Famous Tourist Attractions in Florida

Florida is one of the most exciting places to visit in USA. It is popularly known as the sunshine state as it has sunshine all round the year. Florida is one of the best destinations suited to visit for every occasion whether it is honeymoon, trip with your children, or even to enjoy the festive holidays. Florida is well known for its excellent beaches and the sub tropical climate. Here is a list of few of the must see places in Florida:
In Tampa the first place which you need to visit is the Busch gardens. It is a 335 acre theme park all based on African theme featuring beautiful fountains, beautiful water rides and other amusing rides. The end feeling which remains after an exciting visit to the Busch gardens is an all in all thrilling experience with loads of memories. It is a complete treat to visit this place as it has all family rides and the best animal exhibits; it has a treat for the people of all ages' right from the age of five years to sixty. 
If you are looking forward for some more animal destinations then visit the Lowry park zoo where you can have a glance of almost 2000 animals. Recently the Lowry Park Zoo has been awarded as the number one Zoo in the world. Further to add to your excitement the Zoo does not merely have exhibits of animals but you have a wide range of rides as well as shows. 
If you love fishes and have a dream to swim along with them; then here is one of the best places waiting to fulfill this dream of yours. For this you need to visit Florida aquarium and you can have a dive with the sharks and dolphins. The Florida aquarium is a cool way to see the inner world of water. The aquarium has almost ten thousand sea plants at its exhibit.
Do not forget the beaches in Florida; they are among the most well maintained beaches and the North beach has the maximum tourist. It is one of the best swimming area, a day is worth spending at the beach sunbathing and relaxing. To my knowledge visiting the beach is one of the best options to feel relaxing. Further to add spice to the mixture there is Fort De Soto Park known for its beautiful, scenic, natural setting and the local wildlife.
Another thing which you cannot afford to miss is the Walt Disney World resort, it is the large complex having several theme and water parks and not to forget the magic kingdom. SO if you visiting Florida one destination not to be forgotten is the Walt Disney world resort.

Florida Health Insurance for Students

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Florida Health Insurance for Students

December 02, 2008

Graduates of Florida A&M and Florida State University have received numerous speeches and congratulatory gifts, but one real-world need many of them have and did not receive as a gift is health insurance. With a myriad of short-term insurance policies available, young adults are now stuck between their diploma and a hard place.

"Many of them do not know there is an affordable insurance solution for them because they never had to buy health insurance," said Ellen Laden, public-relations director for Golden Rule Insurance Co. "Basically, each year hundreds of thousands of students join America's uninsured."

According to research compiled by the Commonwealth Fund, 38 percent of college graduates go through some uninsured period in their first year after graduation. Golden Rule Insurance is an Indianapolis-based individual insurer affiliate of UnitedHealthCare. For more than 20 years it primarily has provided short-term insurance for graduates and adults going through a transition from one insurer to another.

www.EasyToInsureME.com offers short-term insurance policies for terms as brief as 30 days. Its owner, Chad Levin, started writing the policies more than 5 years ago because of the recent increase in college population.

Last month, Latoya Harris graduated from FSU with a degree in English. Unlike her classmates, Harris was without health insurance before graduation. When she turned 22 in January 2006, her parents' insurer, Kaiser Permanente, dropped her, even though she could show identification proving she was a full-time student.

"Thankfully, I haven't had any major medical emergencies, so I haven't had to worry about paying a huge amount of money," Harris said. "Clearly, it can happen to anyone, so it's just been a blessing that it hasn't occurred."

A representative from Kaiser Permanente said it is up to an individual employer when dependents are dropped from coverage, even if they are full-time students when their policy expires.

To get by, Harris said she visited the clinic at FSU where she only had to pay for prescriptions. She said it can be scary to graduate and not have health insurance and that "it kind of kicked in for me: 'Hmm. I need to find a job and get health insurance."

