Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Thursday, July 10, 2014
Jul 10, 2014
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Waters around Florida like invigorating, warm bath to hurricanes
In August 2000, Hurricane Debby was tearing through the Caribbean on an apparent beeline for southeast Florida. Virtually every model called for it to intensify and emergency managers had already begun evacuating the Keys, the Palm Beach Post reports via Advisen.
Online map shows wildfire risk in Florida
Want to know whether your home is next to a hot spot for wildfire? A new online interactive map is available, Orlando Sentinel’s Kevin Spear reports.
Feds declare 300 miles of Florida beaches critical habitat for loggerheads
In a move likely to affect the building of new sea walls, federal officials Wednesday announced that they had designated hundreds of miles of beaches in Florida and six other states as critical habitat for loggerhead sea turtles, Craig Pittman reports for Tampa Bay Times.
Uber taxi service looks to Gainesville
A mobile-application taxicab service that has drawn scrutiny elsewhere in Florida for allegedly not following the law – even leading to the impounding of drivers’ cars – is considering a Gainesville expansion, Michael Stone reports for the Gainesville Sun.
Most Florida health insurers conceal 2015 premium prices
Consumer advocates are pushing for the release of rate filings by the state’s health insurers, saying Floridians shouldn’t be kept in the dark on premium prices for next year, Tampa Bay Times’ Jodie Tillman reports.
Study: Almost 20% lack health insurance in Florida
Nearly one out of five Floridians still don’t have health insurance, despite people being able to sign up this year for coverage under the Affordable Care Act, Donna Gehrke-White reports for the Sun Sentinel.
Scott taps outside counsel to litigate in Crist’s failed Digital Domain deal
Florida Governor Rick Scott‘s office announced Wednesday he was hiring outside counsel to sue the failed Digital Domain special-effects company and “other parties” involved in a $20 million tax-incentive deal that tanked, Orlando Sentinel’s Aaron Deslatte reports.
A past Democratic Party critic, Former Miami Mayor endorses Nan Rich for governor
Former Miami Mayor Maurice Ferre, whose 2010 bid for the Democratic Senate nomination was cold-shouldered by the party establishment, has endorsed similarly situated Democrat Nan Rich in this year’s governor’s race, George Bennett reports for the “Post on Politics” blog.
Libertarian Wyllie denounces exclusion from candidate forum
Adrian Wyllie, Libertarian candidate for Florida governor, says he’ll crash any candidate forum or debate that doesn’t include him and force organizers to arrest him if necessary, including the one by the Florida Press Association starting today, William March reports via the “Fresh Squeezed Politics” blog.
Rick Scott Enacted Single-Term High of 12 Pro-Gun Laws
Governor Rick Scott appears nearly bulletproof right now in the eyes of the National Rifle Association, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports.
Unopposed for 2014, Travis Hutson files paperwork for 2016 re-election bid
State Representative Travis Hutson, who faces no opposition in House District 24 this year, filed a campaign account for a 2016 re-election bid, according to the Florida Division of Elections, Phil Ammann reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.
Louisiana State Farm hurricane deductible jumps to 5%
One month into the hurricane season, State Farm’s 308,000 Louisiana homeowner’s customers are confronting an unpleasant change: their policies now include a mandatory 5 percent hurricane deductible, Ted Griggs reports for The Advocate.
Bitpay Execs To Promote Bitcoin To Merchants Ahead Of St. Pete Bowl
BitPay executives have arrived in St. Petersburg to prepare the city for the nuances of digital currency – in advance of the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl on December 26, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
In a letter to the New York Federal Reserve, President William C. Dudley, U.S. Representative Scott Garrett, R-N.J., notes that while the NY Fed “is not formally included” as a member of the Financial Stability Oversight Council, it acts as a resource in providing financial data to FSOC members regarding financial industries and companies the FSOC is eyeing as potential threats to the financial system. National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports via PropertyCasualty360.com.
Telematics market-tipping point is here
Telematics-based insurance could finally gain traction, because instead of requiring physical devices that must be manually installed in a car, it can now be done through mobile-phone apps that are much easier to download and install. Leo Mirani reports for The Atlantic.
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