Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Friday, April 19
Apr 19, 2013
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
Florida’s 2013 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
There are no Florida insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate Robin Westcott to Host Forum on Claims Handling Process
Claims Journal reports that Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate Robin Smith Westcott and Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services are offering Pensacola homeowners an opportunity to share their insurance claim experiences and improve the claim-handling process at an Insurance Consumer Forum to be held on Tuesday, April 23, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Pensacola Association of Realtor located at 107 W. Main Street in Pensacola.
Florida Legislator to Build Storm-Safe Engineered Home
Says Satellite Beach house will withstand
FloridaToday.com relates that Shell Street’s short stretch of storm-battered homes – complete with smashed decking, ripped-off walls and a pool dangling over the dune line – became iconic images of beach erosion after Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne struck in 2004.
Blog: Florida Senate Advances Motor Vehicle Registration Trade for Insurance Company Tax Break
Overriding objections from industry lobbyists, the Senate’s Appropriations Committee approved a bill this morning that would repeal a massive tax break for insurance companies and use the resulting revenue to roll back the car registration fees paid by the state’s motorists, the Orlando Sentinel’s Jason Garcia blogs on Central Florida Pulse.
Florida Senate prepares to eliminate Personal Injury Protection insurance
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports in the Florida Courier that a proposal to scrap the state’s no-fault auto insurance system was backed by a Senate committee on Tuesday, but the measure will rev in idle pending an anticipated appeals court ruling.
Florida Insurance Agent Unveils Clearinghouse-Like Concept in Virtual Office
In a news release issued today, David Dunham Insurance announced the launch of its new website and interactive digital marketing campaign. This concept is designed to enhance the way the agency connects with, markets to and serves its home owning clients in Florida.
FDIC Takes Riverside National Bank CEO, Officers to Federal Court
South Florida Business Journal’s Brian Bandell reports that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is taking the former CEO and executive officers of Riverside National Bank of Florida to federal court to hold them accountable for the bank’s failure.
Florida House and Senate begin budget conference committees
The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports that the Florida legislative budget conference committee members held a pro forma meeting Thursday evening, but will begin to work out the differences between the House and Senate spending plans today.
Blog: House Speaker’s stalled pension reform bill could be holding up others
The Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Van Sickler reports on the “other” pension bill this session. Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, thought he was sponsoring one of the most important bills this session, one that would address what he called a crisis with municipal and county pensions. Of the nearly 500 pensions, more than half were troubled, he said.
Blog: Governor to get bill ending permanent alimony in Florida
The Florida Times-Union’s Matt Dixon blogs that a bill passed by the Florida Legislature and headed for the governor’s signature would make major changes to the state’s alimony laws and custody-sharing agreements, worrying family law advocates that women and children could be hurt.
Florida House approves ban on use of welfare funds for liquor, gambling
The Palm Beach Post’s Dara Kam reports that Florida’s poorest-of-the-poor won’t be allowed to use state-issued emergency cash debit cards at liquor stores, casinos or strip clubs, under a measure the House passed Thursday on an 89-26 vote.
Storefront gaming arcades sue over new ban
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports that a lawsuit has been filed by a pair of South Florida arcade operators in Broward County seeking to block the state’s week-old law intended to close all strip-center gaming parlors.
Bill Would Mandate Approval for Large Louisiana Citizens Rate Increases
Insurance Journal reports that large rate hikes for customers of Louisiana’s property insurer of last resort would require legislative approval, under a bill that received Senate Insurance Committee backing.
North Carolina Auto Coverage Rating Bill Will Not Advance
The Insurance Journal’s Gary D. Robinson reports that legislation to overhaul North Carolina’s automobile insurance system was rejected Tuesday by a House committee after Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and other speakers argued it would raise premiums for everyone.
Senator Warner Wants 10-Year Reauthorization of Terrorism Risk and Insurance Act
PropertyCasualty360.com‘s Mark E. Ruquet reports that U.S. Senator Mark Warner says Congress should consider reauthorizing the Terrorism Risk and Insurance Act for 10 years or longer because it is in the long-term economic interest of the nation.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Cracking Down on Mortgage Insurance
One takeaway: Watch out for the feds if your company deals with consumers – or even just deals with companies that deal with consumers.
CFO Magazine reports that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau‘s recent crackdown on alleged “kickbacks” paid by mortgage insurers to mortgage lenders should put the CFOs of companies that deal with consumers or are involved in captive insurance arrangements on alert, insurance experts say.
WCI360.com: Drug compounding’s continuing problems
According to the New York Times, the FDA’s ongoing investigation into compounding pharmacies found numerous unsafe practices at about 30 compounding pharmacies, the same type of facility responsible for the tainted drug that caused a deadly meningitis outbreak last year.
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