Harris has found a position in Clearwater and does not have a probationary period before her health insurance begins. She may be one of the fortunate graduates. According to a 2006 article, "Rite of Passage? Why Young Adults Become Uninsured and How New Policies Can Help" (Commonwealth Fund), adults between 19 and 29 are the fastest-growing demographic without health insurance. In 2004, the most recent year available, 13.7 million adults in that age group lacked health insurance, which is 2.5 million more than was reported in 2000. The Commonwealth Fund will release statistics this month updating the figures.

"Because most students are under their parents' insurance, they don't take the time to research it," Harris said. She added it's "definitely wise" for students to educate themselves.

Kylan Chavious is one who educated himself. Before he graduated from FAMU with a degree in computer information systems and taking a position at Lockheed Martin, he researched the possibility of a short-term policy. He does not have to worry about a lapse in health insurance because his parents' policy with WellPath, a subsidiary of Duke Select, covers him until he begins at Lockheed in late June.

"It's like the saying 'better safe than sorry," Chavious said. "That could not only be for your sake, but that could be for future children of yours or your spouse."

Do business with a well-known company that has an extensive network both in Florida and across the country. (Network discounts can make health care much more affordable because rates are negotiated for the consumer.)

Find a plan that offers a wide range of deductibles (the higher the deductible, the lower the cost) and choice of months of coverage.

Determine which payment options (one time, monthly?) best fit your budget.

Make certain that you understand the plan and that the application process is a simple, quick one.

Make certain that you can drop the plan at any time without penalty if you become eligible for coverage by an employer.

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How to Find the Cheapest Florida Home Insurance During Difficult Times

The Florida home insurance crisis is something that just won't seem to go away.

Even though the state has been largely hurricane free the past three years, new clouds are forming on the horizon as many Florida insurance companies may look to raise rates. And if they don't get the rates that they want, you should expect them to start dropping and cancelling policies again.

State Farm Florida is leading the way on this. After Florida recently rejected the company's 47% rate increase, State Farm is appealing that decision in court. You should expect other companies to follow State Farm's lead.

Prior to Hurricane Andrew in 1992 it was easy to find homeowners insurance in Florida. It was simply a matter of picking up the phone book and calling your nearest agent. There were hundreds of companies who wanted your business.

That kind of Florida home insurance market is long gone - replaced today by a dysfunctional market where less than 40 companies are actively writing any new business at any time in the state. And unlike the old days where companies had large surpluses and deep multinational parents to help absorb hurricane claims, most of the home insurance companies still active in the market are very small, Florida based companies.

Many of these Florida based companies just opened their doors for business during the past three years. As a result, there is a lot of concern about many of these companies being undercapitalized and lacking in post hurricane claim processing experience - a frightening combination that could result in long delays in getting paid after a Florida hurricane.

In this brave new world of smaller, newer, lightly funded Florida home insurance companies, shopping for insurance the old way just won't work anymore. As a smart shopper, you have to change the way you shop for insurance to be successful in today's Florida home insurance market.

Here are some steps that you can take as a smart consumer to find the lowest cost Florida homeowners insurance:

Don't use a captive insurance agent that only represents a limited number of companies. Instead use an independent agent that represents multiple companies that will allow the agent to present you with many options.

Don't work with just one independent agent. Work with several. Why? Because a single agent doesn't carry all of the companies that are actively writing new business in today's Florida home insurance marketplace.

Find out the names of the Florida home insurance companies that use a general agent or write policies directly without using an independent agent network. This is important because some companies have tried to reduce the cost of insurance by cutting back on or eliminating insurance agent commissions. If you go this route, make sure you understand each and every line item of coverage on your present policy because you won't get the personalized service and recommendations that an independent agent can provide you with. You'll have more choices this way, but you will be on your own.

Find out the financial ratings of each of the companies you are considering. Don't select a company solely based on a lower price. You need to know how much surplus each company has on hand to pay claims when they happen.

Ask your agent about the company's risk diversification. How many policies does the company have in Florida? Where are their policies located? How are they distributed across the State of Florida? Are they reasonably distributed across the state or are they concentrated in the hurricane alley of South Florida?

Find out how long the company has been in business and whether they have any experience processing Florida hurricane claims. You don't want your claim to be "on the job training" for a brand new company. Check with your agent to find out the history of complaints filed against the company.

