Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, October 24
Oct 24, 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
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Private Firm To Sell Flood Insurance in Florida
A Gainesville-based insurance agency announced this week it will offer a lower-priced alternative to the National Flood Insurance Program for many older homes subjected to rate increases that may reach tens of thousands of dollars in some cases, Josh Boatwright reports for the Tampa Tribune.
Appellate court ruling reinstates no-fault law for now
The 1st District Court of Appeal overturned a temporary injunction against the 2012 law capping non-emergency care from personal injury protection claims at $2,500 and preventing acupuncturists and massage therapists from receiving PIP claims, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Florida Authorities Battle Lucrative Crime Rings: Insurance Fraud Scams
It’s estimated that personal injury fraud costs the state of Florida alone $1 billion a year, a loss that is passed along to consumers in the form of rising insurance premiums, ABC News reports.
Florida Now Taking Car Crash Reports Online
Florida motorists who have minor car crashes now have a quicker, less expensive way to report them to the state. The highway safety department is hoping its online car crash reporting form helps people comply with a state law requiring accidents to be reported within ten days of happening, WFSU reports.
Florida Court Reverses Itself: 104-Week Limit on Temporary Benefits Constitutional
A Florida district court has overturned an earlier ruling that found a 104-week limit on an injured worker’s temporary benefits unconstitutional. The court ruled instead that the limit represents a legal deadline to determine an injured worker’s eligibility for permanent benefits, Insurance Journal’s Michael Adams reports.
Florida regulators chip at rate hike for workers’ compensation coverage
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation announced Wednesday it would only accept a statewide average rate hike of 0.7 percent from the National Council on Compensation Insurance, which requested a 1 percent increase, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
North Carolina, Florida Among States With Most Reported Heavy Equipment Thefts
A report this month from the National Insurance Crime Bureau shows five of the top 10 states nationwide with the most reported heavy equipment thefts are from the Southeast region, Insurance Journal reports.
After Bill Young’s Funeral Comes His Coveted House Seat Race
After Bill Young’s funeral Thursday, the race to replace him will kick off and draw national attention, SunshineStateNews.com’s Jeff Henderson reports.
Former Florida House speaker wants legal fees paid
A former Florida lawmaker is trying to get the state to pay more than $800,000 in legal fees that he racked up while defending himself against corruption charges that were later dropped, Associated Press’ Gary Fineout reports for the Tampa Tribune.
Florida Ranks Among 10 Best Tax Climates
The Tax Foundation’s 2014 edition of the State Business Tax Climate Index ranks Florida in the top 10 best tax climates.
Questions for Florida Attorney General Candidate George Sheldon
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA interviews Florida Attorney General Candidate George Sheldon via the Tampa Bay Times.
Westrope Named NAPSLO President
Kevin T. Westrope, president of Westrope, an independent wholesale brokerage based in Kansas City, Mo., has been elected to serve as the new president of the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) for the 2013-2014 term, Insurance Journal reports.
Federal Court Rules Delaware Business Court’s Private Arbitration Is Unconstitutional
Delaware’s legal industry suffered a blow when a federal court found on Wednesday the state violated the U.S. Constitution with its novel system of allowing judges to arbitrate private business disputes, which critics called secret trials, Reuters reports via Insurance Journal.
PCI Executive Panel Predicts More Industry Consolidation, Possible Reserve Crisis
Just as regulation has prompted banks to move toward consolidation, one insurance executive here at the PCI Annual Meeting is calling for the same in his industry, Chad Hemenway reports for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.
Lawsuit Trends Research Unveiled at U.S. Chamber’s Legal Reform Summit
The U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform identified asbestos, class-action, data privacy, and False Claims Act lawsuits among the leading lawsuit trends, in a paper released at its 14th Annual Legal Reform Summit, Claims Journal reports.
Click here to follow Colodny Fass& Webb on Twitter (@CFTLAWcom)
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to Brooke Ellis at bellis@cftlaw.com.