Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Friday, January 11
Jan 11, 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
10:00 a.m.–Florida Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services Rule Development Workshop; Review of proposed amendments to Rules 69B-228.180 and 69B-228.220, F.A.C., which relate to continuing education requirements for insurance and bail bond agents, claims adjusters and related educators that would require most licensees to complete a five-hour license-specific update course every two years, effective October 1, 2014. The proposed Rules also will allow continuing education providers to develop and implement appropriate course materials. To view the workshop notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Liberty Mutual Insurance not accepting Manatee homeowners
At a time when state legislators have filed bills in attempts to halt state-run Citizens Property Insurance from excessive annual rate increases, Liberty Mutual Insurance is no longer accepting Manatee County applicants for homeowner’s insurance policies.
Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center Launches Redesigned Website
Starting today, the website of Florida State University’s Florida Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center – www.stormrisk.org – has a fresh look and new features, making it easier for users to learn about storm risk in Florida, the United States and around the world.
Tobias Insurance Merges With Florida Company
Tobias Insurance Group, Inc. has merged its operations with Florida-based AssuredPartners in a transaction that will maintain the Tobias name and allow company founder Nick Rutigliano to continue to lead the insurance brokerage he founded 40 years ago.
Florida Health Care Affordability Summit: Health care expert sees technology as cost-control tool
Tom Feeney, CEO of Associated Industries of Florida, welcomed more than 300 people to a statewide health care conference in Orlando by warning them they will be offended by what they hear during two days of presentations and discussions.
Lawmakers to disburse part of foreclosure settlement funds next week
The Joint Legislative Budget Commission is poised to disburse $45 million to the Florida Housing Finance Corp. next week for down payment assistance and housing counseling for eligible homeowners as part of an agreement between Attorney General Pam Bondi and legislative leaders.
Fighting Governor Rick Scott and the Republican-run Legislature over everything from guns and abortion to drug-testing and minority voting rights has become a full-time job for the American Civil Liberties Union.
Florida finds no wrongdoing in several voting cases
Two months after the election, Florida law-enforcement authorities are closing several voter fraud investigations after finding no evidence of wrongdoing.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Stand Your Ground Repeal Bill Filed
Fighting Governor Rick Scott and the Republican-run Legislature over everything from guns and abortion to drug-testing and minority voting rights has become a full-time job for the American Civil Liberties Union.
Florida Governor Rick Scott appoints 5 to Florida university system board
Governor Rick Scott on Thursday named five new members – four businesspeople and a lawyer – to the board that oversees the State University System of Florida.
Epilogue: Florida Gop Raises $2 Million In Final Months Of 2012
The Republican Party of Florida collected nearly $2.2 million in cash from November 2 to December 31, dwarfing the $424,302 raised by the Florida Democratic Party, according to reports posted Thursday on the state Division of Elections website via the News Service of Florida.
Column: State’s python hunt can make strange bedfellows of PETA, NRA
I wonder if the NRA is paying attention to Florida’s upcoming snake hunt in the Everglades.
Fitch: Models Miss Sandy Losses, Need Adjustment
Catastrophe modelers have spent a lot of time analyzing the Northeast for windstorm risk, but Superstorm Sandy revealed numerous failings in the programs, resulting in significant losses for some insurers, says Fitch Ratings.
New York Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Cap Hurricane Deductible at $1,500
New York legislators have introduced a bill this week that seeks to cap the percentage-based hurricane deductibles for homeowners’ insurance or dwelling fire personal-lines policy in New York State at $1,500.
List of Company-Specific Sandy-Related Loss Estimates
Since Superstorm Sandy slammed into the New Jersey coastline on October 29, 2012, dozens of insurers and reinsurers have publicly announced their Sandy-related preliminary loss estimates.
President Obama Signs Medicare Secondary Payer Legislation into Law
President Barack Obama has signed into law the Medicare IVIG Access and Strengthening Medicare and Repaying Taxpayers Act, which provides several improvements in the efficiency of the Medicare Secondary Payer system.
Missouri Department of Insurance Closes Two Receiverships
The Missouri Department of Insurance announced the conclusion of the legal cases of two insurance companies that went into receivership due to insolvency.
Deal elusive between law firm, insurance company in alleged murder-embezzlement
After more than three hours of negotiations, no agreement was reached Thursday about how to divvy up more than $1 million recovered in a Macon embezzlement-and-murder scheme.
Click here to follow Colodny Fass& Webb on Twitter (@CFTLAWcom)
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to Brooke Ellis at bellis@cftlaw.com.