Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Friday, February 20, 2015
Feb 20, 2015
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida’s Citizens’ Recovery Unit Increased Policyholder Refunds in 2014
Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance reports it returned nearly $310,000 in refunds to affected policyholders in 2014 as part of its efforts to recover claims payments of $4.9 million by pursuing reimbursement from product manufacturers, contractors and other third parties responsible for the losses. Insurance Journal has the story.
A Florida couple has discovered the hard way that, unlike auto insurance, liability insurance on aircraft is not mandatory. Terry Dickinson reports for the Florida Times-Union.
Florida’s AssuredPartners Acquires Amtech Insurance Brokers in New York
AssuredPartners Inc. has acquired Amtech Insurance Brokers in Latham, New York. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, Insurance Journal reports.
Florida State Representative Matt Gaetz files legislation addressing Uber & Lyft
HB 817 provides requirements for operating as a transportation network company or for employment as transportation network company driver in the state, and it deals extensively with the insurance issue, which right now is unsettled in Florida. SaintPetersBlog.com’s Mitch Perry reports.
Florida man accused of killing elderly housekeeper for insurance
A man arrested in Florida has been charged in the Texas death of a 72-year-old housekeeper who had a $1 million insurance policy issued without her knowledge. The Associated Press reports via the Tyler Morning Telegraph.
Scott drops appeal of court ban on voter purge effort
Governor Rick Scott said Thursday that his administration won’t appeal a federal court ruling that the state illegally tried to purge the voter rolls of suspected noncitizens too close to the 2012 presidential election. Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
Legislators drafting bill to set Florida’s 2016 primary for March 15
Florida Republicans are ready to ditch the first-up status in the 2016 presidential preference primary and are drafting legislation to move the date back to the third Tuesday in March, the Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports for “The Buzz” blog.
Overhaul of water policy on fast track in House, next stop: Floor vote
It’s a complicated bill that House Speaker Steve Crisafulli says will modernize Florida’s water policy. So far, at least, the nearly 100-page HB 7003 is finding little opposition in the House, easily passing the Appropriations Committee on Thursday with bipartisan support. The Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Van Sickler reports via “The Buzz” blog.
Deloitte Sounds Alarm on Insurance Industry Scrutiny
The insurance industry should get ready for national and international regulation, along with greater scrutiny of popular products such as annuities, according to a Deloitte & Touche report. Arthur Postal reports for InsuranceNewsNet.com.
U.S. Senator Blumenthal Asks Department of Justice to Investigate Car Insurance Companies
A U.S. senator is urging the Justice Department to investigate insurance companies and auto repairs done at their ‘preferred’ repair shops across the country, because of safety concerns for consumers that were identified in a recent CNN exclusive investigation.
Coastal residents risk losing Texas windstorm insurance
A Texas lawmaker says thousands of coastal residents could lose their windstorm insurance coverage if the Legislature doesn’t extend a program that provides waivers for those who have been dropped by insurance coverage, the Associated Press reports in the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Texas Issues Data Call on Named Driver Policies, Excluded Driver Endorsements
At least two bills – HB 318 by Rep. Mark Keogh and HB 335 by Rep. Ed Thompson – have been introduced in Texas that would prohibit automobile insurers from issuing named driver policies in the state. HB 335 would allow a named driver exclusion under certain circumstances, Insurance Journal reports.
Negotiations in Arizona to Update Ridesharing Law Underway
A key lawmaker said talks she’s leading among taxi firms, rideshare companies such as Uber and insurers on an updated law regulating the new and growing rideshare industry are progressing. The Associated Press’ Bob Christie reports via Insurance Journal.
Travel insurance “confidence issue” under review by Canadian regulators
The Canadian insurance industry has a confidence issue with the reliability and consistency of travel insurance policies, and several associations have pledged to investigate public concerns, the Globe and Mail reports.
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