomplished in that next. Legislative session and my next
outreach was To the Department Of, insurance regulation and they
were largely, non responsive AND when i finally got to
someone to get a response they had no interest in
appearing on the roundtable to talk about insurance issues in.
(32:17):
The state how have you found them as far as
when you've gone looking for information to talk about, these
issues were they responsive? To you did you get the information?
YOU needed i almost got the feeling they want to
keep it behind. Closed doors.
Speaker 7 (32:35):
Let's say we just we get that impression quite.
Speaker 8 (32:38):
A bit.
Speaker 7 (32:40):
But they've also been very helpful in. OTHER cases i
guess it depends on the story and whether they perceive.
Speaker 8 (32:50):
Any kind of.
Speaker 7 (32:51):
Risk or that it would lead to any kind of
hassle or. Political upheaval.
Speaker 8 (32:59):
There Are hard they're a difficult group.
Speaker 7 (33:01):
To keep my, fingers, around BECAUSE as, i say sometimes
they respond very quickly with INFORMATION that. I request other
times they make us go through public records requests and it,
takes weeks and in between time we ask what the
status of, it is and, they say we're working on
it as fast as, we can and we can't tell
(33:22):
you when.
Speaker 8 (33:22):
It's coming it's.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
You.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
Mentioned earlier, I'm sorry, Go.
Speaker 7 (33:29):
AHEAD yeah i was just going to say that the
current commissioner seems to be a bit more outgoing than the.
Previous commissioner the. PREVIOUS commissioner i hardly saw, it all
and he seemed to be somewhat.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
More, secretive, okay well maybe they're in the mode of.
CHANGING things i would like. To hope so you mentioned
earlier that insurance. Is different it's. Regulated state the state
is opposed to any national regulation that is. Really meaningful
what are the major differences you're Seeing between florida and
other regions of, The country things that they're facing or
(34:10):
maybe they're doing differently that we might want. To, CONSIDER.
Speaker 7 (34:15):
Oh i don't Know that i've gotten that deep. Into
it it's hard enough to figure out what's going On.
IN florida i do KNOW that i was scrolling around the,
other Day and i've noticed that similar stories are popping
up in Other States new York and Illinois and Oklahoma.
(34:38):
And Georgia especially georgia seems to be going through a
very similar situation that we went through before the, tour
reform AND so i think that it's possible that the
industry is.
Speaker 8 (34:56):
Coalescing around, similar storylines.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
Similar positions, you know the the trial lawyers are beating.
Us up we've got to enact laws to restrict their
ability to make money.
Speaker 8 (35:10):
So easily.
Speaker 7 (35:12):
The there's too much competition from not too. Much competition
but we're we're we're losing too. Much money there's it's
too easy to. File claims it's too easy to to
get decent claims that they seem to and, YOU know
(35:36):
i understand that it's. An industry they Have to. They
can't they can't pay every claim that comes in. Their way,
YOU know i have to deny some claims or else
everybody would file claims all the time and they'd all be, broke.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Well and and that's a big part. Of it one
of the issues we covered rather extensively is the insurance.
FRAUD issue i had a guy come knocking on. My,
door hey we're doing and free, roof inspections and we
just did, your neighbor thought we'd take a look. At
yours and then they filed claims of hail damage that
may or may not, be there some of that fraud
actually having been committed by the guy doing. The inspection
(36:13):
and then an insurance company ends up on the hook
and the offer was we're going to sue your insurance
company for You before i'd ever filed. A CLAIM and
i dealt with an INSURANCE company i had in my
previous home and they'd been very good, to me handled every,
claim well and the offer to sue them off the
bat rang alarm bells for me that we had an insurance.
(36:34):
Fraud problem some of that was that third party allocation
for the lawsuits to be able. To happen so they
did correct. That part that's got to be. Helping some
are you seeing other reforms the legislature needs to take
a look at that can be. Helpful, HERE.
Speaker 7 (36:53):
Well i don't think the legislature wants that any more reforms.
Right now is it's always a fine line between balancing
the rights of the policy holder and the ability of
the policy holder to have their claim investigated and paid
fairly versus holding off on. The FRAUDSTERS and i agree
(37:16):
with you there's over the years in leading up to
the twenty twenty two reforms that there was a full
court press by, by litigants by what they call the,
trial bar by the planefs attorneys that erupted. IN it
(37:36):
i believe from the Statistics that, I'VE seen i think
that it ate away at their profit margin and that
they had no more leeway to continue and a lot
of them several were were driven out of business by this,
All right.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
I'm going to have to pick it up when we
continue in just moments on the.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
Round table wildfire season is active in, your reach And
The Florida forest service would like to remind you there
are many tools that can help reduce the chances of a.
Catastrophic wildfire that includes creating a defensible space around, your
home safely burning, yard Waste following florida's outdoor, burning laws
and reporting a potential wildfire OR suspicious rs. And activity
(38:17):
humans are the leading cause of Wildfires, in florida so
visit b wildfirereadyfl dot com for more Information on florida's
outdoor burning laws and how to protect your home. From
wildfire Introducing summ at green armor insect repellent your go
to defense, against, mosquitoes ticks and other. Biting insects Use
green armor to treat your clothing and, outdoor gear adding
(38:37):
a layer of protection to prevent unpleasant, mosquito bites and
it kills in repels ticks that can. Transmit disease it's
even approved for use. On dogs green armour continues to
kill in repel biting insects for up to six weeks,
after application even after washing fight. The bite Find green
armour at your local garden or, hardware store or order
Online At Summit responsible solutions.
Speaker 19 (38:58):
Dot com we are Here with armigeerer of The McPherson,
financial group and, truth is we've all made financial mistakes in.
The past we all get anxious over a. Volatile market,
but art how do you find that most people react
when you have. That conversation in that, initial consultation people
don't want to look at. Their statement people kind of
Do the. Ostrich theory you put your head in, the
sand don't want to look. At it it's just kind of,
human nature. You know we like to talk about the
market when. It's up we don't really like to talk
(39:20):
about it when.
Speaker 18 (39:20):
It's down so what we like to do, is, say
hey when you come Into McPherson financial group, first time
it's just to get to know, one another. You know
so if they like what we have to say and
they like our kind of business philosophy and what we're going,
to do then they come back and set. Another appointment
they don't have to make. Any decisions it's just getting
to know, one another making sure we're a.
Speaker 19 (39:35):
Good fit you walk into The McPherson, financial group a little,
bit nervous maybe a little bit anxious about mistakes made in,
the past but the goal is to have you walk
out with a better understanding of your. Financial future take
advantage of the, no cost no obligation consultation From r
mcpheerson three two one four two five eight five five
zero or online At artimoney radio. Dot com securities Offered
Through World equity Group MEMBER, finright sipc a registered. Investment advisor.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Continuing On the Florida, Round Table bill mick with ron
herdebis From The South Florida sun sentinel AND ron i
got interested in what we were talking about is that
last segment was going almost ran us. Over time it
impacts every property owner in, the state impacts us all
in one way. Or another and as we look at
insurance issues here and, you guys by, the way if
(40:22):
you've got those homeowner, Insurance stories Insurance At sun sentinel.
Dot com looking for good and bad from the reforms
that have Occurred in florida legislation and how the. Industry's
changing we're seeing new companies come into. The state that's.
Very Helpful so Insurance At sun sentinel. Dot com if
you want To send ron and his coworkers your information
(40:43):
about how you've dealt With. This ron you mentioned earlier
in the show that these, state companies because insurance is,
state regulated they may be an affiliate of a subsidiary
of a major national chain that we all. Might know
the reports are that these companies are sending their profits
to those parent companies and reporting what they're doing in
(41:07):
the state at low profits or even at a loss
to justify rate increases in. The like were you able
to take a look at any of that and see
what's going. On there.
