Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, August 26, 2015
Aug 25, 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 Office of Insurance Regulation Public Rate Hearing: Citizens Property Insurance. Tallahassee, Florida. Citizens has requested statewide average rate changes for its Coastal Account, Commercial Lines Account, and Personal Lines Account. To view the hearing notice, click here. To view the agenda, click here.
- Florida Self-Insurers Guaranty Association meetings in conjunction with the 70th Annual Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference. Orlando, Florida.
- 12:00 p.m.–Audit Committee
- 2:30 p.m.–Board of Directors
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Groveland sinkhole nearly doubles in size to 80 feet wide
A Groveland, Florida sinkhole, which was originally measured at 45 feet wide Sunday night, had nearly doubled in size when officials examined it Monday afternoon, city officials said. Christal Hayes reports for the Orlando Sentinel.
Jeb Bush gets praise for his handling of hurricanes
Whether Jeb Bush can turn his hurricane experiences into political gain could prove critical to his fight for the Republican presidential nomination. His history with the storms will be the focus of a town hall meeting Wednesday in Pensacola, Ed O’Keefe reports for the Washington Post.
Emergency loans offered to Tampa Bay small businesses damaged by flooding
The state of Florida is committing up to $10 million to help small businesses around Tampa Bay recover from the deluge of rain and flooding that pounded the region in recent weeks. The Tampa Bay Times’ Jeremy Wallace reports.
GEICO Promotes Florida-Based Rogers to Senior Vice President
George Rogers has been promoted to senior vice president at GEICO. His new responsibilities include oversight for GEICO’s southeast and Midwest operations in addition to his current duties as vice president of GEICO’s regional operations in Lakeland, Florida, Insurance Journal reports.
Florida’s hospital audits increase to 129
Governor Rick Scott has asked the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration to investigate nearly 100 more hospitals than initially announced for receiving more in Medicaid payments than is legally allowed. The Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Auslen reports via “The Buzz” blog.
The intra-party feuding that led to a legislative stalemate on congressional redistricting continued Monday as Republican House leaders split from the Senate and asked the Florida Supreme Court to allow a trial court judge to mediate their dispute. Mary Ellen Klas reports via the Tampa Bay Times’ “The Buzz” blog.
- Senators try to salvage congressional redistricting plan
- Arguing lawmakers agree on one thing: Silence the Florida Supreme Court
- Oscar Braynon wants Senate to get head start on remedial redistricting
Florida taxpayers pay up: June Special Session cost $651,000
A messy budget fight that forced Florida’s legislators to hold an unusual June special session cost taxpayers more than $651,000, according to figures released Monday by the Florida Senate. The Associated Press reports via the Tampa Bay Times.
Puerto Ricans Seeking New Lives Put Stamp on Central Florida
Florida is now poised to elbow out New York as the state with the most Puerto Ricans – close to one million, according to the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at the City University of New York. Lizette Alvarez reports for the New York Times.
Pennsylvania Says Insurers Are Prohibited From Using Price Optimization
Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller has issued an official notice warning the state’s insurers that they are prohibited from using the price optimization techniques in property/casualty insurance rates, Insurance Journal reports.
Court Says Federal Trade Commission Has Power to Regulate Corporate Cybersecurity
A U.S. appeals court said the Federal Trade Commission has authority to regulate corporate cyber security, and may pursue a lawsuit accusing hotel operator Wyndham Worldwide Corp. of failing to properly safeguard consumers’ information. Reuters’ Jonathan Stempel reports via Insurance Journal.
Fitch: Global Reinsurers’ Soft Market Pricing Pressures Slowing
The reinsurance market showed signs of decelerating rate declines in its most recent June/July 2015 renewals, indicating that pricing could be approaching a new equilibrium, Fitch Ratings reports.
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