NEWS BRIEF

event’s loss of life nor its historic travel disruptions.

The storm killed at least 91 people, according to The Weather Channel. More than a third of those deaths occurred in the Buffalo, N.Y.-area, where lake effect snowfall exceeded 55 inches over the five-day period.

U.S. LIFE EXPECTANCY DROPS AGAIN

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, life expectancy declined for the second consecutive year due to rising deaths from COVID19 and drug overdoses.

The final data on U.S. death certificates reveals that life expectancy for Americans born in 2021 is 76.4 years, down from a high of 78.8 years in 2019. That marks the shortest life expectancy since 1996.

The top three causes of deaths last year in the United States were heart disease, cancer, and COVID-19.

Florida Legislature Passes Flood Insurance Mandate

Property owners across Florida who have homeowners insurance through Citizens Property Insurance face a new requirement to buy flood insurance under a property insurance reform bill passed by the Florida Legislature on December 14, 2022. It is the first mandate of its kind in the country. It will be phased in.

The flood insurance mandate comes two months after Hurricane Ian caused catastrophic damage in parts of Florida where almost no one had flood coverage. The new requirement applies only to property owners who have coverage through Citizens Property Insurance, which is the state’s property insurer of last resort. It applies whether or not properties are in high-risk flood zones. The requirement will be phased in over the next five years, starting in April 2023 with people who own property in a flood zone.

Nebraska Adds An Insurance Agent Apprentice License

The Nebraska Department of Insurance has developed an application designed for people who are new to insurance sales. The department unveiled an apprentice insurance producer license earlier this month.

A would-be insurance producer can use the new license to work under the supervision of a fully licensed Nebraska insurance producer for up to 120 days. An apprentice sponsor can supervise up to five apprentice producers at a time, and up to 10 apprentice producers over the course of a year, according to an apprentice program guide.

The department developed the apprentice license in an effort to help the insurance industry to grow, according to Eric Dunning, the Nebraska department director. “Now those who want to test the waters of becoming an insurance producer can start with a mentor and a temporary license,” he said.

By Lauren G. Pachman, Esq.