Speaker 7 (41:19):
We don't have access to much, Of that and that
report did not name any of, the COMPANIES and i
don't even know that it's a national that they're national
companies as, well KNOW although i suspect that maybe one
or two of.
Speaker 8 (41:31):
Them ARE.
Speaker 7 (41:35):
And i can't take credit for unveiling. The report that
was My Colleague lawrence mauer over At The Tampa. Bay
times he pushed. For that he filed the public records
request two three years ago and then followed up, on
IT and i guess needled them until they finally came
up and produced at least the introduction to what was
(41:57):
a more extensive report that hasn't seen the light, of
day and because of trade, secret laws probably won't see
the light.
Speaker 8 (42:04):
Of, day well THAT'S why.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
I got the real legislature rowed up a couple of,
years Ago if i'm, not mistaken correct all.
Speaker 7 (42:10):
The last session, not this not this just not the
session that's ongoing, right now but the one last year.
They had they had a special meeting, about it a.
Special hearing but even in that not, much information not
much new information. Was unveiled and, you, know frankly the
the practice of insurance companies contracting with affiliates for management
(42:38):
services is. Not new it's been. Going on it's it's
been known for a. Long Time Paige Page saint john
BACK in i think seven, or eight When a Pulitzer
for exposing she spent a year reporting this and she
exposed how these, affiliates, operate right and how the insurance
(43:01):
companies operate as part of.
Speaker 8 (43:03):
The affiliates and.
Speaker 7 (43:06):
So it's to have been surprised, BY that i think
is a little, bit naive especially for. The legislator they
should have known, about it because it's just it's part
of it's how the insurance industry works across throughout. The
world really none of very few of them operate on
(43:27):
their own and hire all of their own agents and
all their own bookkeepers and all their. Own adjusters most,
of them and a lot of a lot of it's
because your large conglomerates they operate more than one.
Speaker 8 (43:43):
Insurance, company sure you've.
Speaker 7 (43:44):
Got an auto insurance for you've got an auto, insurance
arm you've got a property, insurance arm you've got a renter,
insurance arm, you know and so it makes sense for
them to.
Speaker 8 (43:55):
Use central.
Speaker 7 (43:58):
Administrative companies to process, their, paperwork sure, no doubt and they,
have to. You know but the, issue becomes are you?
Hiding money are you? Overpaying them are you are you
funneling what ends up at the other end being profits
(44:18):
through these companies and thereby escaping. State regulation When Slides,
slide insurance they PAID their ceo and his wife something
close to forty million dollars not long ago as a
salary and bonus for their first two years. Of OPERATION
(44:42):
the oar said that they had no control over what
the holding companies board of directors decided, to pay but
it's clear that the company was all controlled BY, the
ceo and that left a bad potaste in a lot
of people's mouths that they were able to give themselves
(45:07):
that kind of money when ninety percent of their book was, citizens',
takeouts depopulated depopulated from the state's insurer of.
Speaker 1 (45:18):
Last, resort well speaking of, Such things i've just been
tossed out as. Citizens myself it's the ONLY insurance i
could BUY when i bought. My home but they've recently
said we're tossing. You out and who did they point?
Me To, Slide insurance so, they, Go yeah i'm a little,
distressed here and you say. That now BUT what i
(45:39):
DID is i found an insurance AGENT that i dearly
love and they are so service minded they put us
right in the. Right spot so. That's good we're back
to wrap it up this weekend On. The roundtable in,
just moments stay. With us.
Speaker 3 (45:56):
Make your guarden come Alive With Quality.
Speaker 20 (45:58):
Green specialists Us Cover quality green's beautiful nursery with thousands of,
fruit trees, fruiting, plants flowers herbs. And vegetables enjoy an
explosion of color and see amazing results in. Your garden
qualitygreen has the very best in organic based sustainable products
to grow everything, super productive strong. And Healthy Quality green
specialists three Thirty Five West, Michigan Avenue, indy land conveniently
(46:22):
open nine to four Daily online equalitygreenspecialist. Dot com the,
sun's out the, water's cool it's a perfect day.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
For boating what's that?
Speaker 15 (46:34):
Boat doing.
Speaker 21 (46:36):
Perfect boating days can quickly turn into disasters when drugs
and alcohol. Are involved don't let boating under the influence ruin.
YOUR day fwc officers have zero tolerance for. Impaired operators
if you're over, the limit you're. Under arrest learn MORE
at myfwc. Dot com brought to you BY The fwc
Division Of.
Speaker 4 (46:56):
Law enforcement wildfire season is active in, your region And
the Florida for service would like to remind you there
are many tools that can help reduce the chances of a.
Catastrophic wildfire that includes creating a defensible space around, your
home safely burning, yard Waste following florida's outdoor, burning laws
and reporting a potential wildfire or suspicious hours. And activity
(47:16):
humans are the leading cause of Wildfires, in florida so
visit b wildfirereadyfl dot com for more Information on florida's
outdoor burning laws and how to protect your home.
Speaker 9 (47:26):
From wildfire one in three traffic crash Fatalities in florida
are the results of an. Impaired driver these fatalities are
one hundred, percent preventable yet thousands of people drive impaired.
Every year i'm on the way home from college for.
Spring break don't let your decision to drive impaired be
THE reason i don't. Arrive alive, stay aware and never.
(47:47):
Drive impaired you only have. One LIFE visit flhsmb dot
gov slash impaired for. More information brought to you By
The florida Department Of highway Safety And Motor vehicles.
Speaker 15 (47:57):
Shortness and we're. Patients CONFUSED one.
Speaker 4 (48:00):
O two you just had.
Speaker 15 (48:01):
An infection what's?
Speaker 9 (48:02):
Going on it's. Becoming symptoms, antibiotics started, but ready let's.
Speaker 22 (48:05):
Move in infections could lead to a deadly chain reaction
in your body. Called sepsis. Very quickly cepsis could cause,
tissue damage, organ failure and. Even death if you know,
the risks can spot the symptoms and, act fast then
you can get ahead. Of sepsis learn MORE at cdc
dot go. Slash sepsis my.
Speaker 5 (48:27):
MUSCLES ached i was tired all. The time my son
had a full blown.
Speaker 15 (48:31):
Asthma attack it came out.
Speaker 11 (48:32):
Of nowhere the unsettling thing about some SYMPTOMS is i had.
Speaker 15 (48:35):
A fever and these.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
Terrible headaches you don't always know what's.
Speaker 4 (48:38):
Causing them it was line disease from A tipplike i
had zecovirus from.
Speaker 10 (48:43):
A mosquito you had a reaction.
Speaker 1 (48:46):
To cockroachrillergens threats to your health can come from. Unexpected
places get. The facts visit pestoral. Dot org a public
service message From The National Pest. Management association back to
wrap up an informative edition Of the Roundtable With ron
herdebeis From The South Florida. Sun Sentinel, and ron let
(49:08):
me ask you to. Do this you've looked and worked
on this insurance well in insurance as far as, reporting
goes for ten plus. Years now you've had a focus
on what's going on here in the state and particularly
with homeowners insurance over this last period, of time and you're. Continuing.
That look give it to us in a little package,
that says here's, what's happening here's why, we're concerned and
(49:32):
here's what we're looking for down.
Speaker 5 (49:33):
The, road.
Speaker 8 (49:36):
Well we're three four years after. The reforms.
Speaker 7 (49:41):
It's shaking out that a lot of companies are that
were crying broke that we're losing money are now. Reaping
profits that it worked out the way that the state
wanted it to.
Speaker 8 (49:54):
Work out but that always raises the.
Speaker 7 (49:57):
Question of on whose backs are they making these and
are they short changing policy holders when the policyholders. File
claims we've heard we've heard anecdotes here and there, that
says you know that which people say that they were
their process was, dragged out that they were offered a
(50:17):
fraction of what they, were owed that it's only because
the companies know that they can't be sued, as easily
and that a lot of these attorneys that were used
to sue them at the drop of the hat are
now holding back on smaller claims because they can't make
(50:38):
it profitable.
