Florida's insurance market
For many Floridians, finding homeowners insurance is becoming unaffordable. Nine in 10 Florida voters are concerned with rising rates, according to a recent study conducted by Cygnal, a private polling firm.
Last week, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee announced an investigation into Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp., raising concerns about the massive growth of the state-backed insurance company and its ability to pay claims.
We hear from the head of the Office of Insurance Regulation, which is tasked with promoting a stable and competitive insurance market for consumers, and then speak with the president and CEO of Citizens.
Guests:
- Michael Yarwosky, Florida insurance commissioner.
- Tim Cerio, president/CEO and executive director of Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Controversies for Florida's major political parties
Gov. Ron DeSantis has called on the head of the state's Republican Party to step down after an allegation of rape and subsequent investigation. Christian Ziegler has resisted pressure to quit.
According to the reports, the complaint came from a woman who had been in a consensual sexual relationship with Ziegler and his wife, Bridget — who co-founded the conservative group Moms for Liberty and is a member of the Sarasota County School Board.
And if you’re a registered Democrat you won’t be able to vote in March in a presidential primary. The state party decided to cancel its vote because only one name would have been on the ballot: President Joe Biden. The decision has been met with public pushback and threats of legal action from other Democratic presidential candidates.
Guest:
- Max Greenwood, senior political correspondent for the Miami Herald.
Environmental news
Finally, we bring you a collection of stories about Florida’s environment. WUSF’s Steve Newborn shares this story about bringing the great outdoors of the Sunshine State indoors for a different perspective.
Hurricane Idalia washed away dozens of sea turtle nests when the storm surge hit the St. Petersburg area and the rest of the beaches in Pinellas County. The storm came near the end of the nesting season, but it was still a good year for the hatchlings.
No one was immune to the record heat this summer. That includes shorebirds in Tampa Bay, as Chris Young reports from WMNF.