Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, May 10
May 10, 2012
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
1:30 p.m.–Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Advisory Council meeting. Agenda includes discussion of May 2012 FHCF claims-paying capacity estimates. Teleconference: (888) 808-6959; conference code: 4765251363. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Florida Looks to Fix Loophole in PIP Reform Law
Florida regulators are scrambling to fix a loophole in the state’s new auto no-fault insurance law that could affect medical payments to health care providers and trigger a spate of lawsuits against the law.
- Blog: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration tries to fix flaw in new auto insurance law with memo
- Editorial: PIP bill dinged but fixable
Editorial: Be patient to see effect of PIP reforms on auto insurance rates
This year the Legislature took on the challenge of reforming Florida’s broken personal injury protection auto Insurance system, which has been infiltrated by crooks and enterprising industries, driving up costs for all Floridians.
Sinkhole increases business for local company
The 100-foot-wide sinkhole in Windemere is attracting a Central Florida company.
Florida’s major utilities say they are prepared for storm season
With the beginning of hurricane season only weeks away, Florida’s major utilities told the state Public Service Commission on Wednesday that they are better prepared to deal with the aftermath of a devastating storm.
Panama City School Board reduces insurance limits
School Board members approved the reduction of Insurance limits to try to maintain their premium at about $2 million.
Manhole Cover Thefts on the Rise in Quincy
For most people it’s just a manhole cover. But for others, it’s becoming instant cash.
Apalachicola Riverkeeper asks governors in three states to hold emergency meeting on drought
Florida, Georgia and Alabama have been battling for more than 20 years in federal court over water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system.
High court hears arguments on class-action arbitration
The case centers on whether a court can strike down a contract requiring consumers to settle legal disputes individually out of court.
Florida firms in line for $1 billion from small business tax credit
More than 70 percent of the small businesses in Florida are eligible for a health care tax credit included in the Affordable Care Act.
Blog: Promising newcomer Brian Scarborough withdraws from race for Florida Senate District 7
The newly drawn Senate District 7 doesn’t look like Scarborough Country. At least not to Brian Scarborough.
Incumbent Holds Big Lead in Campaign Donations for District 41 House Race
Florida House District 41 – formerly District 65 – looks to be the district in Polk County with the most competitors, but in campaign collections it is a runaway for incumbent John Wood, R-Winter Haven.
The Florida Chamber of Commerce honored 41 Republican lawmakers and three Democrats from among the state’s 160 legislators for support of the business advocacy group’s agenda in the 2012 regular session.
Gambling up by 16 percent in South Florida
No doubt about it: South Floridians love to gamble.
Orlando named “Smuttiest City”
Isn’t it supposed to be the casinos, not Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, that attract the porn? That’s not what happened in Orlando, just named by Men’s Health Magazine as the Smuttiest City in America.
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Personal Lines Rates Changes Effective June 1
The Louisiana Department of Insurance has approved changes to the property insurance rate levels for personal lines policies written by Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
2 Republicans Face Run-Off in North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Race
Republicans still have to pick their candidate for North Carolina insurance commissioner after cutting the field to two.
At Hearing, Senator Says Short-Term National Flood Insurance Program Reauthorization Likely
Another short-term extension of the National Flood Insurance Program appears likely as Congress won’t be able to act on a long-term bill before the current authorization expires May 31.
Property insurance market has recovered, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon says
Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon told an Alexandria civil club that the state’s property insurance market is “more competitive than ever.
Army Corps. of Engineers gets more time to comment on Hurricane Katrina breach sites
The National Park Service has given the Army Corps of Engineers another 15 days to provide an opinion on whether to approve the request by Levees.org to get two sites where levees and floodwalls failed during Hurricane Katrina onto the National Register of Historic Places.
Alabama Governor Expects to Sign Home Insurance Bills
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has signed into law a measure (HB 2) that prohibits texting while driving.
Nevada Issues First Driverless Car License
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles has approved an application for a license by Google Inc. to test autonomous vehicles on Nevada public roads, DMV announced this week.
MGAs Finding Success Recruiting Tomorrow’s Leaders, AAMGA Exec Says
Perpetuation remains a significant concern for the property and casualty insurance industry, but the leadership of a leading excess and surplus lines association believes it has developed a message that is attracting new talent.
Heartland Institute’s Washington Unit Mulls Split from Chicago-Based Parent
The Heartland Institute and its insurance-centric Washington unit are negotiating a divorce, a process said to be accelerated by distress over the institute’s now-suspended ad campaign linking support for global warming with serial killers.
Click here to follow Colodny Fass on Twitter (@CFTLAWcom)
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to Brooke Ellis at bellis@cftlaw.com.