Speaker 8 (50:39):
For them they can't make.
Speaker 7 (50:40):
It work so we want to know what is the
actual situation? Out there are there people that are more
people that are frustrated because they're being? Short changed are
there more people that are seeing a? Smoother process?
Speaker 8 (50:57):
Is it.
Speaker 13 (50:59):
Do you have the?
Speaker 7 (51:00):
Wrong impression is it just find? Out there is the
state right that the insurance industry hasn't been as healthy
as it is now in a, long time and that
everything is hunky doryan that we shouldn't worry.
Speaker 8 (51:12):
About it.
Speaker 7 (51:15):
We're only going to know that by doing our, due
diligence by studying as many of the statistics and databases
as we can get our, hands on and by hearing
from folks that have had experience with claims and experience
with their.
Speaker 1 (51:30):
Insurance, companies well speaking of good time to remind folks
that if you've got that, insurance story positive, or negative
and positive ones help. As well drop an Email to
ron and his crew at insurance At sun sentinel. Dot
com insurance At sun sentinel. Dot com and in the
minute or so we've, Got, left ron what are you
(51:50):
hoping to discover when folks start coming to you with? This, information.
Speaker 8 (51:57):
Well, YOU know i mean.
Speaker 7 (52:00):
To be honest, with you it's not going to be
an interesting story if we say that everything. Is wonderful
but we don't plan to say that everything is. TERRIBLE
either i don't see. That happening i'd be happy to
find out what, six seven eight companies. You reveal which
(52:20):
of those companies might be more prone to. Screw policyholders,
i'm sorry excuse, my language but which of these companies
to look? Out for Which, AND also i hope to
be able to provide information that people can use to
choose their, insurance company to make sure that they put
(52:42):
themselves in a position to be dealt with the.
Speaker 1 (52:44):
Most fairly getting an accurate picture is the name of. The,
game sadly we're out, of time. But run thanks for
taking the time. This week is good to have you
with us On, the Roundtable and i'll look forward to
what you find out down. The road so thank, you.
MUCH sir i.
Speaker 8 (52:57):
Appreciate it thanks for Having, ME bill i appreciate.
Speaker 1 (53:00):
It too, All right i'll look forward to more your
Work and i'll look forward to seeing you folks next
weekend right here On The Florida news network with our
next edition Of The. Florida Roundtable legislative session will be.
In focused then.
Speaker 4 (53:17):
You've been listening To The florida Roundtable with bill may
on News and public affairs presentation Of The Florida.
Speaker 1 (53:24):
News network the views and opinions expressed during this programmer
those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views.
Speaker 5 (53:32):
Of, this, station management owners.
Speaker 1 (53:34):
Or sponsors for questions, or Concerns Contact florida roundtable at fnnonline.
Dot net
Welcome to the weekend and this edition of the Florida
Round Table. I'm Bill Mick. You can catch up with
me and our podcasts at billmick dot com. This week,
we're taking a look at property insurance in the Sunshine
State with South Florida's Sun Sentinel reporter Ron Hurdibis. Ron's
recent column details how property insurers keep secrets from policy holders,
(00:26):
making claims and other interactions more difficult. And it's all
done apparently with the state's help. From premiums, claims and
profits to the law, court rulings and regulatory policy. It's
like the consumers in the dark, and on his own
we'll get examples of just how tough the situation is
and what, if anything, can be done about it. Ron
(00:47):
hurd ABIs from the South Florida Sun Sentinel with us
this weekend on the Florida Round Table from the Florida
News Network. We dig into it in moments. Glad you're
with us this weekend on the Roundtable. It's Bill Mick.
Let me take a moment to tell you about my
financial advisor, Art McPherson. The McPherson Financial Groups of fiduciary
(01:07):
That means they make their money when you make money.
But it's more than that, it's their commitment to you.
It all starts when you sit down with the McPherson
Financial Group and get to know each other. There's no cost.
It's a chance to set the stage and lay out
your goals and abilities and develop a strategy for your
retirement planning. And there's more. They do my taxes. Those
strategies are important as well. Let Art and his staff
(01:29):
work with you to make your retirement and financial legacy
what you want it to be. They'll take a look
at your current plan or help you get a new
one started. They're doing great things for me. Shouldn't they
be doing the same for you? Call three two one
four two five eighty five fifty or see them online
at McPherson Financialgroup dot com. Financial planning designed around you.
(01:49):
Security is offered through World Equity Group member FINRA and sipik,
a registered investment advisor the McPherson Financial Group.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Do you have an invention idea but don't know what
to do next. Call invent Help today. We have representatives
nationwide who will explain the Invent Hall process step by step.
Over ten thousand patents have been secured through invent Hol's
patent referral services. The invent hol Data Bank includes thousands
of companies who've agreed to review new ideas. We've been
helping inventors since nineteen eighty four. Let's help you next
(02:19):
get started today.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Call us for free information at one eight hundred five
y five eight five four nine seven Again one eight
hundred fivey five eight fifty four ninety seven.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
Head with the shopping cart.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
It's us leafy greens, leafy what greens? Delicious, locally grown
leafy green vegetables.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I'm romine. This is a rugel.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
Hello, spinach hi escorld an end.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
Oh yeah, the.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Sandwich guys, We're more than just a sandwich layer.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
We had crunched the salads.
Speaker 6 (02:46):
Flavor to soups and say little Jeta si hua to
your bust edition.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
That is, if you let us for meals with personality,
look for this sonny fresh from Florida logo, where are
you shop?
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Nice to have you with us this weekend on the
Florida round Table, Bill Mick and joining me is Ron
Herdebeis with the South Florida Sun Central Ron Wright's business
reporting There run tell us a little bit about your background,
what got you into to the reporting business, and what
are you doing currently.
Speaker 7 (03:24):
Well, I've been a reporter since early nineties. I started
in the Daytona Beach News Journal, worked there for seventeen
years and did just about every every slot that they had.
Started out as a sports clerk back in the early
nineties for five dollars and fifty cents an hour, and
then moved to the copy desk, moved to local news
(03:47):
reporting covering local towns. Then I went to the investigative
reporter job. Then I went to an online job. I
walked around with video cameras and shot videos and edited them, and.
Speaker 8 (04:04):
Then I was.
Speaker 7 (04:07):
Then I had an opportunity to put together to help
put together a documentary about the history of spring Break
in Florida, and I worked on that for a few years.
In the meantime, we moved from Daytona down to South Florida,
living in Broward County in the city of Margate, and
(04:29):
started working for the Sun Sentinel. Back in twenty fourteen,
they had a business job open. I had written a
lot of business stories at the news journal as part
of the investigative job, so I took it and they
told me after I took it that, Oh, by the way,
you're covering insurance now, so insurance. I had no experience
(04:51):
with insurance.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Other than writing a check.
Speaker 7 (04:53):
Maybe other than writing a check, yes, which went from
about four hundred and fifty dollars back twenty three to
several thousand dollars now.
Speaker 8 (05:05):
And so I just.
Speaker 7 (05:10):
Figured it out, learned over the last ten years, tried
to learn as much about insurance as I could, and
figured out what people were interested in, figured out what
people's concerns were, and primarily the cost. Sure what their
concerns are. Yeah, well, but along the way go ahead.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
It's a recent column that you wrote end of February
of this year. You wrote a column that has to
do with insurance companies, how they appear to hide things
from their clients, maybe from the state, how the legislature
and the regulatory agencies and the courts even are involved.
What brought you to this part of that story? What
(05:53):
got you looking at this in particular?
Speaker 7 (05:58):
Well, there's several bills in the legislature right now that
aimed to tear down the veil on a lot of
that stuff. Unfortunately, the Senate President doesn't want any major
insurance bills passing this year, so those bills are going
to those bills are going to die on the vine.
