Capitol to Courthouse Daily Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, March 9
Mar 9, 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
- Daily Florida Insurance-Related Bills Filed for 2011
- Daily Insurance-Related News
Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
- 8:00 a.m.–House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee
- HB 4181 Relating to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation by State Representative Daniel Davis
- 9:00 a.m.–Florida Cabinet meeting. To view the agenda, click here.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
- Request for approval to file the following proposed Rules for publication:
- 69O-137.001: Annual and Quarterly Reporting Requirements
- 69O-138.001: NAIC Financial Condition Examiners Handbook Adopted
- Request for approval to file the following proposed Rules for publication:
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
- 1:00 p.m.–Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance
Daily Florida Insurance-Related Bills Filed for 2011
HB 1411 relating to Motor Vehicle Personal Injury Protection Insurance by State Representative Jim Boyd
Cited as the “Comprehensive Insurance Fraud Investigation and Prevention Act,” HB 1411 would provide for legislative intent and revise provisions relating to crash reports. The bill would authorize an officer to testify at trial or provide an affidavit. It would also authorize a direct-support organization for prosecuting, investigating and preventing insurance fraud. The bill defines terms, as well as revises requirements relating to forms submitted by providers. It also would revise provisions relating to payment, along with providing that time for paying or denying claim is tolled during an investigation of a fraudulent act. HB 1411 specifies when benefits are not payable and would provide that a claimant violating certain provisions is not entitled to payment. The recovery of payments would be authorized under this legislation, which would forbid those failing to comply with certain provisions from billing an injured person or insured and would provide that an insurer has the right to conduct reasonable investigation. Reimbursement limitation would be revised and providers would be required to ensure that an insured understands the services provided. Further, HB 1411 would revise discovery provisions and would authorize an insurer to provide a discount to an insured who selects a preferred provider. Finally, the bill would authorize nonpayment for nonemergency services by a non-preferred provider in certain circumstances and provides for civil penalties for criminal acts causing unlawful receipt of proceeds. Effective date: July 1, 2011
Massive Insurance Reform Bills Confront Florida Lawmakers
Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos threw down a gavel today to open the 2011 State Legislative Session, beginning a new round in the reform fight for the insurance industry.
Citizens under fire from legislators
State-run Citizens Property Insurance has often been in politicians’ crosshairs, and bills introduced last week have begun the onslaught.
Florida Wildlife Federation: End Florida’s hurricane insurance subsidies
This legislative session we are once again faced with one of the state’s most pressing issues – Florida’s property insurance crisis.
Former House Insurance Chairman Leslie Waters files for state Senate seat
Former speaker pro-tempore seeks District 12 slot held by Dennis Jones
As expected, Seminole City Councilor Leslie Waters filed last week with the Florida Division of Elections to run for the Florida Senate in 2012.
Editorial: Time to fix Florida insurance mess
The Wall Street Journal ran an editorial in its Feb. 23 edition, “Waiting for Hurricane Charlie Crist,” in which it called on the Florida Legislature to undo the damage to the state’s private property insurance market inflicted during the Crist era.
Letter to the Editor: Public adjusters serve consumers
An article appeared in your business section Feb. 27 entitled “Legislation reforms claims process,” which, in my opinion, is worthy of a second look.
Taxpayer money tied up in Florida homes with tainted drywall
Four years ago, Claudia Woods went through a homeownership class at the Tampa Housing Authority and received $90,000 in grants to buy her first house.
Blog: Feds file appeal in health care lawsuit
President Obama’s administration filed an appeal Tuesday afternoon in Floridas lawsuit challenging the federal health care law, meeting a Pensacola federal judges deadline.
Florida Senate voting on health care amendment
The Florida Senate is set to vote on a 2012 ballot issue offered in response to President Barack Obama’s federal health care overhaul.
