The decrease in lawsuits has private insurers willing to take on risk-prone areas in South Florida long left to the state's insurer of last resort.

The shortfall threatens service cuts and planned expansions, including a long-awaited station in Riviera Beach.

I t's not hard to see why Florida is one of the most popular family vacation spots in the country. Miles of Atlantic and Gulf coastline, world-class beaches, theme parks galore, i ...