(06:22):
A year ago, there was a report that came out
that the Office of Insurance Regulation had depending on who
we asked, they lost it, misplaced, it, forgot about it.
Speaker 1 (06:36):
Had a change in leadership, and somewhere in all of
that lost a report to the legislature.
Speaker 8 (06:43):
That's what they said, yes, and it showed. It showed that.
Speaker 7 (06:48):
Companies were funneling billions of dollars into affiliates through affiliates
while claiming either losing money or that they weren't making
very much money on their underwriting.
Speaker 8 (07:03):
Tasks.
Speaker 7 (07:05):
So that got everybody cranked up about what else are
you hiding? And I've noticed. I've noticed that insurance companies
have increased the amount of secrets that've been allowing insurers
to keep. And you can look at their public facing
databases to see that. One is the database that insurres
(07:30):
file rate increases or manual changes, manual revisions to right
that's right up there, that's right up on the Office
of Regulations website.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
And I can imagine it's a lot to look into.
And I want to ask you about how you got
it how easy was it to get folks to talk
to you? And what did you find out? When we
continue in moments here on the Florida Round Table from
the Florida This Network.
Speaker 9 (08:00):
One in three traffic crash fatalities in Florida are the
results of an impaired driver. These fatalities are one hundred
percent preventable, Yet thousands of people drive impaired every year.
I'm on the way home from college for spring break.
Don't let your decision to drive impaired be the reason
I don't arrive alive. Stay aware, and never drive impaired.
(08:20):
You only have one life. Visit FLHSMB dot gov slash
impaired for more information. Brought to you by the Florida
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
You with the shopping cart, it's us leafy greens, leafy
what greens, delicious, locally grown leafy green vegetables. I'm romaine.
This is a rugle all spinach hi escorlan end I
oh yeah. The sandwich guys, we're more than just a
sandwich layer. We had crunched the salad flavor to soups
and say little jenniese hua to your bost edition, That is,
(08:52):
if you let us for meals with personality. Look for
the sunny question from Florida Logo where you shop.
Speaker 10 (09:00):
Hello, I'm Hector Alessandro, Emmy Award winning actor, and I
want to talk to you about getting older. My body hurts,
my joints ache, and sometimes I forget.
Speaker 11 (09:12):
I forget the Doing all your own scenes for a
movie isn't always the best decision, especially when you gallop
inside saddle down a countryside road on a horse named
Archiebello who seems to have only one speed high and
pulling on his reins only.
Speaker 12 (09:27):
Seems to encourage him to go hum and faster. So,
of course my body hurts and my joints ache. But
it's not because of my age. It's because I'm living
my life. Oh Archibello, don't let life pass you by.
Take care of your brain health. It may just help
you stay on top of your game.
Speaker 10 (09:43):
As soon as this scene wraps, I'm gonna kiss the ground.
Thank Archibello for his outstanding performance, feed him a carrot,
and visit brainhealth dot gov. Find out how you can
make the most of your brain as you age at
brainhealth dot gov.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
Continuing on the Florida round table with Ron Hrdebise. He
is with the South Florida Sun Sentinel and he's taking
an investigative reporter's eye to the insurance industry and secrets
they're keeping from We were talking about what got your
interest here, and I'm curious, as a former investigator myself,
what steps were you thinking about? What did you decide
(10:28):
to do as you decided to look at this issue.
Who are you going to talk to? What were you
trying to pull out?
Speaker 8 (10:36):
Well, we talked.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
I talked to the policymakers. I talked to CEOs of
insurance companies. I talked to folks that are kind of
on the periphery of the insurance industry. There's a gentleman
that runs an outfit called the Federal Association for Insurance Reform.
He goes up to Tallahassee every every single year and
(11:00):
monitors all of the insurance bills. I talked to the
lawmakers that filed the bills I talked to in the
course of my job, I talked to just about everybody.
I talked to public adjusters, I talked to agents, a
lot of agents. I talked to policyholders about their issues,
(11:23):
and I also look at the I mean, i'd deeply
look into these databases. I have a little bit more
I would say, a little bit more patience to sit
down and just scroll and to compare to look at
what was filed in twenty twenty five and how it
was designated, and then I compare that to previous years
(11:46):
and saw that there was a lot more designated this
year's trade secret than there was six, seven, eight years ago.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
As you dove into this years, the deck is stacked
somewhat against the consumer, at least that's my read on it.
What were you finding that the issues are the consumers
are facing when it comes to dealing with property insurance
in the state.
Speaker 7 (12:14):
Well, there was the one gentleman that we featured in
the story. He claimed that he had sustained some insurance
or some hurricane damage in Fort Myers Beach two years
ago when Hurricane Ian came through, and he says that he,
in the process of filing his claim, tried to get
(12:35):
information from the company about its investigation into his claim
because they ultimately denied his claim and they refused, and
so he filed the public records request to challenge their
trade secret assertion and ultimately the Office of Insurance Regulation.
Speaker 8 (13:01):
Created a case. Well, they actually what does happened.
Speaker 7 (13:05):
What happens with this is that when you want to
challenge a trade secret assertion, the Office of Insurance Regulation
notifies the insurer that you filed this public records request,
and they give them thirty minutes thirty days to file
a lawsuit to challenge the release of the information. If
they don't file the lawsuit, then then the request or
(13:29):
automatically gets the information. If they do file a lawsuit,
it names the Office of Insurance Regulation as a defendant.
But the Office of Insurance Regulation says that they don't
fight on the behalf of the request, that they're a
neutral party, so they just send the conflict. They send
(13:53):
the claim up to a judge who rules on whether
the insurance insurance company deserves the trade secret.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
So what kind of information are we talking about? A
claims adjusters report, costs of materials, those kind of things
that the insurance company looks into or.
Speaker 7 (14:12):
What Yes, it's it's impressions that the claims adjuster makes
when he's walking through the when he's when he's investigating
the claim, when he's walking through the house. Also, communications
between the claims adjuster and the adjuster is back in
(14:32):
the insurance company that ultimately make the decision as to
whether the claim is going to be paid or not.
Speaker 1 (14:40):
So the claims adjuster are on side, not necessarily an
employee of these companies, but either an independent or a
contracted person.
Speaker 7 (14:51):
Yes, I assume so, because after big storms, insurance companies
higher independent claims adjusters. They don't have enough for the
you know, in house to sure handle all the claims
that they get.
Speaker 1 (15:01):
Okay, there are.
Speaker 7 (15:05):
Certain records that they're required to provide, but their internal
communications are not, so are not open to trade to release.
And also any any impressions that go through his mind,
anything that he's thinking about, anything that he I guess
(15:27):
marks down as he walks through. And those are important
things that a homeowner wants to know because they want
to know what process takes place between the claim adjuster
and the office when they ultimately make those decisions.
Speaker 8 (15:45):
And those have.
Speaker 7 (15:47):
Long been held as trade secret, not only in Florida
but other states as well, and homeowners think that they
should have the right to understand exactly why the insurance
company made the decisions their makings.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Sounds like it's a difficult climb if you're trying to
fight a claim at all that process, and the gentleman
you're talking about in Fort Myers Beach, Jeremy Berman, looked
like he went through a lot. And it gets even
tougher if you get to the stage where you have
to sue your insurance company.
Speaker 7 (16:19):
Well, that's right, And I think partly that's why insurance
companies are so secretive, because I think a lot of
them have will have this idea in their mind that
virtually any claim decision could end up in court, and
that they have to protect their reasoning, They have to
protect their process, their manual for investigating these claims. They
(16:43):
don't want they don't want this stuff out in the
public so that trial attorneys or public adjusters can use
it to game against them.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
As you looked at this, how are you evaluating this?
Was it the consumers in a bad way? The company
has a right to its own trade secrets, whatever that
may be. And is there a balance somewhere to be
found in all of this?
