Capitol to Courthouse Daily Florida Insurance Report: Friday, February 4

Feb 4, 2011

 

To go directly to the section of your choice, click on a hyperlink below.   Other hyperlinks to meeting information, bills and news are noted in bold type.

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events

 

There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.

 


Daily Florida Insurance-Related Bills Filed for 2011

 

HB 605 relating to Design Professionals by State Representative Greg Steube

Would limit liability for engineers, surveyors and mappers, architects, interior designers and registered landscape architects as result of construction defects resulting from performance of contract.  The bill provides that, if a contract requires professional liability insurance, the contract may not limit liability of a design professional in a manner that is inconsistent with insurance requirements.  Further, the bill provides exceptions to limitation of liability for design professionals and provides that act does not affect contracts or agreements entered into, or professional services performed, before specified date.  Effective Date:  July 1, 2011

 

 

Daily Insurance-Related News

 

 

 

Former South Carolina Insurance Commissioner Named to Board of Florida’s Patriot National

Ernest N. Csiszar, former South Carolina insurance commissioner and head of a national insurers organization, has been named to the board of directors of Patriot National Insurance Group and Guarantee Insurance Company.

 

Boca Raton life insurance finance company plans $288 million IPO

A money-losing finance company hopes to raise $228 million in an initial public offering of stock scheduled for Friday.

 

Holocaust survivors target giant insurer in Boca

What does a company golf tournament starting Monday in South Florida have to do with life insurance policies from pre-World World II Germany?

 

Jury awards $31 million to family of man killed in ’07 Tampa crash

The family of a man killed in a March 2007 crash was awarded nearly $31 million in damages Thursday in a wrongful death suit against Geico Insurance.

 

$1.575 million settlement reached in Broward Sheriff’s Office case over abused child

A $1.575 million settlement brought an abrupt end to a trial that put the Broward Sheriff’s Office under scrutiny for its handling of abuse allegations involving an infant who ended up suffering brain damage.

 

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi wants to crack down on pill mills

Flanked by state and federal police and prosecutors, Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday announced a campaign to lock up doctors and pharmacists who are “nothing less than drug dealers in white coats.”

 

Dean Cannon Forms New House Committee to Push Government Reorganization

With Gov. Rick Scott looking to reorganize the state government, House Speaker Dean Cannon announced Thursday that he will create a new House committee to tackle the issue.

 

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater Appoints Thomas Kirwin as Deputy Chief Financial Officer Over Law Enforcement

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater today announced the appointment of veteran prosecutor and Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Kirwin as Deputy Chief Financial Officer over Law Enforcement with a laser-focus on combating insurance fraud. 

 

Florida Governor Scott says budget will include $2 billion in tax cuts

Governor Rick Scott stopped at a Tampa manufacturing plant Thursday to tout his $2 billion tax-cutting plan and to taunt President Obama for failing to push for similar rollbacks at the federal level.


More hints from Scott about growth management cuts in Wall Street Journal Q&A

Governor Rick Scott has long talked about the need to cut regulations, but has previously declined to name specific regulations he finds overly burdensome.

 

Florida utility regulators pulled by governor stay on board for now

Four state utility regulators whose appointments Gov. Rick Scott withdrew late Wednesday will remain on the commission for now, a state official said Thursday.

 

Conservancy of Southwest Florida:  97 percent of bays and estuaries ‘impaired’

In its recently released “2011 Estuaries Report Card,” the Conservancy of Southwest Florida identifies some of the state’s most impaired waterbodies – waterbodies that would likely be aided by a set of numeric nutrient standards currently being disputed in the state.

 

Weiss:  Florida among worst for banking

When it comes to strength and solvency, Florida is among the worst states for banking, according to a new report released by Weiss Ratings.

 

Tampa Congresswoman Castor aligns with business lobbyists to push for high-speed rail

An unlikely alliance has emerged in the battle to convince Gov. Rick Scott to accept federal funding that would put a high-speed rail line between Tampa and Orlando on the fast track.

 

Likely 2012 GOP hopefuls hit the Florida circuit

In recent months, nearly every likely Republican 2012 presidential candidate has made his or her voice heard in Florida, courting potential campaign donors at big-ticket speaking engagements and invitation-only dinners.

 

Brown expected to chair influential United States Senate Banking Committee

Senator Sherrod Brown is expected to be named chairman of a key banking subcommittee, one that has jurisdiction over the nation’s banks, insurance companies, credit unions and thrifts.

 

Bank of America agrees to sell Balboa insurance unit to QBE

Bank of America Corp. said Thursday it is selling its Balboa Insurance Co. business to QBE Insurance Group for some $700 million in cash and unspecified future payments.

 

House Legislator Seeking Support To Phase Out National Flood Insurance Program

A Michigan congressman is asking fellow members of Congress to support legislation that would phase out the National Flood Insurance program.

 

Predictive Modeling Improving Bottom Line

Property/casualty insurance carriers using predictive modeling enjoy improved bottom lines and market share.

 

 

To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an email to bellis@cftlaw.com.