Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, March 17
Mar 17, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
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
Florida’s 2011 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
8:30 a.m.–House Economic Affairs Committee
- CS/HB 99 Relating to Commercial Insurance Rates by the House Subcommittee on Insurance and Banking and State Representative Brad Drake
- HB 4181 Relating to Prohibited Activities of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation by State Representative Daniel Davis
(NOTE: To access a live Webcast of the Committee meeting on The Florida Channel, click here.)
9:00 a.m.–Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (“FHCF”) Advisory Council Public Hearing. The Advisory Council will meet to obtain approval for the FHCF 2011 Contract Year Premium Formula and to file proposed Rule 19-8.028, “Reimbursement Premium Formula,” for Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and for adoption if no member of the public requests a Rule hearing. If deemed necessary during this meeting, a second Workshop on this proposed Rule is scheduled for March 24, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. To view the Hearing notice, click here. To view the agenda, click here.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Insurance Rate De-Reg Redux Advances
Returning to a debate that featured prominently in the legislative agenda last year, a Senate committee on Wednesday approved a measure to allow insurers to raise individual rates by up to 30 percent a year without state approval.
Florida lawmakers try again to put brakes on auto insurance fraud
Two lawmakers rolled out proposals Wednesday aimed at curbing staged auto accidents that they say are costing the state billions of dollars in fraudulent insurance payouts.
State officials target ‘fraud tax’
With Florida a hotbed for staged auto crashes and shady medical clinics, state lawmakers today began working on proposals to revamp the personal-injury protection insurance system.
Fire erupts in attic, does $30,000 in damage to Melbourne home
Five adults, two dogs escape blaze
After working the graveyard shift Tuesday, Christina Maple slept until her brother Kevin unexpectedly awakened her amid choking smoke — “The house is on fire!”
Florida Senate bill would make it harder to collect damages from automakers
The Florida Senate has passed legislation that could make it harder to collect damages from the manufacturers of cars with defects that add to injuries in crashes.
Liability limits for foster care agencies advances in Florida House
A measure capping legal damages for agencies providing foster care services cleared a House committee on an 11-4 vote Wednesday, despite emotional testimony from opponents who said lawmakers are putting dollars ahead of the safety of children in a troubled system.
Florida House Subcommittee okays bill ending fee restriction on non-insured Florida dentistry
Dentists say they are getting squeezed. Insurance companies say they are helping hold down costs for patients.
Governor Rick Scott to join Florida delegation for two-day trade mission to Panama
Gov. Rick Scott will leave Thursday for his first foreign trade mission since being elected, a two-day trip to Panama. A delegation of port officials, businessmen and Florida Chamber of Commerce representatives will head to Panama today and Scott will join them a day later.
Florida wants to be state No. 5 for presidential primary
Senate President Mike Haridopolos said Wednesday he supports Florida holding the fifth-in-the-nation presidential primary in 2012, as the first megastate to help choose a Republican presidential nominee.
Bid to revamp Florida Supreme Court gets hearing
House Speaker Dean Cannon’s proposal to revamp the Florida Supreme Court will be the focus of a three-hour hearing today.
The New York Times: Florida House Approves Ending Tenure for New Teachers
A bill to end tenure for new teachers and link their job security and pay to how well students perform on assessment tests cleared the Florida House of Representatives on Wednesday and now goes to the new governor, Rick Scott, a Republican who strongly supports the measure.
Florida House passes growth management bill–again
The Florida House has twice more passed an existing law loosening urban sprawl controls to thwart a court challenge.
Senator Sachs’ bill would let Florida greyhound tracks drop races and still offer card games
Greyhound racetrack operators, including Palm Beach Kennel Club, could quit offering dog races and still run the more lucrative card rooms under a measure narrowly approved by a Senate committee Wednesday afternoon.
Florida Senate OKs oil spill recovery bill
The Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill Wednesday designed to help Panhandle coastal counties recover from the economic impact of last year’s BP oil gusher.
Florida House plan raises tuition, tightens Bright Futures standards
State university tuition would go up and Bright Futures eligibility requirements would be tightened under a draft House higher education budget released Wednesday that has to offset the universities’ loss of $150 million in federal stimulus money.
Faced with $1.6 billion schools deficit, Florida Senate ponders public broadcasting cuts
Florida lawmakers have $1.6 billion less to spend on education this year than last, according to a preliminary glimpse of the Senate’s education spending plan, so public broadcasting may be on the chopping block.
Wall Street Journal: Insurers Face Claims as Supply Chains Break
Insurance companies with customers far from Japan could be on the hook for some lost profits of manufacturers whose supply chains were disrupted by the devastating earthquake.
National Home Builders release drywall advice
Guidelines updated after more study
The National Association of Home Builders released guidelines Wednesday for how to repair homes with problem drywall imported from China, updating advice the group gave last year after continued study.
U.S. Product Complaint Site Goes Live
Despite an attempt to derail it, a public database for safety complaints on products has been launched by the federal government.
Kentucky to Penalize Lawyers Who Solicit Auto Accident Victims
Nearing the close of its regular legislative session, Kentucky lawmakers enacted bills designed to crack down on fraudulent auto personal insurance claims and bring the state in line with new federal tax requirements for the surplus lines insurance industry.
Jury awards paraplegic former Marine $19 million
A jury awarded a paraplegic former Marine more than $19 million Wednesday in a ruling against his insurance company, which had refused to pay the bulk of a $38,150 claim he submitted as a result of a lengthy hospital stay, according to the plaintiff’s attorneys.
Policyholder Retention & Growth Top Captive Concerns
Captive owners identified their biggest concerns as policyholder retention and growth, followed by expanded utilization and collateral.
- U.S. Captives Take a Road Trip
- Utah Sees Rapid Captive Growth, Expands Examiners
- Coca-Cola to fund some non-U.S. pension liabilities through Ireland captive
Japan nuclear radiation: Will travel insurance cover you?
With some of Japan’s nuclear reactors emitting radiation after damage from last week’s devastating earthquake and tsunami, travelers may wonder: Will their travel insurance policy cover them if they cancel trips because of radiation contamination in the region?
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