Speaker 7 (17:07):
Well, that's the question, you know. I mean, that's what
we don't know, because we don't know what we don't know.
And I think that's what a lot of some of
these lawmakers are trying to figure out, you know, that
that we should be able to have access automatically to
certain information that we don't have access to now. It's
(17:30):
you know, insurance is it's it's like a utility, it's
like gas, it's like electricity, it's it's like water.
Speaker 8 (17:38):
You have to have it if you have.
Speaker 7 (17:40):
A mortgage, and who among us don't you have to
have You have to buy this product. And if if
it's the point where they have you know, the industry itself,
you could say has a monopoly because they have us
under the under the gun, we have to buy this.
Speaker 8 (17:58):
So shouldn't that fact.
Speaker 7 (18:04):
Make it more reasonable to expect that we should be
able to know things about what the insurance company do.
It does as well, decisions that they make, information that
they keep, how they how they determine the rates that
they've that they charge.
Speaker 1 (18:20):
If I understand correctly, insurance companies have an anti trust exemption.
They can actually talk to each other about rates and
setting rates and establishing what those rates are going to be,
and no penalty for doing so. It's almost like no
competition because we're in it together.
Speaker 7 (18:40):
I was unaware of that. They can they can collude
in other words.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
That's the word that was coming to my mind. Yes,
that that may be another angle for you to jump
into next time you're looking into this, because if i'm
and I talked to someone who worked in the legislature
and said that it was a shock when they learned
this particular fact too, that insurance companies had this ability
that other industries don't have.
Speaker 7 (19:06):
That's that would be fascinating if it's true. Yeah, you know,
they talk about it needing to needing to hold these
trade secrets for out of fear that the competition is
going to learn how they do what they do. But
if what you're saying is true, then that doesn't stop
them from communicating whatever they want to communicate to their competitions.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Yeah, that's very true.
Speaker 7 (19:30):
So that that would argue even strong more strongly that
they need to be able to keep fewer secrets.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
I would agree with you there. Did you find anybody
in your discussion that whoever you might have interviewed, that
is seeking solutions for this, that is something that's going
to be equitable for the businesses, for the homeowners and
the like.
Speaker 7 (19:54):
Well, like I said, the lawmakers, we had Don Gates,
I didn't speak to Don but I did speak to
Karma Carlos Giermo. Smith filed one of the one of
the major bills, and he's very very strongly in favor
of more information being as available to policyholders, while understanding
that businesses have to protect their ability to make money,
(20:16):
their ability to survive. I don't think anybody would argue
about that. I spoke to John Rollins, who's the CEO
of a new company called Patriots Select. He is of
the opinion that there should be more transparency. He wants
to see what other companies are are paying their managing
general agents also known as affiliates or holding companies, because
(20:42):
he says he's not afraid to let his competition know
what he pays.
Speaker 1 (20:46):
He's the gentleman that used to be in charge of
risk management for citizens from your column.
Speaker 7 (20:51):
Chief risk risk Officer. I believe it was his title. Okay, Yeah,
he makes a lot of sense. He's he's a pretty
straight shooter. I've spoken with them many times over the years,
and I admire his candor.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Well, that is refreshing. When you do what you and
I have done in our careers, you get somebody who's
willing to open up and be straightforward with you. You
got to value that and that sounds like an advocate
for both sides. Look, he's in the business, he's a CEO,
but he understands the consumer and maybe somebody's looking at
serving as consumer here. I like that idea.
Speaker 8 (21:29):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
As you looked at the legislature, I have often said
that the Florida Senate is where good ideas go to die.
You've mentioned that Ben Albritton, the President of the Senate,
has no interest in advancing any major insurance legislation this session,
preferring to let the previous measures they've taken try to
have time to take effect. We've seen new companies come
into the state. Is there anything else to be done
(21:53):
or to be gained from the former legislation? As far
as you've seen, and we've got just about a minute.
Speaker 7 (21:58):
Here, I think that there's always room for improvement. I
think that some of these some of these trade secret
bills would give people more confidence in decisions that they
make if there's more information available that helps people discern
between one insure or another. Because they're very different. They
(22:21):
go for different they target different markets, they target different
ages of homes, they target different values of homes. They
even target different homeowners because they run credit reports on everybody.
Sure they call them insurance reports. And so you'll have
(22:41):
one company that will target riskier properties and another target
that will another company that will target more high end properties.
And I think people ought to know more about the differences.
Speaker 1 (22:52):
And we pick it up when we continue in moments
here on the round table.
Speaker 6 (22:59):
Need to sign your house fast, whether you're facing for closure,
stuck with bad tenants, or just ready for a fresh start.
House Buyer Network can help we buy homes as is
for cash, no fees, no commissions, no repairs. Get a
fair cash offer in just twenty four hours and close
in as little as seven days. Call eight three three
four six four zero eight two seven now for your
(23:20):
free no obligation offer. That's eight three three four six
four zero eight two seven house Buyer Network, fast cash,
no hassle.
Speaker 13 (23:28):
Fresh Florida tomatoes. These ripe red rubies are the jewels
of the produce section, making every dish a real gem.
Sliced or dice, purade or sauteed. They are the.
Speaker 14 (23:38):
Sole of soups and salads, the toppings of pizzas and pastas.
They put the tea in blt literally, is there nothing
the Florida tomato can't do. Florida tomatoes the Swiss Army
Knife of vegetables, even if they are of fruit. Technically,
just see you what Florida tomatoes can do for you.
Visit Fresh from Florida dot com.
Speaker 15 (23:58):
Hi, I'm Johnny Erkson Todd. Growing up with a brother
with autism, Sarah Krank witness firsthand how kids with disabilities
felt left out by their peers. It's why, at the
age of fifteen, Sarah approached her cheerleading coach with an
idea to include girls with disabilities on her school's cheer team. Well,
what started out as an inclusive high school cheer team
(24:21):
in a small town in Iowa has led to what
is now known as Sparkle Effect, a thriving nonprofit with
over one hundred and eighty cheer teams across the United States,
bringing students with and without disabilities together through cheerleading. The
result more confidence, higher grades, and better school attendance for
kids with disabilities, and for those without a disability, new
(24:44):
friends and a greater empathy. You want to learn more, well,
visit disabilitycampaign dot org, where we have posted a link
to the fabulous work known as the Sparkle effect.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
We're here early before they wake up.
Speaker 6 (25:04):
We stay late, we stay informed. We invest in the
latest technology.
Speaker 12 (25:11):
We take the time to train the next generation of
doctors and nurses. We work together to make sure we
heal their bodies and their minds.
Speaker 9 (25:25):
We do this not because it's our job, but because
this is about our veterans' lives.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
This is our mission.
Speaker 13 (25:33):
More than three hundred thousand of us working as one together.
Speaker 7 (25:37):
With families and loved ones, no matter where they live
in this country, we'll be there.
Speaker 16 (25:44):
We all come together and stand together to serve our veterans.
We stand strong united, stand with us and caring for
our veterans.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
Imagine image being denied an apartment because of your religion,
or your race, or because you have children or a disability.
Speaker 11 (26:06):
It's so wrong, yes, But who has the power to
stop this?
Speaker 1 (26:11):
You do.
Speaker 5 (26:12):
Each of us has the power. The law is on
your side.
Speaker 17 (26:16):
It's illegal for landlords to discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex,
national origin, disability, or familial status. If you suspect that
you have experienced housing discrimination, find a complaint with HUD
immediately so we can investigate it.
Speaker 5 (26:33):
Fair housing is your right. Use it to learn more.
Speaker 17 (26:37):
Visit hud dot gov slash fair housing. That's hud dot
gov slash fair housing, or call one eight hundred sixty six'
nine nine seven seven seven one eight hundred six six'
nine nine seven SEVEN seven a public service MESSAGE from
hud in partnership With The National Fair.
