Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Apr 14, 2015
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 Cabinet meeting. To view the complete agenda, click here.
- Review of delegated authority for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
- State Board of Administration
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Hurricane Season Is Approaching And Florida Lawmakers Are Preparing For Storms
Senator Jeff Brandes is behind a bill that tweaks the state’s insurance rules and requires the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation to use a Hurricane model approved by the Florida Commission on Hurricane loss when considering projected hurricane losses. Regan McCarthy reports for WFSU.org.
Bills complicate insurance claims
If Big Insurance lobbyists get their way this Session in Tallahassee, policyholders’ peace of mind will be gone, Carol Dornan and Greg Noland write in this Orlando Sentinel editorial opinion.
Why Florida Hit No. 1 In Affordable Care Act Enrollment
When Florida racked up impressive enrollment numbers in 2014 for insurance plans offered under the Affordable Care Act, some healthcare analysts were surprised. The Miami Herald’s Chabeli Herrera reports via InsuranceNewsNet.com.
Florida Insurance Agent Found Guilty of Racketeering, Money Laundering
A Florida insurance agent doing business as College Consultants of the Gulf Coast defrauded insurance companies out of more than $891,000, according to a statement from the Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater. Insurance Journal reports.
“Governor Scarce” is far from Tallahassee as lawmakers call him out
As Florida legislators made their way back to the Capitol Monday for the seventh week of the Session, Governor Rick Scott was about as far from Tallahassee as he could get. Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet explains.
Jeff Brandes makes another run at ending red-light cameras
Senator Jeff Brandes has never been shy about his dislike of red-light cameras. Last year, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability released a stinging report on how local governments use them, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Jeff Call reports.
Florida Lawmakers Kill Homeowners Association Oversight Bills
Homeowners hoping for more state oversight of the association boards that rule their communities are out of luck this year as legislation to increase scrutiny of HOAs died for lack of support in Tallahassee. Kimberly Miller reports for the Palm Beach Post.
Former CIA director urges Florida lawmakers to prepare against electromagnetic pulse attacks
Former CIA Director R. James Woolsey Jr. on Monday urged legislators to take action to protect Florida’s electric grid from a terrorist or foreign military attack, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Peter Schorsch reports.
Will Jeff Atwater’s U.S. Senate decision accelerate a Negron vs. Latvala finale?
Florida CFO Jeff Atwater’s decision not to run for the U.S. Senate has already set off a scramble among several Republicans who might now be interested in running for the seat Marco Rubio is giving up to run for president. SaintPetersBlog.com’s Peter Schorsch speculates.
When Rubio Was the Man of Florida’s House
As speaker and in earlier leadership positions in the Florida House, Rubio demonstrated a willingness to delegate to focus on his strengths, communicating and negotiating. The record suggests that a President Rubio would drive a hard bargain, and hold out until the eleventh hour, but rarely walk away from the table without a deal, Jim Geraghty writes for the National Review.
Texas Commissioner Appoints 3 to Surplus Lines Stamping Office Board
Texas Commissioner of Insurance David Mattax has appointed Michael Berry of Cedar Park and Evelyn Miller of Baytown, and reappointed Jennifer Hoff of Cedar Park to serve on the Surplus Lines Stamping Office Board of Directors for terms to expire December 31, 2017, Insurance Journal reports.
5 Class Action Suits Target “Shadow Insurance”
The use of captives as part of the capital underlying life insurance and variable annuity policies is the subject of five class action lawsuits filed against insurers. This is another sign that the spotlight on insurance capital issues continues to intensify. Arthur Postal reports for InsuranceNewsNet.com.
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