Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Friday, September 5, 2014
Sep 5, 2014
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Charlie Crist: Insurance rates are out of control due to Governor Rick Scott
Amid all the murky charges and countercharges Rick Scott and Charlie Crist are hurling at each other on TV, Crist is intent on informing voters about something clear and undisputable: The property insurance industry much prefers Scott in the governor’s office over Crist, and Floridians paid lower property insurance bills when Crist was governor. Tampa Bay Times’ Adam Smith reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
- Rick Scott Ties Charlie Crist’s Property Insurance Plan to Obama
- Crist blasts Scott for catering to insurer “greed”
Florida regulators approve biggest-ever removal of policies from Citizens Property Insurance
Florida insurance regulators have approved a dozen private insurers to assume more than 425,000 policies from Citizens Property Insurance, the single largest one-time removal of Citizens’ policies, Tampa Bay Times’ Jeff Harrington reports.
Kelly Magbee and Thomas Jaje bought a four-bedroom home in Spring Hill in March. It took them three years to find a home that was affordable, yet large enough for their five children, reports Shannon Behnken for WFLA News Channel 8.
Florida City, Temple Accord Includes Insurance Proceeds
A settlement has been reached between a South Florida city and a Jewish temple in a long-running legal dispute that pitted religious freedom and property rights against preservation of a historic structure, Associated Press’ Curt Anderson reports via Insurance Journal.
Florida doctors warn of Medicaid HMO problems
Florida health officials are declaring victory after transitioning the state’s 3 million Medicaid recipients into private insurance plans, but some doctors and health advocates are warning their offices are filled with confused patients who say they have been cut off from their regular physician. Associated Press’ Kelli Kennedy reports for the Tampa Tribune.
Florida economic report provides ammo for Scott and Crist campaigns
A Florida legislative panel is poised next week to adopt a long-range financial outlook that could make it challenging for the governor to fulfill his campaign pledge of cutting $1 billion in taxes, if re-elected. John Kennedy reports for the Palm Beach Post.
- State’s budget kitty to grow by $336 million, draft report says
- Florida May Not Have Enough Money For Rick Scott’s Plans
Florida officials appeal gay marriage ruling
Officials named as defendants in two federal lawsuits challenging Florida’s gay marriage ban are appealing a ruling last month that declared the ban unconstitutional, the Associated Press reports via SaintPetersBlog.com.
New law drastically reduces cost of Florida Prepaid College Plans
A new law that drastically limits tuition increases at state universities will result in $900 million in savings for families enrolled in Florida Prepaid College Plans, Tampa Bay Times’ Tia Mitchell reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
Seminole Tribe casino rolling to tune of $886 million
How much Tampa’s Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino generates in revenue has long been a tightly kept secret, Tampa Tribune’s Richard Mullins writes.
MetLife “Strongly Disagrees” with Systemically Risky Designation
MetLife Inc., the biggest U.S. life insurer, was tentatively categorized as a systemically important financial institution (SIFI) by a panel of regulators, which would subject it to stricter Federal Reserve supervision, Bloomberg’s Zachary Tracer and Ian Katz report via Insurance Journal.
Are reinsurers really underestimating their exposure to extreme weather by 50 percent?
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services says in a new paper that reinsurers are taking a “huge risk” by ruling out the potential that climate change is already impacting their exposure to catastrophic losses. National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports via PropertyCasualty360.com.
Marsh Launches Catastrophic Cyber Policy For Large Companies
Marsh, a global insurance broker, risk manager and a wholly owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Cos., has launched a new cyber insurance policy that provides catastrophic protection for large companies seeking to better manage the growing threat of a cyber-related data disruption or unplanned technology outage, Insurance Journal reports.
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