Speaker 5 (26:55):
Housing alliance.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Continuing to look at the business of. Insurance secrets we
are Talking To ron hrdebis With The South Florida. Sun,
sentinel ron, you say you've got some ongoing investigative work
going into the insurance world and you're looking for some information.
From folks what are you investigating or what are you
taking a look at and how do they get information?
Speaker 18 (27:23):
To, you.
Speaker 7 (27:25):
Well just, LIKE you, i mean we are looking into this.
Insurance industry, you know we, See stories we see various
facts and figures, coming out revelations like that report last
year that we were. Talking about but it's such a
huge picture that it's hard to get your hands. Around,
(27:46):
it sure it's hard to understand exactly what the impact
of the reforms from twenty twenty two are and have
been and are, you know are continuing to be. ON policyholders,
i mean when you file a claim? Is there are
you going to be treated any differently now than you
were before? These reforms before they feared that you were
(28:09):
going to be able to file the lawsuit because it
didn't cost you, Anything ultimately so we've gathered a team
together and we want to take, a, large broad big
picture Look at florida's. Insurance industry or we are, doing
that and we would very much like to get people's opinions,
(28:29):
on it people's experiences to find out in, recent years
if they filed, a claim how they, Were treated.
Speaker 8 (28:38):
Did they have any trouble that they?
Speaker 7 (28:41):
DIDN'T foresee, i mean it may well be that they
had a better experience than they would have before because
insurance companies aren't as concerned about, being sued.
Speaker 8 (28:53):
Or it may be that they're being nickeled and.
Speaker 7 (28:56):
Dimed even worse because the insurance companies know that they're
not going to. Be sued we just we don't we,
don't know, you know we we just it's so big
that you can look at any anecdote and decide to
draw conclusion based.
Speaker 8 (29:13):
On it but.
Speaker 7 (29:15):
Is?
Speaker 8 (29:15):
That fair you're.
Speaker 1 (29:16):
Looking for a more base, of information.
Speaker 8 (29:18):
Then we need a.
Speaker 7 (29:20):
Bigger database we're trying to build a big basket of
information that can.
Speaker 8 (29:24):
Help us.
Speaker 7 (29:26):
Tell readers where, they stand basically what their chances.
Speaker 1 (29:32):
Are well and That's absolutely if you have listeners here
who have had those experiences and you said good or
bad ten, to one it's going to be. Mostly bad
but just because that's who reaches out, more often how
do they get information, To.
Speaker 8 (29:47):
You well we have an.
Speaker 7 (29:50):
Email address it's Insurance At sun sentinel. Dot com and
it's just simple as, it sounds the word insurance And
Then sun sentinel, one word there's no hyphen.
Speaker 8 (30:03):
And they'll get.
Speaker 7 (30:03):
To US and i hope that people with good experiences
would reach out, as well because we it would be
it would be misleading if all we got were bad
experiences and.
Speaker 8 (30:16):
That was, you know we don't want that to taint our,
our view.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
Our conclusions absolutely so, Insurance, Courage annie. I'm sorry Insurance
At sun sentinel, Dot Com sun sentinels all, one word
Insurance at suncentral dot com and those experiences are going
to be very telling. For you that'll. BE interesting i
look forward to you following up on.
Speaker 8 (30:37):
That, stuff.
Speaker 7 (30:39):
Oh we're looking, forward to uh to being able to
get our hands. Around it it's Even though i've been
an insurance reporter for. TEN years i have to, admit that,
YOU know i can't speak authoritatively on whether or not
the insurance industry.
Speaker 8 (30:57):
Is bad or. Is good are?
Speaker 7 (31:00):
You know how do you drive that conclusion in a
market as big, as this with so many.
Speaker 8 (31:04):
Different companies we have to find out what's.
Speaker 7 (31:09):
Going on maybe we find out what certain companies aren't
as as generous as other. COMPANIES are.
Speaker 8 (31:21):
I.
Speaker 7 (31:21):
Don't know we're completely Going at we're going at this
with an open mind and just looking to collect as
much information as we can the first help lead us.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
To conclusions The first florida ROUNDTABLE show i did was
about homeowners insurance in. The state it's a little over two.
Years ago i'd actually reached out to an insurance broker
On The gulf coast and had him on for an
hour talking about the issues that we were facing from
the insurance company perspective and what would have made. That
(31:54):
better and he mentioned some of the reforms that were
actually accomplished in that next. Legislative session and my next
outreach was To the Department Of, insurance regulation and they
were largely, non responsive AND when i finally got to
someone to get a response they had no interest in
appearing on the roundtable to talk about insurance issues in.
(32:17):
The state how have you found them as far as
when you've gone looking for information to talk about, these
issues were they responsive? To you did you get the information?
YOU needed i almost got the feeling they want to
keep it behind. Closed doors.
Speaker 7 (32:35):
Let's say we just we get that impression quite.
Speaker 8 (32:38):
A bit.
Speaker 7 (32:40):
But they've also been very helpful in. OTHER cases i
guess it depends on the story and whether they perceive.
Speaker 8 (32:50):
Any kind of.
Speaker 7 (32:51):
Risk or that it would lead to any kind of
hassle or. Political upheaval.
Speaker 8 (32:59):
There Are hard they're a difficult group.
Speaker 7 (33:01):
To keep my, fingers, around BECAUSE as, i say sometimes
they respond very quickly with INFORMATION that. I request other
times they make us go through public records requests and it,
takes weeks and in between time we ask what the
status of, it is and, they say we're working on
it as fast as, we can and we can't tell
(33:22):
you when.
Speaker 8 (33:22):
It's coming it's.
Speaker 5 (33:27):
You.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
Mentioned earlier, I'm sorry, Go.
Speaker 7 (33:29):
AHEAD yeah i was just going to say that the
current commissioner seems to be a bit more outgoing than the.
Previous commissioner the. PREVIOUS commissioner i hardly saw, it all
and he seemed to be somewhat.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
More, secretive, okay well maybe they're in the mode of.
CHANGING things i would like. To hope so you mentioned
earlier that insurance. Is different it's. Regulated state the state
is opposed to any national regulation that is. Really meaningful
what are the major differences you're Seeing between florida and
other regions of, The country things that they're facing or
(34:10):
maybe they're doing differently that we might want. To, CONSIDER.
Speaker 7 (34:15):
Oh i don't Know that i've gotten that deep. Into
it it's hard enough to figure out what's going On.
IN florida i do KNOW that i was scrolling around the,
other Day and i've noticed that similar stories are popping
up in Other States new York and Illinois and Oklahoma.
(34:38):
And Georgia especially georgia seems to be going through a
very similar situation that we went through before the, tour
reform AND so i think that it's possible that the
industry is.
Speaker 8 (34:56):
Coalescing around, similar storylines.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
Similar positions, you know the the trial lawyers are beating.
Us up we've got to enact laws to restrict their
ability to make money.
Speaker 8 (35:10):
So easily.
Speaker 7 (35:12):
The there's too much competition from not too. Much competition
but we're we're we're losing too. Much money there's it's
too easy to. File claims it's too easy to to
get decent claims that they seem to and, YOU know
(35:36):
i understand that it's. An industry they Have to. They
can't they can't pay every claim that comes in. Their way,
YOU know i have to deny some claims or else
everybody would file claims all the time and they'd all be, broke.
Speaker 1 (35:50):
Well and and that's a big part. Of it one
of the issues we covered rather extensively is the insurance.
FRAUD issue i had a guy come knocking on. My,
door hey we're doing and free, roof inspections and we
just did, your neighbor thought we'd take a look. At
yours and then they filed claims of hail damage that
may or may not, be there some of that fraud
actually having been committed by the guy doing. The inspection
(36:13):
and then an insurance company ends up on the hook
and the offer was we're going to sue your insurance
company for You before i'd ever filed. A CLAIM and
i dealt with an INSURANCE company i had in my
previous home and they'd been very good, to me handled every,
claim well and the offer to sue them off the
bat rang alarm bells for me that we had an insurance.
