Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Friday, June 27
Jun 27, 2014
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Got a Citizens policy? Big change delayed – but coming
If you have an insurance policy from state-run insurer Citizens – and 900,000 folks do – your decision to renew that policy may be taken out of your hands by a computer, Charles Elmore reports for the Palm Beach Post.
Citizens’ wind rates up 8 percent
Citizens Property Insurance is proposing a 7.9 percent hike in windstorm coverage for single-family homes in the Florida Keys, according to rate proposals recommended on Wednesday. More than 12,000 Keys homeowners have their windstorm insurance coverage through Citizens, according to company statistics. Timothy O’Hara reports for KeysNews.com.
Another costly homeowners insurance mistake for Florida
Tampa Bay Times’ John Romano writes in this subscription-only column that the Sunshine State Insurance liquidation will end up costing everyone in Florida.
Florida has put out the welcome mat for private insurance companies that are willing to cover property in the state against flooding, but early on has only received a trickle of interest, the SunCoast News Editorial Board writes.
3 More Arrests, 1 Conviction in Florida PIP Fraud Cases
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced the arrests of three individuals in Fort Lauderdale for their alleged involvement in a staged accident that resulted in fraudulent personal injury protection billings in excess of $80,000, Insurance Journal reports.
AmTrust to buy Florida workers’ comp insurer OptaComp
New York-based AmTrust Financial Services Inc. has agreed to acquire Florida workers compensation insurer Comp Options Insurance Co. Inc., also known as OptaComp, AmTrust said Thursday. Sheena Harrison reports for Business Insurance.
Florida Agencies Acentria and Gateway Announce Intent to Merge
Two Florida independent insurance agencies – Acentria, Inc. and Gateway Insurance Agency, L.C. – announced they are merging, Insurance Journal reports.
St. Augustine insurance company celebrates over half a century
Herbie Wiles Insurance stands on Ponce de Leon Boulevard not too far from downtown St. Augustine. Established in December of 1961, the company has been around for more than half a century, the St. Augustine Record reports.
State budget, slew of new Florida laws take effect next Tuesday
On Tuesday, July 1, 2014, Florida’s largest-ever, $77 billion budget goes into effect, along with 157 other bills approved by the Legislature and signed by Governor Rick Scott, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via the Orlando Sentinel.
Lawsuit Filed Over Write In Candidate In Kristin Jacobs’ House Race
A lawsuit filed in Leon County Court seeks to remove Ronald L. Bray from the Florida House of Representatives District 96 race, The Daily Broward reports.
Villages Growing As Fast As Bangladesh, Census Says
Population in The Villages, the world’s largest retirement community, rose 5.2 percent last year, on par with megacities like Lagos, Nigeria, and Dhaka, Bangladesh. Toluse Olorunnipa reports for Bloomberg.
Backroom Briefing: Are Spouses Fair Game?
How much the public should be allowed to know about the families of those running for office? THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Brandon Larrabee and Dara Kam confront the issue via SunshineStateNews.com.
Southwest Florida experiencing growth spurt
Southwest Florida’s population growth is beginning to look like deja vu, Sheldon Zolan reports for the Ft. Myers News-Press.
Dennis Ross Joins the GOP U.S. House Leadership
A member of the Florida delegation is moving up the legislative ladder, joining the Republican leadership in charge of the U.S. House, Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Doak Re-Elected as Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner
Republican John Doak has been elected to a second term as Oklahoma’s insurance commissioner, the Associated Press reports via Insurance Journal.
Property and casualty market strong, says A.M. Best
Financial impairments in the US property and casualty industry in 2013 slid to their lowest level since 2007, according to original research by A.M. Best, the Captive Insurance Times reports.
Electronic Proof of Auto Insurance Now Accepted in Delaware
Delaware Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart is alerting drivers in Delaware that as of June 25, 2014, state law enforcement officials can accept proof of auto insurance (insurance ID card) in either physical or electronic format, Insurance Journal reports.
Battle Picks Up over Higher Liability Limits for Cargo Trucks
A battle is shaping up over the efforts of the federal truck safety agency to raise the minimum financial responsibility requirements for motor carriers, something which has not been done since the 1980s, National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports for PropertyCasualty360.com.
New York Attorney General Sues Barclays Over Alleged “Dark Pool” Fraud
The New York State’s attorney general has filed a securities fraud lawsuit against Barclays, accusing the British bank of giving an unfair edge in the United States to high-frequency trading clients even as it claimed to be protecting other customers from such traders, Reuters Karen Freifeld and John McCrank report via Insurance Journal.
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