Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, October 27
Oct 27, 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
10:00 a.m.–Florida Surplus Lines Service Office National Clearinghouse Committee meeting. Agenda includes issues pertaining to the proposed national surplus lines tax clearinghouse. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Florida’s Catastrophe Fund In a Pickle
The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund is “dangerously overexposed” and should be downsized because unpredictable market conditions could prevent it from selling enough bonds to pay claims, according to the agency’s executive director, Jack Nicholson.
Associated Industries: Florida Catastrophe Fund should be put on sound financial basis
The article “Fla. hurricane fund has $3.2 billion shortfall” (Oct. 18) should be a wakeup call for every business owner, homeowner, renter, charity, church and automobile policyholder throughout the state.
DeSoto Insurance, Rupert Smith Insurance Agency merge
Two of Arcadias oldest businesses are joining forces.
Personal Injury Protection workgroup to release its report on Tuesday
Insurance Consumer Advocate Robin Westcott will discuss a “well-documented report” on personal injury protection fraud and abuse at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Destination unknown: Casino bill filed but faces stiff opposition
The highly anticipated bill to allow three destination casino resorts in Broward and Miami-Dade counties was filed Wednesday after a nearly month-long bill drafting process.
U.S. Representative Connie Mack to enter U.S. Senate race
The congressman from Fort Myers would be taking on four challengers already hoping to get the nod to run against U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, who leads polls against all of them.
Florida Casino Bill Would Grow Gaming and Government
The establishment of a State Gaming Commission and a Department of Gaming Control would create a sprawling new bureaucracy to oversee what promoters hope to parlay into a multibillion-dollar industry.
Judges challenges state’s attorneys as they defend pension changes
Attorneys for a group of state employees and public-sector unions told a Tallahassee judge Wednesday that lawmakers did not have the authority to make “fundamental” changes to state employee pensions.
Hometown Democracy leader unveils site detailing ‘The Price of Sprawl’
Nearly a year after the so-called “Hometown Democracy” amendment was soundly defeated in the state of Florida, the group that backed it has unveiled a website detailing the negative effects of urban sprawl in various counties throughout the state.
State Farm Lowering Alabama Auto Rates
Drivers in Alabama insured through State Farm will be paying slightly less for coverage beginning next month.
Wall Street Journal: Insurer to Reveal Rate-Hike Data
New York’s largest health insurer has agreed to publicly share the previously secret details of its requests for insurance-rate hikes, ending a standoff with state regulators.
USA Today: Red-light traffic camera deals under scrutiny
Local governments hungry for revenue are signing contracts with red-light camera companies that put profit over traffic safety, according to a new study by a national public interest advocacy group.
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