In this market, your goal is to create as much competition for your policy as possible. After you've received quotes from multiple agents and companies its time to narrow the field. Don't make your decision on price alone. Make sure the coverage from multiple companies is identical. After you've looked at the coverage, narrow the field further based on the financials and customer service history of each company.

Give serious consideration to paying more for a policy from a company that has more surplus, stronger financials, has been in business longer, and has fewer complaints in its history.

Last but not least - don't go into Florida's state run insurance company of last resort - Citizens Property Insurance Corporation unless you have no other private company alternatives.

If you follow these steps you'll create the most competition possible for your Florida home insurance business and you'll be doing all that you can to get the most for your insurance dollar.

State of Florida - is There Any Way to Avoid a Financial Collapse?

The State of Florida's financial situation has never been more serious than it is today.

With a projected budget deficit of $2.3 billion, the State of Florida is one of eight states where a deficit of over $1 billion is expected. The budget shortfall is being blamed on everything from lower collections on documentary stamp taxes from a slumping real estate market to reduced sales taxes on the sale of automobiles. Dramatic reductions in tourism, consumer spending, and corporate income have all led to lower sales and corporate taxes. And in particular, for the first time in decades there are fewer newcomers entering the state.

Florida property taxes are still extremely high. Voters have seen little relief from Amendment 1 passed earlier this year. While taxable home values have come down due to the collapse of the Florida real estate market, this has been more than offset by higher tax rates and an increase in taxes that are not based on the value of the home. The net result is that Floridians still face staggering Florida Property tax bills - even in a depressed real estate market.

Florida homeowners insurance is still expensive and hard to find. Legislation passed in 2007 put much of the risk of a major Florida hurricane on the backs of Florida taxpayers. The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund offered cheap reinsurance to insurance companies in exchange for taking on $12 billion in additional risk. Now the Cat fund says that it doesn't have the borrowing capacity to meet its obligations - estimating a possible shortfall of up to $15 billion.

The State of Florida was so concerned about the inability of the Cat fund to raise money to cover a major hurricane earlier this year that it paid Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Company $224 million. In return, Buffett's company guaranteed that the state would be able to raise $4 billion in bond debt if a major hurricane produced enough damage to trigger the Cat fund.

The situation at the state run insurance company in Florida - Citizens Property Insurance Corporation isn't much better. Citizens Property Insurance has some of the highest risk homes in Florida and doesn't collect enough in premiums for the risk that it takes. It has $433 billion of property exposure on its books with a $4 billion surplus on hand to pay claims.

Policyholders of Citizens face two issues. First there is the risk that Citizens can't meet its primary claim obligations for lower level storms because of its own trouble raising cash in the bond market. Second, once losses reach a certain level, Citizens will look to the Cat fund for reimbursement after a series of major Florida storms - a fund that just might not have the cash needed by Citizens.

While all of these developments in Florida are serious, there is really nothing new about a government that doesn't live within its means and takes on obligations that it doesn't have the cash on hand to meet.

What is new and should send shockwaves across Florida is the fact that the state cannot borrow in today's bond markets the way it has been able to in the past. In effect, the State of Florida has maxed out its credit card.

Why is it so hard for states like Florida to borrow in the current bond markets?

Issuing bonds used to be easy for state and local governments. The process was straight forward, and very few people paid any attention to it. That's changed since the failure of the subprime mortgage market.

Despite a very low bond default rate, it is very difficult to attract bond investors these days. Companies that used to insure new bond issues have had their ratings downgraded. That's made the bond market less liquid and less attractive to investors. And it makes states like Florida have to offer higher payments for interest and principal in order to sell out a bond issue.

With severe revenue shortages and a frozen bond market all Floridians should be demanding that the state keep tightening its belt. That process is already underway. But you should also expect strong resistance to spending cuts from those who believe that there is no such thing as too much government.

These groups will demand that Florida lawmakers increase taxes rather than making additional cuts in spending. Don't underestimate where this could lead. Many items that are currently exempt from Florida sales tax could suddenly be taxable in this crisis environment. Expanding the sales tax could lead to new taxes on everything from Internet sales to various types of consulting services. All of which would dramatically increase our own cost of living and make it that much harder for Florida to emerge from this recession.

