Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, June 20

Jun 20, 2013

 

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

 

    9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; 2:00 p.m. to meeting conclusion–Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology.  (Continued from June 19).  To view the meeting notice, click here.  To view the agenda, click here.

      2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.–Florida Chief Inspector General’s Office Public Meeting.  Tallahassee, Florida.  Initial discussion regarding recruitment and selection process of the Inspector General for Citizens Property Insurance Corporation.  To view the meeting notice, click here.

         

         

        Daily Florida Insurance-Related News

         

        Opinion:  Florida Taxpayers Owe Binnun a Debt of Gratitude 

        Florida’s state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. announced earlier this week that Chief Financial Officer Sharron Binnun has resigned to take a job in the private sector. Her departure from Citizens is unfortunate, but ultimately unsurprising, says Right Street Blog’s Christian Camera via Insurance Journal.

         

        Heritage adds more cash surplus, maintains Demotech rating

        Heritage Property and Casualty Insurance Co. added millions of dollars to its ability to pay hurricane-season claims and increased its cash surplus in order to maintain its A-Exceptional score with an insurance industry ratings agency, Maria Mallory White reports for the Sun Sentinel.

         

        Fast-track changes to residential property insurance coverage expire Monday

        A temporary order from Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty allowing residential property insurers to make changes to their policies more quickly is due to expire Monday, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.

         

        Business coalitions warn against Florida’s failure to expand Medicaid 

        Two business-backed health insurance coalitions sent a warning signal Wednesday to Florida’s employers about the effects of rejecting Medicaid expansion for the uninsured, The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports.

         

        Tighter patient security coming for Florida’s prescription database

        State health officials said Wednesday they were beefing up security of the statewide prescription drug database to protect patient information, a week after the American Civil Liberties Union said patients’ personal information was leaked.

         

        Darryl Rouson Says House Democrats Won’t Decide Controversial Rule Changes Until Fall

        Rep. Darryl Rouson of St. Petersburg, next-in-line to lead Florida’s House Democrats in 2014, hasn’t had a chance to review the caucus’ latest proposed rule changes, and is in no rush to do so, because they won’t be voted on until late September, reports Eric Giunta for SunshineStateNews.com.

         

        Florida Attorney General Thinks Banks Lag on Foreclosure Fraud Settlement Compliance 

        A federal report released Wednesday shows five banks and lenders that are part of a multi-state settlement over fraudulent foreclosure practices are in compliance with parts of the settlement, but some banks are lagging in providing efficient relief to borrowers.  Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi thinks banks can do more, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.

         

        George LeMieux Still Present in Florida Political Scene

        Former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux re-emerged on Wednesday as he promoted business opportunities in Florida overseas and revealed more of the plans for the think tank that bears his name, Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.

         

        Florida Retail Federation Honors Senators Jack Latvala and Tom Goodson

        Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, and Rep. Tom Goodson, R-Titusville, were picked by the Florida Retail Federation to be their legislators of the year, The Florida Current reports.

         

        U.S. Regulators Say Enhanced Insurer Capital Needless

        Insurers should not be forced to hold extra capital just because of their size, because the extra cost would simply be passed on to consumers, U.S. regulators said on Tuesday, Huw Jones reports for Reuters.

         

        Texas Windstorm Insurance Association Tells Legislators it Expects Surplus

        The nonprofit, state-supervised property insurance agency for coastal Texas counties is expected to shore up its finances by the end of the year, the group told a state House panel on June 17.  Associated Press’ Uriel Garcia reports for Insurance Journal.

         

        Study Launches Debate Over Minimum Insurance Standards for Cargo Trucks

        A battle is shaping up between insurers, truckers and plaintiff’s lawyers over a dog that has been sleeping for a long while-minimum insurance requirements for cargo trucks, reports Arthur Postal in National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.

         

        Hacking threat and tougher data laws may spawn insurance boom

        For European insurers frustrated that “cyber crime” policies have so far failed to find a ready market among skeptical companies, hope may be at hand, Chris Vellacott reports for Reuters.

         

         

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