Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, May 31
May 31, 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
9:00 a.m.–Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Public Rate Hearing: Cypress Property and Casualty Insurance Company. Cypress Property and Casualty Insurance Company has requested a 17.7 percent overall rate increase for its homeowners line of coverage. The proposed rate increase would be effective August 1, 2012 for new business and September 15, 2012 for renewal business. The requested rate increase is not uniform. Some areas are subject to a higher rate increase. To view the hearing notice, click here.
Some big guns will be in South Florida Friday to send this message: Hurricane season starts today and we’ve already used “A” (Alberto)and “B” (Beryl). Are you prepared?
Beryl reclassified as post-tropical storm
National Hurricane Center has reclassified Beryl as a post-tropical storm.
Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation looking to trim its risk
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is looking for suggestions to reduce its $500 billion risk, and interim president Tom Grady says every Floridian has thousands of dollars riding on those ideas.
Jacksonville-based insurance company seeks rate increase
Nearly 2,400 Insurance customers in Volusia and Flagler counties could be impacted by a proposed insurance rate change by a Jacksonville-based company.
John Rollins: Florida cuts its “hurricane taxes”
Hurricane season is here, and the Atlantic has already fired up the 2012 storm machine with tropical storms.
Hurricane Insurance Funds Better Prepared, Still Fragile
With hurricane season set to begin Friday, the acting head of the state-backed insurer is canvassing the state to bring residents up to speed.
Blog: Florida Insurance Advocate offers a helpful online reminder of the coming hurricane apocalypse
Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate Robin Westcott has released a new-and-improved “assessment calculator” designed to provide a friendly reminder to those of you who purchase insurance that if a catastrophic hurricane strikes, we are totally screwed.
Floridians tend to shun hurricane season preparation, Florida State University professor finds
Floridians often overestimate their ability to withstand a hurricane – and that puts them in potentially serious danger, a Florida State University professor says.
Children of Andrew still recall 1992 hurricane
When hurricane Andrew roared across South Florida 20 years ago this August, it flattened homes, uprooted trees and destroyed surburban blocks for miles around.
Hurricane shutters can pose danger
As we get close to hurricane season, many Suncoast homes already have their hurricane shutters up.
Increase in home insurance a budget-buster for Sebastian family
An assortment of Lemmon Drops culled from a trip to Birtherville with Donald Trump.
PIP reform does little to save drivers money on insurance rates
In a last-minute jousting session in the Florida Senate in March, lawmakers finally approved the personal injury protection reform to cut down on car insurance fraud.
Health care industry experts meeting in Orlando this week are saying that the need to control health-care costs, not the individual mandate issue, will likely be the most far-reaching and debated part of the federal Affordable Care Act, Health News Florida reports.
Tough water rules not enough, officials warn
Mandatory new watering restrictions by the Suwannee River Water Management District are a positive step but do not go far enough and may be difficult to enforce in Alachua County, officials and water-protection advocates say.
Florida Governor Rick Scott Quietly Signs Four Bills for Law Enforcement
With copper approaching $4 a pound, law enforcement officials thanked Governor Rick Scott as they attended a semi-private bill-signing ceremony Wednesday that increases the penalties for thieves cashing in on stolen metal.
While Miami Beach commissioners played hokey pokey in the race to replace disgraced state Representative Richard Steinberg — they put their name in, they took their name out — a surprise candidate mounted a serious campaign to claim the House District 113 seat.
Candidate officially changes name to “VoteforEddie.com”
Florida is letting a congressional candidate put the name of his web address on the ballot.
Blog: Kathy Mears in talks to be incoming Florida House Speaker Weatherford’s staff chief
Getting word that incoming Florida House Speaker Will Weatherford might be in the process of making the smartest of picks for his chief of staff: Kathy Mears, who last worked in high advisory posts for Governor Charlie Crist.
Governor Rick Scott on Wednesday praised Secretary Herschel T. Vinyard as pressure on the Department of Environmental Protection chief mounted.
Judge weighs Florida Department of Education’s handling of teacher performance plan
More than a year after lawmakers passed a controversial plan to measure teacher performance, a judge today faced a basic question: Are state education officials being too heavy-handed in carrying out the law?
Nearly 40 apply to help oversee new university
The nationwide search for trustees for the new Florida Polytechnic University wraps up today, with almost 40 Floridians applying – most from Polk County or nearby.
Is Florida the national champion in public corruption? Study to say yes
An upcoming study by the new Integrity Florida watchdog group that analyzed federal prosecutions for public corruption says Florida leads the nation in that category.
A bill introduced in the House would bar financial firm officials who are found liable for actions harming their companies from purchasing insurance to cover the cost of the penalties imposed.
Effort under way to stop Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance rate increase
A state senator who serves on the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’d board of directors hopes to stave off a big rate increase for wind-only policies by adding an amendment to proposed legislation.
Gulf Coast Insurance Commissioners discuss solutions today
Insurance Commission representatives from three Gulf Coast states will talk about possible solutions to the region’s insurance crisis today at the America’s Energy Coast Leadership Forum at the Hyatt Regency hotel.
New Oklahoma Law Caps Premium Tax on Captive Insurance Companies
A proposed new law that places a cap on premium taxes paid by captive insurers is expected to increase the number of companies conducting business in Oklahoma, state regulators say.
FEMA: Hurricane Warnings can Now Come by Cell Phone
As the 2012 hurricane season begins on Friday with two named storms already in the books emergency managers have a new way to warn many Americans about looming storms.
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