Hurricane season is not over

As we turn our television on and check the Internet every day, we are bombarded with endless breaking news stories and major developments across the country and the world. It seems a day does not go by without significant developments that we watch play out online and live on media platforms. Much of this information is important of course, and a lot of it can also serve as an unwanted distraction from other daily activities.

One part of daily life in Florida that we can't afford to be distracted from is hurricane preparedness. We know all too well in our state the damage one storm alone can cause. We also have learned as we enter the peak summer months that the busiest part of hurricane season is just around the corner.

As has become the new normal, a very active hurricane season is expected. Now is a critical time for every Floridian and every business owner in our state to make sure you are prepared in every way possible for the busy part of hurricane season that is on the horizon.

A great preparedness resource for business owners and families alike is the Florida Division of Emergency Management website, which has all the resources you need to make sure you are prepared as possible during storm season.

A positive development that occurred on the eve of this current hurricane season was the Florida Legislature's property insurance reforms that were passed during a special legislative session in May. The highlight was reforms that crack down on excessive litigation that were out of control and leading to higher insurance premiums for Florida residents.

As the Florida Legislature looks to continue to keep insurance premiums under control and reform the property insurance industry, we encourage them to keep the impact to consumers and Florida small businesses at top of mind. Protecting and ensuring a financially secure Florida CAT Fund will continue to go a long way toward helping to stabilize the insurance market and will assist in keeping premiums lower for Floridians.

The governor and legislative leaders deserve credit for taking recent steps forward to address the concerning property insurance market, and we encourage them to continue to consider additional common-sense reforms moving forward – reforms that will keep insurance premium prices down.

Brewster Bevis is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Associated Industries of Florida.

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Brewster Bevis

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