And never underestimate the chance that Florida lawmakers will deal the final death blow to the state - instituting a state income tax.

It is up to all of us to make sure that never happens!

If there is one lesson that all governments need to learn during the current financial crisis it is this - there is nothing wrong with the "pay as you go" system. It will always stand the test of time no matter how shaky the bond markets are.

Is State Farm Getting Ready to Bailout on the State of Florida?

For years State Farm Florida Insurance Company has remained one of the few Fortune 500 homeowners insurance companies still doing business in Florida. It is still by far the largest private insurance company in the state for both homes and autos covering 1 million and 2.5 million policyholders respectively.

They deserve credit for that.

After all, following the billions in claims from Hurricane Andrew in 1992, many large insurance companies simply left the State of Florida for good - and never looked back. That left Florida to deal with the problem on its own and caused it to create its own state run insurance company of last resort to help those who simply could not find coverage.

State Farm Florida Insurance Company did not follow this approach.

It has taken a prudent approach to the market that has been present in Florida since Hurricane Andrew. These steps have included:

Strict underwriting criteria for homes selected for new business

Multiline discounts for policyholders with home, auto, and life coverage

Selectively cancelling higher risk older homes closer to the coastline

This approach might have been successful during normal, reasonable periods of history. But things in Florida have been anything but reasonable in recent years:

From 1992 to 2004, no large insurance companies re-entered the Florida home insurance market - leaving State Farm on its own.

Florida hurricane claims in 2004 and 2005 caused billions of dollars in damage. State Farm Florida paid millions in claims and had to request an emergency cash infusion from its parent company to recapitalize it.

While the company was able to get significant rate increases after the 04/05 hurricanes, massive rate increases granted to most of the companies in Florida in 2005 and 2006 caused a major political uproar. Quite honestly, the public demanded rate relief because Florida home insurance was simply not affordable.

The pressure for lower rates was far worse due to outrageous property taxes and the collapse of the Florida real estate market.

The State of Florida reacted to voter pressure. But the results were not impressive.

The 2007 and 2008 legislation had a minimal effect on lowering homeowners insurance rates and shifted billions of dollars in catastrophic risk to the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund - a state entity that has publicly stated that it can't meet its reinsurance obligation to insurance companies in part due to the frozen bond markets.

As a result, all companies including State Farm Florida are concerned that the Florida Cat Fund won't be there to pay them back after a major hurricane and are looking for new sources of backup reinsurance.

That, combined with other factors led the company to request a 47% rate increase a few months ago. After state regulators rejected the rate increase, the company appealed that decision in court. Recently a judge agreed with state regulators that State Farm's 47% rate increase was not justified and also rejected the rate increase.

This brings us to where we are today - a time when many Floridians have to be wondering if State Farm Florida is preparing to exit the state for good. This would not be welcome news and would cause a major shock to the Florida homeowners insurance market as policyholders scramble to find other coverage.

In today's uncertain times, you have to be ready to face realities. One of those might be that State Farm will cancel or drop your homeowners insurance coverage in Florida. If that happens there are several things you need to do to respond to this:

Shop your policy. Most State Farm Florida agents can only offer you homeowners coverage with Citizens after your policy is cancelled. Find a large independent agent who represents multiple companies in order to give you the best options for replacing State Farm Florida.

There are new Florida base regional insurance companies that have been created over the past 15 years, with many only being recently approved since the start of 2006. Some of these companies might be a good option to replace State Farm but you have to research each and every one of them. Check their financial ratings and customer service history thoroughly.

State Farm Florida insurance agents will be hurt by mass cancellations of home insurance policies. They have spent years building a book of insurance business in Florida. When they lose your home insurance business, they often lose your auto and life insurance business as well. While you can't help but be sympathetic, you need to know that it is in your agent's self interest to keep your auto and life insurance business while putting your home insurance coverage into Citizens Property Insurance. Don't accept being placed with Citizens without looking for other private home insurance companies through other agents that can also offer you auto and life insurance.

