Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Feb 16, 2016
Florida Insurance Regulator Approves Aetna’s Acquisition of Humana
Florida’s insurance regulator approved Aetna Inc.’s acquisition of Humana Inc., and required no divestitures, an important win for the companies from a state that is a key market. Reuters reports via CNBC.com.
Fearing disaster, U.S. Army Corps diverts Everglades water
Fearing an ecological disaster, federal officials on Monday agreed to start draining about 10,000 gallons of water per second out of the flooded Everglades water conservation areas in Broward and Miami-Dade. Adam Sacasa reports for the Sun-Sentinel.
Tom Grady Won’t Apply to Be Florida Insurance Commissioner
Former State Representative Tom Grady said although he thinks being Florida Insurance Commissioner would be “an interesting job,” he doesn’t have any plans to try for the position. Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster reports for FloridaPolitics.com.
Florida Senate Committee Approves Stand-Alone Sinkhole Insurance
A Senate committee Tuesday unanimously approved a bill enabling insurance companies to sell standalone sinkhole policies for damages falling short of catastrophic loss, FloridaPolitics.com reported last week.
State troopers release data on Florida’s hit-and-run crashes
State troopers say 186 people died in hit-and-run crashes in Florida last year, the Associated Press reports via TCPalm.com.
Florida law caps government agencies’ liability at $200,000; legislators hesitant to approve more
Two dozen bills have been filed in this year’s legislative session to compensate people injured by the mistakes or negligence of government agencies. William March reports for the Florida Times-Union.
United Health Care Announces Deal That Could Affect 20,000 in Central Florida
Health insurer UnitedHealthcare will partner with a local doctor’s group in a move they say will lower health care costs, Abe Aboraya reports for WMFE, a PBS affiliate.
The Villages Insurance Expands Into Florida’s Lake County
The Villages Insurance has expanded into Lake County, Florida. The Villages Insurance Lake County Division will extend its offerings already available to the residents of The Villages community including the services of its 24/7 emergency response team to the residents of Lake County, Insurance Journal reports.
New district boundaries leaves Senate wary of House’s red meat menu
The Florida House is racing ahead with what some are calling a red meat menu of election-year bills aimed at luring Republican voters, but fellow GOP leaders in the Senate have emerged suddenly as a wall of resistance. The Palm Beach Post’s John Kennedy reports via the “Post on Politics” blog.
Lawmakers leave gay marriage ban on the books
It’s been more than a year since same-sex marriages became legal in Florida, but a state law banning the unions is still on the books, and a proposal to repeal it seems doomed. THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Dara Kam reports via News4Jax.com.
Beef Ads, Dolphin Pools, Farm Aid and Rodeos: Florida Lawmakers’ Pork Projects
The House and Senate’s respective 400-plus-page budget plans are filled with specific items for local groups, parks, theaters and museums that may be minor in the overall proposals but important to someone, including to lawmakers who want to take home money for projects and programs, FlaglerLive.com reports.
Primary prompts Florida independents to join parties
A large number of independent voters in Leon County have decided they can’t sit on the sidelines when Florida holds its presidential primary March 15. Jeff Burlew reports for the Tallahassee Democrat.
Uber to Pay $28M to Settle Claims over Its “Safe Rides Fee”
Uber Technologies Inc. said it will pay $28.5 million to settle claims that a $1 “safe rides fee” charged to riders was misleading because its background checks on drivers aren’t as rigorous as the company advertised. Bloomberg’s Ellen Huet and Joel Rosenblatt report via Insurance Journal.
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