Florida slaps property insurance company with $100K fine over Hurricane Ian claims
Video above: 'Broke' insurance companies moved money, report finds
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida insurance regulators fined a property insurance company $100,000 for its mishandling of claims in the wake of Hurricane Ian in 2022.
According to a consent order document provided by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Centauri Specialty Insurance Company failed to utilize properly appointed adjusters and provide a disclosure statement when providing payments on claims that were not the full and final payment.
Manatee dies while receiving medical care at Florida state park: report
Insurance regulators pointed to 168 instances where the company used insurance adjusters who were not properly appointed. Florida law requires them to be licensed and appointed.
The office said that Centauri 'did not provide the particular disclosure statement when providing a payment on a claim that was not the full and final payment in 141 instances.'
Centauri was fined $100,000, plus $2,000 in administrative costs. As part of the agreement, the company acknowledged it could face administrative penalties if caught violating the terms of the consent order in the future.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
Saving for a storm while it's already raining: Florida readies budget fund to offset federal cuts
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — With growing signs of a financial squeeze from Washington, including potential cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and FEMA, Florida lawmakers are preparing not just for state budget cuts but also for uncertainty in D.C. The state relies on federal dollars for nearly one-third of its budget and any disruptions from D.C. could have a ripple effect here on the state level. So, the question is, are lawmakers doing enough to protect Floridians from the unexpected?'I do not believe in raising taxes. We agree in the opposite. Cutting taxes, cutting spending, wasteful spending,' said House Speaker Danny Perez (R-Miami). 'What we're doing is, we are putting the state in a position that, god forbid, we are in a recession, we are in the 2000s all over again, we have a budget stabilization fund that would be able to backstop and protect Floridians from having to be in an uncomfortable position.' Senate and House leadership say they are leaning on the budget stabilization fund, the state's rainy day reserve, in case of a recession, rising costs, or federal pull-back. 'We're doing things to make Florida's balance sheet more durable and difficult times, and we're setting more money aside to have as rainy-day reserves if things get difficult, that's a win that's a win,' said Senate President Ben Albritton (R-Wauchula). But not everyone at the statehouse agrees that leadership's strategy is hitting the right mark.'You don't get to talk about saving money for a rainy day when it's still raining, when it's already raining on the people of Florida,' said State Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-Tampa). House Minority Leader Driskell said we shouldn't be cutting funding, we should be expanding the budget. 'It seems to me there's a lot of hot air about this Budget Stabilization Fund. There's a lot of hot air about saving money for a rainy day. But guess what? You only get to do that after you've met all of your other obligations,' said Driskell. 'The question is, do I believe this budget prepares Florida for what could be coming out of the DOGE cuts or just the changes that come out of Washington, D.C? And I would say yes,' said Senate President Albritton. It's now day 102 of the 60-day session, and Budget Chairs have been working all week, racing to finalize the final spending plan, which is now expected for a Monday vote. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Thai restaurant in Carlisle to reopen tonight after six-week closure
A POPULAR Thai restaurant in Carlisle city centre is set to reopen this evening after a period of extended closure. Namh Moon which is located at Treasury Court, off Fisher Street, has been closed for over six weeks. On Tuesday, April 29, the team announced online that they would be closed for two weeks due to "unforeseen circumstances." However, today (Friday, June 13) owner, Ian McGregor told the News & Star they are reopening tonight at 5pm. 2023 REVIEW: Namh Moon: Carlisle has been blessed with new Thai treasure He said: 'After a lengthy closure due to a family emergency in Thailand and illness we are pleased to be able to open tonight at 5pm. 'We appreciate the understanding and patience of our loyal customers. 'We are just so pleased to be able to open.' Ian runs the restaurant with his wife Nueng who is the chef and the family also own Star of Siam in Keswick. Namh Moon opened in the city in December 2023 and offers a range of Thai food.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Floridians know hurricane-proofing works. Let's make it affordable.
Florida faced hard hits from three hurricanes last year, with many communities still reeling from the destruction. It may feel like the last season just ended, but the 2025 Hurricane Season is here and is expected, once again, to bring 'above average' activity. It seems like after each weather catastrophe, stories emerge, along with accompanying aerial drone footage, showing hurricane-resistant homes that somehow survived Category 4 or 5 winds and life-threatening storm surge amidst an expanse of destruction and homes that were not as fortunate. In 2024, a community near Tampa Bay, known as Hunters Point, proved resilient during Hurricane Milton thanks to homes raised 16 feet off the ground and secured with steel straps. Babcock Ranch, a Southwest Florida community, made national headlines in 2022 after standing strong through Hurricane Ian, as the entirely solar-powered community's homes were built to withstand Category 5 winds. 🌀 2025 Hurricane Season Guide: Storm preparedness tips, supply list, evacuation zones It has become clear that hurricane-proofing your home works, but there's one big catch: the cost. Most families are struggling with rising costs and a general level of economic uncertainty, which is forcing us to decide what is really important when it comes to budgeting. A recent study found that millions of homeowners are being blocked from accessing their home equity, compounding this problem. High interest rates, rising debt and pandemic-driven job disruptions have made it harder for many U.S. homeowners to access home-equity loans or lines of credit, which are often used to obtain capital for home renovations and a means to finance hurricane hardening. Despite a recent job market rebound, nearly 4.6 million mortgage holders have seen credit declines tied to labor shifts, limiting access to over $730 billion in equity. And with the economy expected to slow amid a growing trade war, many may find their home equity harder to tap, despite a $18 trillion surge in housing wealth over the past five years. With construction costs also on the rise and an aging housing stock, how are homeowners supposed to protect their families and their properties through traditional financing measures? Instead, we must look to innovative policy tools focusing on home sustainability and resiliency. More: Florida must strengthen its electrical grid before it's too late | Opinion Programs like Elevate Florida, a state-run grant program, offer money for raising homes or hardening them with new roofs, windows and doors. However, due to overwhelming demand, the program has already exhausted its funding. In communities throughout Florida, including in Palm Bech County and across South Florida, programs like the Residential Property Assessed Clean Energy Program (PACE) remain available to homeowners. Property owners looking to avoid high interest rates or steep upfront costs of traditional loans can opt for PACE, which allows them to finance upgrades over time through their annual property tax bill. Qualification is based mainly on the home's available equity and the owner's ability to repay, not their credit score, making it more accessible than conventional financing. To date, Florida has avoided well over $3 billion in disaster losses because of PACE home resiliency upgrades, and the PACE industry has had more than a $7 billion economic impact statewide. More: $103 million in hurricane home-hardening grants up for grabs again. How to get one As the next hurricane season looms, protecting your home shouldn't be a luxury, it's a necessity. While financial pressures are real, delaying critical storm-resilience upgrades can cost far more in the long run. Programs like PACE offer a lifeline, making it possible to invest in your home's safety without the burden of high interest rates or inaccessible credit. Every storm season brings new threats, but with the right tools and a proactive mindset, we can strengthen our homes, safeguard our families, and build more resilient communities. Julio Fuentes is president and CEO of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He wrote this for The Palm Beach Post. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida weather damages homes. We need affordable protection | Opinion
