Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report – Tuesday June 06, 2017

 

Florida Tops Nearly 6.9 Million U.S. Homes at Risk of Hurricane Storm Surge Damage

Again this year, as in previous years, Florida Ranks First with just under 2.8 Million at-Risk Homes, and Texas Ranks Third with 536,000 at-Risk Homes, while Louisiana Ranks 2nd with 808,000 at-Risk Homes.  Insurance Journal reports.

 

Nearly 20K Citizens Policies Approved for August Takeouts by Florida Regulators

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has approved Companies to participate in the August Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Take-Out Period.  Insurance Journal reports.

 

Heritage Insurance Secures $1.7B in Florida Reinsurance Cover for 2017-2018

Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc., a Property and Casualty Insurance Holding Company, announced that its Insurance Subsidiaries, Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co. and Zephyr Insurance Co., have completed the Placement of their 2017-2018 Reinsurance Programs.  Insurance Journal reports.

 

Injured Orlando Predators Player Loses Workers’ Compensation Claim on Appeal

A Former Orlando Predators Player can’t recover Workers’ Compensation Benefits because nobody from the Arena Football League ever Signed his Employment Contract, the 1st District Court of Appeal Ruled Tuesday.  Michael Moline reports for FloridaPolitics.com.

 

Russian Hackers Pretended to be Florida Company in Phishing Expedition

In the most detailed U.S. Account yet of Russian Interference in last year’s Election, the Intercept reported Monday about a Top Secret National Security Agency Document that revealed a Cyberattack on a U.S. Voting Software Supplier.  The Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Van Sickler reports.

·         Head of Florida Supervisors Association:  There’s Been No Hacking of U.S. Voting Systems

 

House Plan Gives Governor Control of $85 Million Economic Development Fund

After spending the Session peeling back what they deemed was Taxpayer-Financed “Corporate Welfare” in the Name of Jobs, the Florida House returns this week with a Plan to Replace those Programs with a New $85 Million Economic Development Fund that gives Governor Rick Scott exclusive Control — and few strings attached.  The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports via “The Buzz” blog.

·         House Still Wants Audit of Golf Hall of Fame; Senate May Resist

 

Rick Scott Defends Record-Setting Budget Vetoes

Florida Governor Rick Scott on Monday defended his latest round of Budget Vetoes, which set a Modern-Day Record for a Governor but came from a long list of Spending Projects, including money intended for Public Universities and Compensation for Homeowners whose trees were torn down by the State.  Gary Fineout reports for FloridaPolitics.com.

·         45 of 50 County Projects in Florida Budget Approved by Governor

 

Dew Chosen to Lead Florida Department of Transportation

Governor Rick Scott named Florida Department of Transportation Chief of Staff Michael Dew as the Agency’s next Secretary.  The Tampa Bay Times’ Caitlin Johnston reports via “The Buzz” blog.

 

Florida Played a Role in D-Day Preperations

Tuesday marks the 73rd Anniversary of D-Day, the Allied Landing of Normandy and the start of the Liberation of France from Nazi Control during World War II. Florida played a supporting role in the Amphibious Landing and the start of what General Dwight Eisenhower, the Allied Commander, called the Crusade in Europe.  Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.

 

Autonomous Vehicle Guidelines Could be Updated by Year’s End

The Federal Government is facing increased pressure to Update Guidelines for Autonomous Vehicles issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in September.  The New York Times reports via the PCI SmartBrief.

 

U.S. Supreme Court Affirms Religious Exemption from ERISA Pension Law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ruled that Church-Affiliated Hospital Systems do not have to comply with a Federal Law Governing Employee Pensions, Overturning Lower Court Decisions that could have Cost the Hospitals billions of dollars.  Reuters’ Andrew Chung reports via Insurance Journal.

 

Private Insurer Will No Longer Fund Fraud Prosecutions in Texas

Thanks to New Money and Oversight from the Texas Legislature, the State can now pursue Workers’ Compensation Fraud Cases without relying on an unusual and much-criticized Funding Deal between a Private Insurance Company and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.  Insurance Journal notes the Texas Tribune story.

 

NICB Confirms Texas as Leader in Hail Damage Claims

The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported that Insurance Claims for Hail Damage in Texas last year exceeded the previous two years combined.  Insurance Journal reports.

 

Georgia Lawmaker Panel to Study Distracted Driving

House Speaker David Ralston appointed 7 Republicans and 3 Democrats to a Study Committee on the Issue last week.  The Group plans to Consider what Role Distracted Drivers Play in the State’s High Number of Fatal Accidents on Highways and other Crashes.  Insurance Journal reports.

 

 

 

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