Get all the facts if you are thinking about Citizens Property insurance. Citizens has said that it does not charge enough premium to cover the risk that it takes. It too is expecting problems borrowing to pay its claims after a major hurricane in today's troubled bond markets. Major recommendations being presently considered at Citizens include raising rates, limiting coverage, and mandating certain home hardening measures. Do your home work on Citizens just like you would for any other company.

While we don't know how the final situation with State Farm Florida will play out, if you follow these steps you'll be way ahead of hundreds of thousands of policyholders that might be scrambling to get coverage all at once.

Investment Property in Florida - Whats Hot?

The American Sunshine State of Florida has always been one of the favourite destinations for travellers around the world. The alluring tropical weather, pristine beaches, and inviting landmarks in the State are too good to resist for the locals and the visitors alike. The relaxing lifestyle of Florida's coastal culture adds to the charm of a retired life the Brits yearn for during their entire youthful life. Due to diverse hotspots, Florida is not just popular with the retired brigade, but also with the kids and youth alike.

What Makes Florida a Hot Investment Destination? Florida could be termed as the southernmost State of the United States of America. Surrounded by Sea and Ocean, Florida is every bit a coastal State that has natural richness of beauty and some scenic glory. Florida beckons with hundreds of pristine sandy beaches lined with towering palm trees and affording the best environs to relax your woes away. With year-round tropical sun warming the Floridan air, the weather in Florida presents the best of America to the world, and is a major reason for property investment in Florida.

It's not only the weather that gravitates people from all over the world towards Florida, but the overall living standards enhanced by the recreational facilities in the State and its vicinity that are the USP of Florida. The State is home to the world famous Disneyland or Walt Disney Resort in Orlando - a favourite among children and adults alike. Besides, you get to enjoy a plethora of activities in Florida, like golfing, fishing, dining and theatre etc.

Florida is the fourth most populous State of the USA and home to nearly 16 million residents. The ever-increasing popularity of Florida as a dream destination for first and second homes is further contributing to the riches of this giant peninsular State.

Florida is not a single-community State. Thanks to its all-round beauty and better standards of living, the State attracts people from all around the world and this makes Florida a truly multicultural paradise on Earth. Further, Florida boasts of different kinds of lifestyles in different regions. For instance, the coastal lifestyle may not be the same as that of Central Florida. The Gulf Coast towns and cities are known for being more relaxed, while the East Coast of Florida is a little more fast-paced.

Florida is flocked by tourists all the year round, which makes the demand for property - both rental and disposable - in constant demand. You can easily earn regular rental income or just stay during holidays or permanently make Florida your next permanent destination.

Florida is very well connected both within and outside the country with regular flights to and from the State. With an elaborate road and rail network to support the airways, you can look forward to easy accessibility to the Florida state.

The availability of different kinds of properties to suit every kind of taste and preference is another important factor that works in favour of Florida real estate investment.

Though the legal process governing the real estate transactions in Florida is a little tedious and cumbersome, every effort is worth the time and energies spent, as you'd hardly find a place under the Sun that is so perfect in terms of living standards. Moreover, if you are prepared to hire an attorney for all the documentary spadework and other tax hassles related to owning a property in Florida, chances are that you won't be troubled by all the legal formalities.

Hottest Investment Destinations in Florida You can easily find different properties for sale all around Florida. However, there are certain regions and cities that are more preferred by investors for obvious reasons.

For those seeking out a flurry of tourism-related activities around, the town of Kissimmee offers the best bet. Situated in Osceola County, Kissimmee's close proximity to the Disney World makes it a real estate magnet in the region. Property in Kissimmee has a rich heritage and an enviable landscape with close proximity to some of the world's premier holiday attractions. The town is within eighteen miles of Orlando and is ideally located to go further west and explore the golden beaches of Clearwater or the Space Coast to the east.

Miami is every bit a modern city with a vibrant lifestyle, world-class hotels and restaurants, some fabulous beaches and a buzzing nightlife. If you want the real thrill of Miami, don't forget to invest in the beachfront property here, which range from villas to apartments to nice residential homes.

