Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Friday, March 23
Mar 23, 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 Events
There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Florida Tax Credit Plan to Shore Up Catastrophe Fund Raises Questions
A Florida plan to sell insurers and financial institutions state premium tax credits to help fund the state’s homeowners’ reinsurance facility is raising concerns among some officials.
Blog: Kings Point to celebrate $45 million insurance settlement
The Kings Point retirement community in Delray Beach, devastated by Hurricane Wilma in 2005, is receiving the last of $45 million in insurance payments next week.
State Considering New Rules on “Public” Adjustors
Revisiting an issue that has drawn heavy debate in the insurance industry, state officials on Thursday heard arguments about new regulations on adjusters who are hired by property owners to handle claims.
Florida businesses will pay more for insurance with new perfect storm scenarios
Florida so far has escaped the major disasters devastating other parts of the country, but not the fallout. Tornadoes and other weather-related catastrophes resulted in billions of dollars of claims for property insurers.
Letter to the Editor: Law keeps Citizens Property Insurance policyholders from unbiased claims help
Editor: As lawmakers return to Tallahassee for the special session on redistricting, I can’t help but lament one other case of unfinished business — Lawmakers, in spite of a more than 650-signature petition urging action, did not repeal language in state law that discriminates against the state’s 1.5 million Citizens policyholders.
Florida Number 1 in Tornadoes: State Of Weather
Say what you want about Florida, this is not a state for sissies.
Eli Lehrer: Florida, auto rates, and Tide as a currency
At a conference on insurance near Jacksonville, Florida, this past week, I spoke a bit about Heartland’s 2011 insurance report card–Managing Editor R.J. Lehmann is taking it over from me this year-and listened to a lot of presentations about the state of the Florida and national insurance markets. Here are three major things I picked up.
Pressure drop: United Insurance adds Davis, Hood to board
United Insurance Holdings Corp. bowed to pressure and appointed two shareholders as directors.
13-month investigation leads to 12 arrests in insurance fraud scheme
Following a 13-month investigation involving multiple agencies, 12 people were federally indicted in connection to fraudulent insurance schemes.
Column: Personal Injury Protection reforms once more, who cares?
Florida’s Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate tells us that the costs for personal injury protection coverage have increased an astonishing $1.4 billion just since 2008.
House Bill 119, approved during the 2012 legislative session, attacks the Personal Injury Protection insurance fraud problem in many ways.
Opinion: What the Florida Legislature Should Have Done
The problem with the recent “fix” to the Florida no-fault statute is that it does not address the root cause of the problems, which run quite deep.
After thousands of protestors rallied, federal officials launched an investigation and the national media directed a laser-like spotlight on the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, Governor Rick Scott took two significant moves Thursday to involve himself in the case.
Florida Senate approves redrawn maps after making changes
The Florida Senate approved a redrawn map that would pit two sets of incumbents against each other in an effort to comply with the state Supreme Court, with an unusual group of Senators helping to approve a set of last-minute changes.
- Tweaked Senate Map Has Trip to House Before Heading Back to Florida Supreme Court
- State senators play bingo for district numbers, terms
Governor Scott, Cabinet to review erosion project
An environmental project along the Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area has been designated a matter of “heightened public concern” and has been postponed until Governor Rick Scott and his Cabinet review it.
Appellate court refuses to strike down local ban on Internet cafés
In a decision released Wednesday, a federal appeals court in Atlanta opted not to grant a preliminary injunction against Seminole County’s ordinance banning so-called Internet sweepstakes cafes, but the statewide dilemma facing lawmakers is far from settled.
Changes coming to hurricane ratings scale
On May 1, the new and improved Saffir-Simpson hurricane Wind Scale will debut, just in time for the start of the 2012 hurricane season which begins on June 1.
Colorado State: Below Average Hurricane Activity Expected in 2012
A duo of hurricane forecasters at Colorado State University says conditions favor a less active Atlantic hurricane season in 2012.
Insurance Groups to Launch Opposition to Expected McCarran-Ferguson Repeal Amendment
The insurance industry and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners are mobilizing to thwart an effort to add an amendment repealing the McCarran-Ferguson Act to legislation scheduled to be taken up by the House Monday.
South Carolina Would Elect Insurance Director Under New Bill
A bill approved unanimously by a legislative panel in South Carolina on March 21 would make the director of the state insurance agency an elected position.
Alexander Moczarski Named Chairman of Marsh & McLennan Companies International
Alexander Moczarski, president and chief executive officer of Guy Carpenter, will take on the additional role of chairman of Marsh.
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