(36:34):
Fraud problem some of that was that third party allocation
for the lawsuits to be able. To happen so they
did correct. That part that's got to be. Helping some
are you seeing other reforms the legislature needs to take
a look at that can be. Helpful, HERE.
Speaker 7 (36:53):
Well i don't think the legislature wants that any more reforms.
Right now is it's always a fine line between balancing
the rights of the policy holder and the ability of
the policy holder to have their claim investigated and paid
fairly versus holding off on. The FRAUDSTERS and i agree
(37:16):
with you there's over the years in leading up to
the twenty twenty two reforms that there was a full
court press by, by litigants by what they call the,
trial bar by the planefs attorneys that erupted. IN it
(37:36):
i believe from the Statistics that, I'VE seen i think
that it ate away at their profit margin and that
they had no more leeway to continue and a lot
of them several were were driven out of business by this,
All right.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
I'm going to have to pick it up when we
continue in just moments on the.
Speaker 4 (37:56):
Round table wildfire season is active in, your reach And
The Florida forest service would like to remind you there
are many tools that can help reduce the chances of a.
Catastrophic wildfire that includes creating a defensible space around, your
home safely burning, yard Waste following florida's outdoor, burning laws
and reporting a potential wildfire OR suspicious rs. And activity
(38:17):
humans are the leading cause of Wildfires, in florida so
visit b wildfirereadyfl dot com for more Information on florida's
outdoor burning laws and how to protect your home. From
wildfire Introducing summ at green armor insect repellent your go
to defense, against, mosquitoes ticks and other. Biting insects Use
green armor to treat your clothing and, outdoor gear adding
(38:37):
a layer of protection to prevent unpleasant, mosquito bites and
it kills in repels ticks that can. Transmit disease it's
even approved for use. On dogs green armour continues to
kill in repel biting insects for up to six weeks,
after application even after washing fight. The bite Find green
armour at your local garden or, hardware store or order
Online At Summit responsible solutions.
Speaker 19 (38:58):
Dot com we are Here with armigeerer of The McPherson,
financial group and, truth is we've all made financial mistakes in.
The past we all get anxious over a. Volatile market,
but art how do you find that most people react
when you have. That conversation in that, initial consultation people
don't want to look at. Their statement people kind of
Do the. Ostrich theory you put your head in, the
sand don't want to look. At it it's just kind of,
human nature. You know we like to talk about the
market when. It's up we don't really like to talk
(39:20):
about it when.
Speaker 18 (39:20):
It's down so what we like to do, is, say
hey when you come Into McPherson financial group, first time
it's just to get to know, one another. You know
so if they like what we have to say and
they like our kind of business philosophy and what we're going,
to do then they come back and set. Another appointment
they don't have to make. Any decisions it's just getting
to know, one another making sure we're a.
Speaker 19 (39:35):
Good fit you walk into The McPherson, financial group a little,
bit nervous maybe a little bit anxious about mistakes made in,
the past but the goal is to have you walk
out with a better understanding of your. Financial future take
advantage of the, no cost no obligation consultation From r
mcpheerson three two one four two five eight five five
zero or online At artimoney radio. Dot com securities Offered
Through World equity Group MEMBER, finright sipc a registered. Investment advisor.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Continuing On the Florida, Round Table bill mick with ron
herdebis From The South Florida sun sentinel AND ron i
got interested in what we were talking about is that
last segment was going almost ran us. Over time it
impacts every property owner in, the state impacts us all
in one way. Or another and as we look at
insurance issues here and, you guys by, the way if
(40:22):
you've got those homeowner, Insurance stories Insurance At sun sentinel.
Dot com looking for good and bad from the reforms
that have Occurred in florida legislation and how the. Industry's
changing we're seeing new companies come into. The state that's.
Very Helpful so Insurance At sun sentinel. Dot com if
you want To send ron and his coworkers your information
(40:43):
about how you've dealt With. This ron you mentioned earlier
in the show that these, state companies because insurance is,
state regulated they may be an affiliate of a subsidiary
of a major national chain that we all. Might know
the reports are that these companies are sending their profits
to those parent companies and reporting what they're doing in
(41:07):
the state at low profits or even at a loss
to justify rate increases in. The like were you able
to take a look at any of that and see
what's going. On there.
Speaker 7 (41:19):
We don't have access to much, Of that and that
report did not name any of, the COMPANIES and i
don't even know that it's a national that they're national
companies as, well KNOW although i suspect that maybe one
or two of.
Speaker 8 (41:31):
Them ARE.
Speaker 7 (41:35):
And i can't take credit for unveiling. The report that
was My Colleague lawrence mauer over At The Tampa. Bay
times he pushed. For that he filed the public records
request two three years ago and then followed up, on
IT and i guess needled them until they finally came
up and produced at least the introduction to what was
(41:57):
a more extensive report that hasn't seen the light, of
day and because of trade, secret laws probably won't see
the light.
Speaker 8 (42:04):
Of, day well THAT'S why.
Speaker 1 (42:05):
I got the real legislature rowed up a couple of,
years Ago if i'm, not mistaken correct all.
Speaker 7 (42:10):
The last session, not this not this just not the
session that's ongoing, right now but the one last year.
They had they had a special meeting, about it a.
Special hearing but even in that not, much information not
much new information. Was unveiled and, you, know frankly the
the practice of insurance companies contracting with affiliates for management
(42:38):
services is. Not new it's been. Going on it's it's
been known for a. Long Time Paige Page saint john
BACK in i think seven, or eight When a Pulitzer
for exposing she spent a year reporting this and she
exposed how these, affiliates, operate right and how the insurance
(43:01):
companies operate as part of.
Speaker 8 (43:03):
The affiliates and.
Speaker 7 (43:06):
So it's to have been surprised, BY that i think
is a little, bit naive especially for. The legislator they
should have known, about it because it's just it's part
of it's how the insurance industry works across throughout. The
world really none of very few of them operate on
(43:27):
their own and hire all of their own agents and
all their own bookkeepers and all their. Own adjusters most,
of them and a lot of a lot of it's
because your large conglomerates they operate more than one.
Speaker 8 (43:43):
Insurance, company sure you've.
Speaker 7 (43:44):
Got an auto insurance for you've got an auto, insurance
arm you've got a property, insurance arm you've got a renter,
insurance arm, you know and so it makes sense for
them to.
Speaker 8 (43:55):
Use central.
Speaker 7 (43:58):
Administrative companies to process, their, paperwork sure, no doubt and they,
have to. You know but the, issue becomes are you?
Hiding money are you? Overpaying them are you are you
funneling what ends up at the other end being profits
(44:18):
through these companies and thereby escaping. State regulation When Slides,
slide insurance they PAID their ceo and his wife something
close to forty million dollars not long ago as a
salary and bonus for their first two years. Of OPERATION
(44:42):
the oar said that they had no control over what
the holding companies board of directors decided, to pay but
it's clear that the company was all controlled BY, the
ceo and that left a bad potaste in a lot
of people's mouths that they were able to give themselves
(45:07):
that kind of money when ninety percent of their book was, citizens',
takeouts depopulated depopulated from the state's insurer of.
Speaker 1 (45:18):
Last, resort well speaking of, Such things i've just been
tossed out as. Citizens myself it's the ONLY insurance i
could BUY when i bought. My home but they've recently
said we're tossing. You out and who did they point?
Me To, Slide insurance so, they, Go yeah i'm a little,
distressed here and you say. That now BUT what i
(45:39):
DID is i found an insurance AGENT that i dearly
love and they are so service minded they put us
right in the. Right spot so. That's good we're back
to wrap it up this weekend On. The roundtable in,
just moments stay. With us.
Speaker 3 (45:56):
Make your guarden come Alive With Quality.