Tampa and Orlando are other big cities in Florida that are always in the pink for the real estate investors. The cities offer choicest options for some great rental income from apartments, villas, luxury, and holiday homes. Orlando's world famous theme parks have a unique charm of their own that is so very irresistible for the adventurous Brits.

In all, Florida is a combination of everything you want irrespective of the kind of lifestyle you are looking for. From relaxed to adventurous to youthful to exuberant to childish, you can enjoy almost every activity under the Sun.

Florida Real Estate - Incompetent Florida Landlords Ruin Things for the Rest of Us

As a Florida landlord I have several homes currently for rent in the South Florida real estate market.

Each day, phone calls come in from Florida tenants asking about one of the homes for rent. With each new phone conversation, prospective tenant provide shocking revelations about how clueless some Florida real estate investors are when they purchase a Florida rental home but don't have the background or experience to rent the home to others as a landlord.

Here are some of the inappropriate business practices employed by Florida landlords in the distressed Florida real estate market:

Collecting advance rent and security deposits while concealing the fact that their Florida rental home is in foreclosure - leaving the tenant without any deposit money to use on another home

Offering below market rent to attract Florida tenants with full knowledge that they intend to let the home slip into foreclosure

Combining security deposits and advance rent in their own personal bank account

Not collecting any security deposit

Failing to pay their Florida property taxes on time

Allowing trampolines, above ground swimming pools, and vicious dogs on the property - dramatically increasing their liability for risks that might not be covered by Florida home insurance

Not having enough or the wrong kind of Florida landlord insurance

Last but not least, not maintaining their Florida rental home

With all of this going on, it is no wonder that Florida tenants seem to have the edge over their Florida landlord when a dispute with their lease arises and the case is heard by a judge in court. If you were a judge hearing a case in your court where a Florida landlord had demonstrated the kind of incompetence and mismanagement described above, wouldn't you be inclined to be on the side of the Florida tenant and not allow that tenant to be evicted?

So what can you do as a Florida landlord to protect yourself in today's volatile Florida real estate market?

Here's how smart Florida landlords manage their rental homes:

Always collect a security deposit that is equivalent to two months rent at a minimum. In most Florida counties it will take almost two months to evict a tenant that is behind on the rent. Having one additional month of security deposit will provide you with an additional cushion to cover the time required to evict and will give you some additional cash to cover damage to your Florida home. Keep tenant security deposits and advance rent in a separate non-interest bearing bank account

Let current and prospective Florida tenants know if you fall behind on your mortgage payments for any reason. A sheriff showing up at your Florida rental home demanding that your tenants collect their belongings and be out of the house in 15 minutes is not the way your tenant should find out that your rental home is being foreclosed on.

Whether you are paying your Florida property taxes directly or into escrow, make sure they are paid by November 30th each year to get the maximum discount. If your Florida property taxes are paid from escrow, contact your Florida mortgage company and make sure they've received the bill and have it scheduled to be paid on time.

Talk to a Florida home insurance agent about the right kind of insurance to have on your Florida rental home. Usually a rental home will require dwelling fire or Florida landlord insurance.

Put at least $300,000 worth of liability coverage on your Florida dwelling fire insurance policy. Require your tenant to carry Florida renters insurance with another $300,000 worth of liability coverage. That will put $600,000 in total between a lawsuit and your own personal assets.

If your Florida insurance policy prohibits certain high risk activities such as trampolines, spell them out clearly in your lease.

Put all maintenance and rental home safety instructions in writing for your Florida tenant. Provide your tenants with a written manual that explains how to operate everything in your Florida rental home.

Document and respond immediately to all maintenance requests. If you can't fix the item promptly, send your tenant written updates on the status of the item and when you expect the repair to be completed.

Every Florida landlord should become familiar with Florida Statutes Chapter 83 which covers landlord/tenant relationships in Florida.

As the Florida real estate market continues to be depressed, savvy Florida landlords will follow these principles - not just to protect themselves in case they ever have to appear in court, but because it is the right thing to do.

Don't be the kind of rental home investor that give all Florida landlords a bad reputation!