Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Friday, April 27
Apr 27, 2012
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 Event
10:00 a.m.–Florida Workers Compensation Joint Underwriting Association Market Assistance Plan Committee meeting. To view the meeting notice, click here. To view the agenda, click here.
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation board delays higher rate hike on new policies
The board of the state-sponsored insurance company decided not to act now on a proposal to implement rate increases for new policies above the 10 percent cap placed on rates by legislators.
- Proposal to uncap Citizens Property Insurance rates for new policies stalls
- Citizens Property Insurance holds off on plan for higher rates for new customers
No-fault auto insurance bill has major gap
In their haste to meet one of Governor Rick Scott’s top priorities, Florida lawmakers left a glaring, potentially multimillion-dollar pothole in legislation revamping the state’s no-fault auto insurance.
Counties file suit to block Medicaid billings
The Florida Association of Counties and 47 individual counties filed a lawsuit in Leon County on Thursday challenging a new law that would collect hundreds of millions of dollars in unpaid Medicaid bills from the local governments.
Millions in health insurance rebates on way for Floridians
As many as 1.7 million Floridians could get rebates from their health insurance providers this year as a result of the 2010 health care reform law, according to a report issued Thursday.
Brown & Brown Chief Executive Officer Returns After Leave of Absence
J. Powell Brown, president and CEO, and a director of Brown & Brown Inc. has returned from a temporary leave of absence for health reasons, the company has told the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Judge blocks state employee drug testing
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Governor Rick Scott’s executive order requiring random drug testing for state workers is unconstitutional, but Scott quickly vowed to appeal the ruling.
State Representative Plakon wants investigation of last-minute Supreme Court paperwork filing
Representative Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, has asked Governor Rick Scott to start an investigation the Florida Supreme Court’s last-minute filing of election paperwork this past Friday, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Election supervisors blast Governor Scott’s rankings
Florida elections supervisors are furious over a survey by Governor Rick Scott’s office that they say is flawed — and which ranked Palm Beach County’s Susan Bucher tied for worst.
More bad news for out-of-work Floridians: Unemployment benefits will run out sooner
The state’s 836,000 unemployed workers are in for more bad news: Their unemployment benefits are going to start running out sooner.
Robo-signing fallout continues as Florida metros post foreclosure increases
While housing markets across the nation are gradually recovering from the burst of the housing bubble four years ago, Florida’s markets continue to suffer.
Senate President Mike Haridopolos departs Senate with head held high
Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos says he’s leaving elected office satisfied that he delivered on his promises to the voters and that he accomplished most of what he aimed to do during his 12 years in the state legislature.
Blog: Representative Will Weatherford, his wife expecting third child
He swore he’d never be like his parents, the heads of a household teeming with nine children.
Governor Rick Scott Reviewing Bill to Prohibit Contracts with Businesses Trading in Cuba
Governor Rick Scott said he is still reviewing a bill that many anti-Castro Miamians support but that the Florida Chamber of Commerce says could harm economic growth in Florida.
The battle between the National Risk Retention Association and the Government Accountability Office rages on as the private group has publicly criticized a Government Accountability Office report calling for clarification of a federal law regulating risk retention groups.
States, Insurers Seeking Answers in Volatile Workers’ Compensation Line
With the current investment environment working against workers’ compensation insurers, companies may be pressured into a harder market as they try to achieve underwriting profits in a line that has not had a combined ratio under 100 since 2006, a new report says.
Louisiana Parish Assembles “Cat 5” Flood Team
Officials in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, have begun the annual work of assembling the parish’s “Cat 5” flood team.
Mississippi Judge Declares Damages Cap Unconstitutional
A state judge in Mississippi’s Coahoma County has declared a legislatively imposed cap on non-economic damages unconstitutional.
Europe Postpones Insurer Capital Rules Change
The European Union is to put back by six months the deadline for member countries to enshrine strict new capital requirements for insurers into their law, drawing criticism from the industry over the reduced time available to adapt to the final version of the rules.
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