Speaker 20 (45:58):
Green specialists Us Cover quality green's beautiful nursery with thousands of,
fruit trees, fruiting, plants flowers herbs. And vegetables enjoy an
explosion of color and see amazing results in. Your garden
qualitygreen has the very best in organic based sustainable products
to grow everything, super productive strong. And Healthy Quality green
specialists three Thirty Five West, Michigan Avenue, indy land conveniently
(46:22):
open nine to four Daily online equalitygreenspecialist. Dot com the,
sun's out the, water's cool it's a perfect day.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
For boating what's that?
Speaker 15 (46:34):
Boat doing.
Speaker 21 (46:36):
Perfect boating days can quickly turn into disasters when drugs
and alcohol. Are involved don't let boating under the influence ruin.
YOUR day fwc officers have zero tolerance for. Impaired operators
if you're over, the limit you're. Under arrest learn MORE
at myfwc. Dot com brought to you BY The fwc
Division Of.
Speaker 4 (46:56):
Law enforcement wildfire season is active in, your region And
the Florida for service would like to remind you there
are many tools that can help reduce the chances of a.
Catastrophic wildfire that includes creating a defensible space around, your
home safely burning, yard Waste following florida's outdoor, burning laws
and reporting a potential wildfire or suspicious hours. And activity
(47:16):
humans are the leading cause of Wildfires, in florida so
visit b wildfirereadyfl dot com for more Information on florida's
outdoor burning laws and how to protect your home.
Speaker 9 (47:26):
From wildfire one in three traffic crash Fatalities in florida
are the results of an. Impaired driver these fatalities are
one hundred, percent preventable yet thousands of people drive impaired.
Every year i'm on the way home from college for.
Spring break don't let your decision to drive impaired be
THE reason i don't. Arrive alive, stay aware and never.
(47:47):
Drive impaired you only have. One LIFE visit flhsmb dot
gov slash impaired for. More information brought to you By
The florida Department Of highway Safety And Motor vehicles.
Speaker 15 (47:57):
Shortness and we're. Patients CONFUSED one.
Speaker 4 (48:00):
O two you just had.
Speaker 15 (48:01):
An infection what's?
Speaker 9 (48:02):
Going on it's. Becoming symptoms, antibiotics started, but ready let's.
Speaker 22 (48:05):
Move in infections could lead to a deadly chain reaction
in your body. Called sepsis. Very quickly cepsis could cause,
tissue damage, organ failure and. Even death if you know,
the risks can spot the symptoms and, act fast then
you can get ahead. Of sepsis learn MORE at cdc
dot go. Slash sepsis my.
Speaker 5 (48:27):
MUSCLES ached i was tired all. The time my son
had a full blown.
Speaker 15 (48:31):
Asthma attack it came out.
Speaker 11 (48:32):
Of nowhere the unsettling thing about some SYMPTOMS is i had.
Speaker 15 (48:35):
A fever and these.
Speaker 1 (48:36):
Terrible headaches you don't always know what's.
Speaker 4 (48:38):
Causing them it was line disease from A tipplike i
had zecovirus from.
Speaker 10 (48:43):
A mosquito you had a reaction.
Speaker 1 (48:46):
To cockroachrillergens threats to your health can come from. Unexpected
places get. The facts visit pestoral. Dot org a public
service message From The National Pest. Management association back to
wrap up an informative edition Of the Roundtable With ron
herdebeis From The South Florida. Sun Sentinel, and ron let
(49:08):
me ask you to. Do this you've looked and worked
on this insurance well in insurance as far as, reporting
goes for ten plus. Years now you've had a focus
on what's going on here in the state and particularly
with homeowners insurance over this last period, of time and you're. Continuing.
That look give it to us in a little package,
that says here's, what's happening here's why, we're concerned and
(49:32):
here's what we're looking for down.
Speaker 5 (49:33):
The, road.
Speaker 8 (49:36):
Well we're three four years after. The reforms.
Speaker 7 (49:41):
It's shaking out that a lot of companies are that
were crying broke that we're losing money are now. Reaping
profits that it worked out the way that the state
wanted it to.
Speaker 8 (49:54):
Work out but that always raises the.
Speaker 7 (49:57):
Question of on whose backs are they making these and
are they short changing policy holders when the policyholders. File
claims we've heard we've heard anecdotes here and there, that
says you know that which people say that they were
their process was, dragged out that they were offered a
(50:17):
fraction of what they, were owed that it's only because
the companies know that they can't be sued, as easily
and that a lot of these attorneys that were used
to sue them at the drop of the hat are
now holding back on smaller claims because they can't make
(50:38):
it profitable.
Speaker 8 (50:39):
For them they can't make.
Speaker 7 (50:40):
It work so we want to know what is the
actual situation? Out there are there people that are more
people that are frustrated because they're being? Short changed are
there more people that are seeing a? Smoother process?
Speaker 8 (50:57):
Is it.
Speaker 13 (50:59):
Do you have the?
Speaker 7 (51:00):
Wrong impression is it just find? Out there is the
state right that the insurance industry hasn't been as healthy
as it is now in a, long time and that
everything is hunky doryan that we shouldn't worry.
Speaker 8 (51:12):
About it.
Speaker 7 (51:15):
We're only going to know that by doing our, due
diligence by studying as many of the statistics and databases
as we can get our, hands on and by hearing
from folks that have had experience with claims and experience
with their.
Speaker 1 (51:30):
Insurance, companies well speaking of good time to remind folks
that if you've got that, insurance story positive, or negative
and positive ones help. As well drop an Email to
ron and his crew at insurance At sun sentinel. Dot
com insurance At sun sentinel. Dot com and in the
minute or so we've, Got, left ron what are you
(51:50):
hoping to discover when folks start coming to you with? This, information.
Speaker 8 (51:57):
Well, YOU know i mean.
Speaker 7 (52:00):
To be honest, with you it's not going to be
an interesting story if we say that everything. Is wonderful
but we don't plan to say that everything is. TERRIBLE
either i don't see. That happening i'd be happy to
find out what, six seven eight companies. You reveal which
(52:20):
of those companies might be more prone to. Screw policyholders,
i'm sorry excuse, my language but which of these companies
to look? Out for Which, AND also i hope to
be able to provide information that people can use to
choose their, insurance company to make sure that they put
(52:42):
themselves in a position to be dealt with the.
Speaker 1 (52:44):
Most fairly getting an accurate picture is the name of. The,
game sadly we're out, of time. But run thanks for
taking the time. This week is good to have you
with us On, the Roundtable and i'll look forward to
what you find out down. The road so thank, you.
MUCH sir i.
Speaker 8 (52:57):
Appreciate it thanks for Having, ME bill i appreciate.
Speaker 1 (53:00):
It too, All right i'll look forward to more your
Work and i'll look forward to seeing you folks next
weekend right here On The Florida news network with our
next edition Of The. Florida Roundtable legislative session will be.
In focused then.
Speaker 4 (53:17):
You've been listening To The florida Roundtable with bill may
on News and public affairs presentation Of The Florida.
Speaker 1 (53:24):
News network the views and opinions expressed during this programmer
those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the views.
Speaker 5 (53:32):
Of, this, station management owners.
Speaker 1 (53:34):
Or sponsors for questions, or Concerns Contact florida roundtable at fnnonline.
Dot net
Host
Bill Mick
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Betrayal Season 5
Saskia Inwood woke up one morning, knowing her life would never be the same. The night before, she learned the unimaginable – that the husband she knew in the light of day was a different person after dark. This season unpacks Saskia’s discovery of her husband’s secret life and her fight to bring him to justice. Along the way, we expose a crime that is just coming to light. This is also a story about the myth of the “perfect victim:” who gets believed, who gets doubted, and why. We follow Saskia as she works to reclaim her body, her voice, and her life. If you would like to reach out to the Betrayal Team, email us at betrayalpod@gmail.com. Follow us on Instagram @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.