Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, December 3
Dec 3, 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
10:00 a.m.–Florida Office of Insurance Regulation public hearing. Consideration of Healthcare Underwriters Group of Florida’s application for conversion from a reciprocal insurer organized under Chapter 629, Florida Statutes, to a for-profit stock insurance company organized under Chapters 628 and 607, Florida Statutes. To view the hearing notice, click here.
10:00 a.m.–Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services Proposed Rule Hearing. Proposed amendments to Rule 69J-166.002, “Mediation of Commercial Residential Property Insurance Claims,” and Rule 69J-166.031, “Mediation of Residential Property Insurance Claims,” would update subparagraphs (4)(a)1. of both Rules to conform with changes made by Chapter 2012-151, Laws of Florida and the opinion of the Third District Court of Appeal in Fernando Subirats v. Fidelity National Property, 106 So. 3d 997 (Fla. 3rd DCA 2013). To view the hearing notice, click here.
12:00 p.m.–Florida Self-Insurers Guaranty Association Finance Committee and Board of Directors meetings. Tampa, Florida. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
As Citizens dictates terms of sinkhole repairs, families battle, work is delayed
Citizens acknowledges that most of its sinkhole disputes involve disagreements over the method of repair, Mary Ellen Klas reports for the Tampa Bay Times.
Florida Trend: Fix Citizens Property Insurance
It’s unfair to ask the 80% of all Florida homeowners who aren’t insured by Citizens to pay assessments to make Citizens customers whole if Citizens can’t pay, Florida Trend’s “Bright Ideas” column says.
Florida Congressman Proposes Disaster Savings Accounts
A Florida congressman is calling for the creation of a new federal tax-free savings account that will allow homeowners to set aside up to $5,000 to help strengthen their homes against hurricanes and other natural disasters, Insurance Journal’s Michael Adams reports.
Federal grant assures no cuts or layoffs for Miami-Dade Fire Rescue
For the past half year Miami-Dade County’s fire union and the mayor’s office have been slinging mud and insults at each other over a budget shortfall that threatened 59 jobs and three fire rescue trucks, Charles Rabin reports for the Miami Herald.
A Florida legislator has been sued over his pet dog biting someone in the face at a restaurant located near the state Capitol, Tampa Bay Times’ Adam Smith reports on “The Buzz” blog.
Florida School District Invests in Security Cameras After Bus Thefts
In recent weeks, a half-dozen school buses were recovered after being stolen from school districts in Florida and Georgia, and at least one of the districts has taken steps to enhance security in its parking lot, Michelle Fisher reports for School Transportation News.
Senior Driving is Florida’s Focus This Week
With more than 3.2 million residents older than 65 driving across the Sunshine State, Florida kicked off Older Driver Safety Awareness Week on Monday. Florida leads the nation with more than 17 percent of motorists in the state being senior drivers, Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Gotcha! Red-light cameras nab thousands, but few appeal tickets
Red-light cameras, which generate millions in ticket revenue for Florida cities, have snared more than 45,000 drivers at intersections in the Orlando area since July 1, when a modified state law took effect designed to make appeals easier, Stephen Hudak reports for the Orlando Sentinel.
Next House Speaker Wants Statewide Water Planning
As the Senate pursues an ambitious $220 million plan to redirect water and reduce pollutants in South Florida, the next House speaker wants lawmakers to consider a broader approach to the vast water problems confronting the entire state, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Weatherford considers voter input on expanded gambling
House Speaker Will Weatherford is developing a new plan that could provide cover for Republican House members reluctant to expand gambling as the Legislature takes up the thorny issue during the upcoming session, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Dara Kam reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
$24 million Florida broadband expansion nearly done
Rural Northwest Florida soon will be home to a broadband network capable of handling 1,000 times the capacity of existing Internet service in the area, Valerie Garman writes for the Panama City News-Herald.
Public Service Commission to consider rules implementing nuclear cost law changes
At its meeting today, Florida’s Public Service Commission will consider adopting noncontroversial rule changes to implement a legislative revision of the state’s nuclear cost recovery law, The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports.
Jacksonville called “ticking time bomb” due to lack of adequate mental health services
Jacksonville’s mental health services are woefully underfunded, fragmented in delivery and primarily supplied by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office for adults and Duval County Public Schools for children, the Florida Times-Union’s Derek Gilliam reports.
Florida lawmakers want a playground smoking ban
Smoking is banned in many places in Florida but not in and around playgrounds, The Florida Current’s James Call explains.
Louisiana Joins Lawsuit to Block Flood Insurance Hike
Louisiana’s Department of Insurance has joined a lawsuit filed by Mississippi against the federal government to try to block rates from increasing Oct. 1 in the National Flood Insurance Program, Associated Press’ Chevel Johnson reports for Insurance Journal.
U.S. Chamber Calls for Stricter Rules on Systemic Risk Designations on Insurers
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is calling for rules that would make it more difficult for a group of regulators to subject financial companies to stricter oversight, Bloomberg’s Ian Katz reports via Insurance Journal.
Insurance Lab in South Carolina Aims to Alter Cycle of Destruction
The insurance industry hopes a 21,000-square-foot lab in rural South Carolina can help revolutionize the way homes are built and stem the cost of Mother Nature’s disasters, Associated Press’ Seanna Adcox reports for Insurance Journal.
Tennessee Driving Records Now Available Online
State officials are giving Tennessee residents an online option to access driving records, the Associated Press reports.
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