Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report – Monday, January 08, 2018
Jan 8, 2018
Irma insurance losses top $7 billion
More than 83 percent of the claims involve residential property, with most in South Florida. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via the Gainesville Sun.
Insurance executive’s yacht seized in Miami
Della Polla submitted false and inflated invoices worth more than $11 million through Gibelli’s insurance company to obtain U.S. dollars at a preferred rate through a government commission with authority to sell dollars to certain groups for limited purposes. Robert Patrick of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
NFIP Irma payouts top $609 million in Florida
More than 27,690 NFIP claims for damage caused by Hurricane Irma, which devastated parts of the state in September, were filed as of Dec. 26, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Tuesday in a statement. Gloria Gonzalez reports for Business Insurance.
Insurer on hook in $5.6 million Estefan hotel judgment
A Florida state court has ruled singer Gloria Estefan’s company is entitled to recover more than $5.6 million from an American International Group Inc. unit in connection with hurricane damage to a hotel she and her husband own. Judy Greenwald reports for Business Insurance.
Florida Supreme Court is last hope for couple’s $30,000 treehouse on beachfront
To take down the structure, they’ll need the one thing they didn’t have before they began putting it up: a city permit. The Associated Press’ Jessica Gresko reports for the Chicago Tribune.
Some Deltona homes with blue roof tarps get warnings
Blue tarps still cover the roofs of some homes in Deltona, and since a roof in disrepair is a code violation, city officials have left an unknown number of door hangers reminding residents the big blue bandages are temporary. Katie Kustura reports for the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Bills to end no-fault car insurance poised for early play in session
Billions of dollars are at stake for drivers, hospitals, doctors, lawyers and others as legislators decide whether to repeal the PIP system in the next 60 days – and importantly, how they would do it under different House and Senate plans. Charles Elmore reports for the Palm Beach Post.
Don’t raise driver bills with no-fault PIP reform, insurer group says
SB 150 sponsored by Senator Tom Lee, R-Brandon, would require both bodily-injury liability coverage and $5,000 of medical payments coverage, eventually raising driver premiums according to staff analysis. Charles Elmore reports for the Palm Beach Post’s “Protecting Your Pocket” blog.
Florida CFO to push legislation for first responders
The state’s workers’ compensation system does not cover PTSD unless it also includes a physical injury, but Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is vowing to change that. John Hielscher reports for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Up to 30,000 Florida Medicaid clients warned of potential data breach
The incident may have exposed the Social Security numbers, dates of birth, Medicaid ID numbers and private health care information of up to 30,000 Floridians, a two-month-review by the Inspector General found. Ana Ceballos reports for FloridaPolitics.com.
Florida gets legal win on satellite TV taxes
Ending years of legal battling about the issue, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to take up a challenge to the constitutionality of a Florida law that sets different tax rates for satellite and cable-television services. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via the Tampa Bay Times.
DeSantis makes it official, enters Florida governor’s race
DeSantis has been critical of House Speaker Paul Ryan, been a vocal supporter of moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and pushed back hard against Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of the Trump administration’s ties to Russia. Matt Dixon reports for Politico Florida.
Jeremy Ring snags a pile of endorsements from state lawmakers
Former Margate Senator Jeremy Ring announced Thursday that 19 Democratic state lawmakers have endorsed him in the chief financial officer, FloridaPolitics.com’s Drew Wilson reports.
Florida’s tight finances could spark budget battle this year
Despite a growing economy, the Republican-led Florida Legislature could wind up spending the next two months in yet another round of bruising budget battles. The Associated Press reports via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
10 issues to watch during Session
Florida lawmakers will start the 2018 Legislative Session Tuesday, with Governor Rick Scott giving his annual State of the State to kick things off. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via FloridaPolitics.com.
- Legislature 2018: War over home rule heating up in Florida
- 10 big questions facing Florida politics heading into 2018
- Depleted Legislature faces long list of issues
Governor Scott set to give his final State of the State address
His Tuesday speech will be much more positive than his first as he considers a run for U.S. Senate. He’ll likely highlight his accomplishments over the past seven years as well his goals for his last legislative session. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Brendan Farrington reports via the Gainesville Sun.
Martin County commissioner, former commissioner arrested on public records violation charges
The charges stem from the county’s long-running civil lawsuit with Lake Point rock quarry and allegations that county commissioners destroyed or failed to produce emails pertinent to the case. Emily Bohatch reports for TCPalm.com.
Maria Chapa Lopez named Interim U.S. Attorney in Florida
She prosecuted drug trafficking and large-scale money laundering cases until April 2016, the Associated Press reports.
Rick Scott’s Puerto Rico roundtable reaches same concern as others: housing
With about 300,000 people who’ve come from Puerto Rico to Florida in the past 100 days, the short-term solutions of people sleeping on relatives’ couches or in motel rooms on FEMA vouchers will give way soon, in a housing environment already airtight. FloridaPolitics.com’s Scott Powers reports.
State council to Rick Scott: Bring back drug control office
Florida currently has no point person or office to collect data, for example, which is considered a critical tool to combat an opioid epidemic that changes by the week. The Tampa Bay Times’ Lawrence Mower reports via “The Buzz” blog.
NAIC Releases Auto, Homeowners Insurance Reports
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners released two annual reports today – the Homeowners Insurance Report for 2015 and the 2014-2015 Auto Insurance Database Report.
FEMA Expands Flood Reinsurance Program with Private Reinsurers for 2018
Expanding on its first private reinsurance placement last year of $1.042 billion, the 2018 deal calls for FEMA to transfer up to $1.46 billion of the NFIP’s financial risk to the private reinsurance market. Insurance Journal’s Andrew G. Simpson reports.
North Carolina Insurance Regulator Denies 18.7% Homeowners Rate Increase
The Commissioner of Insurance for North Carolina says a recent rate increase of 18.7 percent proposed by North Carolina insurers is unwarranted and has set a hearing date for later this year to resolve the matter, Insurance Journal reports.
Policy Language Leads to $200K Loss for Insurer in Michigan Lawsuit
A federal appeals court in Michigan has ruled in favor of a man in the Grand Rapids area who suffered serious injuries during a motorbike crash in 2013. The Associated Press reports via Insurance Journal.
Association of California Insurance Companies Now PCI Western Region Office
The Association of California Insurance Companies will officially be known as the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America’s Western Region office, Insurance Journal reports.
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