Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, January 14
Jan 14, 2014
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 Board of Employee Leasing Companies (“BELC”) Board meeting. Teleconference: (888) 670-3525; conference code: 7489217568#. To view the meeting notice, click here.
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.–Florida Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance meeting. Agenda includes discussion on Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (“Citizens”) proposed legislation and consideration of the following bills:
- SB 416 relating to Sinkhole Coverage by Senator Wilton Simpson
- SB 444 relating to Workers’ Compensation by Senator Bill Galvano
- SB 490 relating to Motor Vehicle Liability Policy Requirements by Senator Rene Garcia
- SB 424 relating to Discriminatory Insurance Practices by Senator Tom Lee
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
HCI Group Wins Appeal in Revenue Sharing Dispute
A U.S. appeals court has affirmed a trial court decision in favor of Florida based insurer HCI Group, Inc., the company reports.
A $24,000 Flood Insurance Policy? Welcome to Florida’s New Normal
Imagine moving into your new Florida vacation home only to find a $24,300 flood insurance bill in your mailbox, FloridaWatchDog.org’s Marianela Toledo writes via SunshineStateNews.com.
Florida Affordable Care Act Enrollment Surges in December
Roughly 140,000 Floridians signed up for the new federal health insurance program last month. That’s nearly eight times the 18,000 others who signed up in October and November combined, according to figures released Monday, Associated Press’ Kelli Kennedy reports via the Tampa Tribune.
Carlos Lopez-Cantera Will Be Florida’s Lieutenant Governor
After 10 months of going it alone at the Capitol, Gov. Rick Scott has found a lieutenant governor: veteran of the Legislature and current Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Carlos Lopez-Cantera, Jeff Henderson and Nancy Smith report for SunshineStateNews.com.
FAU Setback Unlikely to Hamper Jeff Atwater’s Political Future
Despite not becoming the next president of Florida Atlantic University, Jeff Atwater remains a heavy favorite to keep his position as Florida’s CFO, SunshineStateNews.com’s Jeff Henderson reports.
In Tallahassee early last Wednesday morning, Representative MaryLynn Magar suffered a mild stroke and was successfully treated at a hospital in Tallahassee, Peter Schorsch of SaintPetersBlog.com reports.
Governor Scott adds $8.8 billion in transportation spending to his budget plan
Governor Rick Scott will ask lawmakers to fund transportation projects at $8.8 billion next fiscal year. He contends the spending will spur more trade and therefore more jobs in the state, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Andy Gardiner: Coast-to-Coast Connector Picking Up Speed
Sen. Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, who has included the completion of the 250-mile Coast to Coast Connector as one of his priorities as he prepares to become Senate president in November, said last week he has received support from Gov. Rick Scott for the project, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Turner reports via SunshineStateNews.com.
Democratic Party banking heavily on Crist
While remaining formally neutral in an impending primary between former Governor Charlie Crist and former Senator Nan Rich, the Florida Democratic Party is pouring money into logistics support for Crist’s campaign, The Florida Current’s Bill Cotterell reports.
Bill encouraging water storage projects on farm lands is moving in Senate
SB 312 would allow farmers with water storage projects to maintain their agricultural greenbelt tax classifications. With support from agriculture groups, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Associated Industries of Florida and Audubon Florida, SB 372 passed its second committee stop this past week, The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports.
Outlook stable for global reinsurance segment as underwriting discipline continues
Rating agency A.M. Best Co. has issued a stable ratings outlook for the global reinsurance segment going into 2014, expecting a minimal number of ratings upgrades or downgrades over the next year to 18 months, Canadian Underwriter reports.
Texas Windstorm Insurer Releases Questionable Emails to Attorney
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association announced it has released to a litigator what it calls “potentially offensive” emails as part of discovery in a lawsuit against the insurer brought on behalf of the Brownsville Independent School District, Insurance Journal reports.
A sad day at National Underwriter
The news came down early today that National Underwriter had terminated five more key editorial staffers: Bonnie Brewer-Cavanaugh, along with Anya Khalamayzer, Maria Wood, and the D.C. bureau of Elizabeth Festa and Arthur D. Postal, writes R.J. Lehman.
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