Jeff Atwater

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Last week I wrote a post: That Check from Your Insurer Might Just be the Insurance Company’s First Offer. I was unnerved at the language I heard at the Roundtable meeting about the insurance company’s sending over “first offers” and not hearing any rebuttal from their insured regarding the Matthew claims. I am most upset because the policy of insurance doesn’t say ‘after a loss we will pay you our first offer and let you negotiate with us.’ But that is what happens all too often.
Continue Reading Will You Take a Partial Insurance Payment and Give Up?

Florida’s CFO Jeff Atwater must have had sticker shock when getting his bill for insurance renewal premiums. Last week, Atwater fired off a letter to Florida’s Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty asking why Florida insurance rates were still going up despite a drop in reinsurance rates.…

Continue Reading Reinsurance Costs Drop But Not Florida Insurance Rates

On April 19, 2011, I wrote a blog asking Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater to take a stand on Senate Bill 408. Unfortunately, we didn’t hear much from CFO Atwater’s office during the debate on 408. In fact, the little we did hear appeared to be regurgitation of industry talking points about “fraud” and “cost drivers.” When SB 408 was finally signed into law in May 2011, the CFO remained silent as to the potential impacts on consumers and industry. In June, we heard nothing – in July, still nothing. However, on August 2, 2011, we finally heard from the CFO’s office. During a cabinet meeting, CFO Atwater asked the following question, "There is the reality [that] there are mortgage players who want sinkhole coverage…How does a Floridian go from paying $350, $450 a year to $3,000, $4,000 a year?" …

Continue Reading Where is the Old Jeff Atwater? Part II

There are times when I am troubled about what I write on this blog. This is one of them. I know that many people are going to read this who have very different viewpoints. When a number of people tell you in advance that they look forward to what you are going to write, there is some tendency to write for the readers rather than having the courage to just place what is in your heart on paper. There is no way I can write about all my thoughts, but I will share points.…

Continue Reading Impressions Following the Alternative Dispute Resolution Roundtable

Florida Senate President Jeff Atwater is a banker with a heart. He has supported policyholder friendly legislation in past sessions. From a policyholder’s perspective, and unlike the Chamber of Commerce that is dominated by State Farm and the insurance industry, he is a businessman who stands up to insurance lobbyists and is one of the…