Ruling could clear way for prescription drug monitoring in Florida
Just as Governor Rick Scott and his allies prepare to dismantle the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, a judge in Tallahassee on Tuesday cleared the way for the system to start operating.
Jacksonville’s MedMal Direct Reinsurance Treaty Expands Physicians’ Coverage
Jacksonville-based MedMal Direct Insurance Co. has created a new reinsurance treaty with a panel of international reinsurers including Lloyd’s of London and Bermuda based companies.
SBlog: Session Day 1 – Protests and pledges
Thousands of protesters gathered in cities across Florida on Tuesday to speak out against deep spending cuts and other actions promised by Republican lawmakers as the Florida Legislature opened its 2011 session.
Key speech offers Scott chance to tout his sweeping agenda
Governor Rick Scott used his first State of the State speech on the opening day of Florida’s 2011 legislative session to bluntly urge lawmakers to back his aggressive agenda for cutting taxes, spending and state regulations.
Blog: Representative Perry Thurston elected to lead House Democrats
Members of the Florida House Democratic Caucus today elected Representative Perry E. Thurston, Jr. of Plantation to serve as the Democratic leader for the 2012-2014 legislative term.
Blog: Don’t ask gun bill gets subcommittee nod
Doctors would be barred from asking most of their patients if they own guns under a measure that passed in a House panel on Tuesday after it was amended in response to doctors’ concerns – though not enough to win over the medical establishment.
Blog: Florida Senator Mike Fasano levies tough criticism of Scott in New York Times
With the session beginning today, the New York Times gave front-page play to a look at the dynamics between Governor Scott and ruling Republicans.
Appeals court to hear tri-state water dispute
A federal appeals court will soon hear arguments in a tri-state water dispute that could severely diminish Atlanta’s water supply.
Column: Senator Alan Hays proposes cutbacks on water-district power
Sunday’s column took a closer look at a bill proposing to partly deregulate the Insurance industry that was filed in the Legislature this year by state Senator Alan Hays.
Bill would put courses designed by Jack Nicklaus in state parks
Florida officials have proudly touted the state’s award-winning park system for years. The parks, hailed as the best in the nation, offer everything from rivers for kayaking to beaches for soaking in the sun to forest trails for extended hiking.
Florida might disrupt presidential primary schedule
In a virtual replay of 2008, Florida is bucking national Democrats and Republicans in planning an early presidential primary, an act of defiance that creates strategic challenges for GOP candidates and could unravel the parties’ primary calendar next year.
State cracks down on unlicensed telemarketers
State officials are cracking down on unlicensed telemarketers and have issued cease and desist orders to 12 businesses and 170 salespeople around Florida.
Collapse of David J. Stern law firm throws foreclosure courts into disarray
As many as 20,000 foreclosure cases in the Tampa Bay area have been left in limbo by the virtual collapse of the David J. Stern Law Firm, once Florida’s most prolific foreclosure “mill.”
Some Top Florida Child Welfare Officials Resign
A handful of executives have resigned from the Department of Children and Families after the agency came under scrutiny in recent weeks over the death of a 10-year-old foster girl at the hands of her adoptive parents.
Bermuda Exec: Market Change Ahead As Model Intro, Catastrophes Coincide
The industry should “stay tuned” as the revised catastrophe model from Risk Management Solutions rolls out, the chief executive officer of RenaissanceRe told NU Online News Service, describing the model changes and potential market impacts as meaningful.
Blog: Texas House member seeks to shut down insurance advocate
The state office that helps people with insurance problems should be shut down, a Texas House member has said.
States Have Long Way To Go To Implement Surplus Lines Law
State legislators and regulators “have a ways to go” to ensure that the surplus lines reform law goes into effect as mandated by Congress in July, the head of the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices said.
Federation of European Risk Management Associations backs mandatory disclosure of broker pay
European regulations should include binding standards of transparency between brokers and insurance buyers no matter the size of risk involved, the Federation of European Risk Management Association says.
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