Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, March 22
Mar 22, 2011
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
Florida’s 2011 Regular Legislative Session
- Click here for today’s Senate block calendar
- Click here for today’s House of Representatives block calendar
9:30 a.m.–Media Conference with “Policyholders of Florida,” former Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw, Senator Mike Fasano and State Representative Rick Kriseman
8:00 a.m.–Senate Committee on Judiciary
- SB 1592 relating to Civil Remedies Against Insurers by Senator John Thrasher
10:15 a.m.–Senate Committee on Budget
- SB 408 Relating to Property and Casualty Insurance by Senator Garrett Richter
11:00 a.m.–Florida Self-Insurers Guaranty Association Audit Committee meeting. To view the meeting notice, click here.
1:00 p.m.–Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Public Rate Hearing: First Community Insurance Company. To view the meeting notice, click here. To view the agenda, click here.
1:15 p.m.–Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance
- SB 1568 relating to Insurer Insolvency by Senator Bill Montford
- SB 1286 Relating to State Reciprocity in Workers’ Compensation Claims by Senator Mike Bennett
- SB 1816 Relating to Surplus Lines Insurance by Senator Mike Fasano
First Community files to raise homeowners insurance rates 23 percent
First Community Insurance Co., a property insurer with about 60,000 policies statewide, has filed to raise rates an average of 23.3 percent, the latest in a string of double-digit rate increase requests.
Montpelier Reinsurance Allowed to Operate in Florida with Reduced Collateral Requirements
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation today announced an agreement that authorizes another Bermuda-based reinsurer, Montpelier Reinsurance Ltd. (Montpelier), to operate in Florida and post reduced collateral requirements.
This legislative session we again are faced with one of Florida’s most pressing issues, the state’s property insurance crisis
Sinkhole bill concerns policyholders
Another rally will take place in Tallahassee today. This time, the topic is homeowner’s Insurance and sinkhole coverage.
Letter to the Editor: Bennett on insurers’ side
I’d like to express my outrage at state Senator Michael Bennett’s vote to allow insurers, who take all their business to offshore reinsurance companies, to raise their rates by 30 percent each year.
Letter to the Editor: An attorney defends PIP lawsuits
I was disappointed to see The Florida Times-Union used as a vehicle for misinformation by Eli Lehrer.
More Crist veto overrides coming this week
Two measures that met former Governor Charlie Crist’s veto pen last year are set to get a sort of reverse veto pen from lawmakers as early as this week.
Slow recovery cuts into Florida’s spending plan
Florida’s economy is recovering from the worldwide economic crisis, but slower than the experts predicted only three months ago.
State Senate, House differ on budget cuts
Early legislative budget proposals confirm one thing lawmakers have been warning about cuts virtually across the board — and portend showdowns between the two chambers over high-profile priorities such as health care and state worker pay.
Blog: ‘Paycheck Protection’ passes House Appropriations Committee
House Bill 1021, Paycheck Protection, today passed the House Appropriations Committee and is now available to be placed on Special Order. HB 1021, if adopted, would prohibit an automatic withdrawal of funds from a public employees’ paycheck for union dues and purposes of political activity.
Florida courts facing $72.3 million deficit blamed on filing-fee shortfall
Florida’s court system has frozen hiring and is bracing for possible staff furloughs due to a $72.3 million deficit blamed on a shortfall in filing fees after mortgage foreclosure cases dramatically declined.
Smith resigns as Florida education commissioner
Eric Smith, Florida education commissioner since October 2007, said Monday he is leaving the post June 10 to give Governor Rick Scott a say in a successor who will pursue his goals.
A Daytona Beach family practice doctor who has headed both the Florida Medical Association and the Florida Board of Medicine is the new state surgeon general and secretary of the Florida Department of Health.
Divided commission endorses bill on police lineups
A divided Florida Innocence Commission voted Monday to endorse a controversial bill that would set minimum standards for police lineups.
Land-Line Phone Service Deregulation Sought in Florida Senate
With only one in five Floridians still tethered to a traditional telephone, a Senate committee gave fast-track approval Monday to legislation that would completely deregulate land lines against the wishes of AARP and consumer advocates.
Defense, prosecution heard in Sansom trial
Defense attorneys told jurors Monday that former House Speaker Ray Sansom not only didn’t steal taxpayer money to build a $6-million airplane hangar for Destin developer Jay Odom, the men couldn’t have illegally hidden the item in a state budget if they had tried.
Cost to insurers forecast to rival hurricane Katrina
Insurance costs of the Japanese earthquake could rival the super catastrophe levels of hurricane Katrina or the September 11 terrorist attacks…
Cat Modeling: Ingrained In the Industry, Embroiled In Controversy
Catastrophe models may be the best tools that insurers and reinsurers currently have to assess possible losses from major natural events, but even though their use is ingrained into the property insurance industry, reliance on model results remains highly controversial.
Texas Lawmakers Roll Out Plans to Reform Wind Pool
Two lawmakers have introduced separate but similar bills aimed at reforming the troubled state-backed wind risk insurer for property along the Texas coast.
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Rates to Rise July 1
The governing board of Louisiana’s insurer of last resort has approved an average 6.5 percent annual rate increase for its 119,000 homeowners’ policies.
Louisiana balks at State Farm rate jump
The Louisiana Department of Insurance has rejected a request by the state’s largest insurer, State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, to raise rates an average of 14.3 percent for its 301,000 homeowners policyholders.
Risk Retention Group Seeks Court Order in Nevada Auto Liability Case
The National Risk Retention Association has filed an amicus (friend of the court) brief protesting the Nevada Department of Insurance’s efforts stop a risk retention group from issuing automobile liability first dollar coverage.
New York ex-lawmaker gets prison in insurance fraud case
A former New York lawmaker will spend at least four years in prison following his conviction in a Hamptons insurance fraud case.
Column: How New York pays twice for litigation lotto
The crisis in New York state goes be yond the well-publicized fiscal hole we face this year. The real crisis lies in the flawed way we fund and operate our systems, perpetuating outlandish deficits and leaving us with lost jobs, business flight and very angry taxpayers.
New Jersey Captive Association Forms Board, Adopts Logo
Armed with a brand new captive law, New Jersey’s captive insurance association today announced the formation of an advisory board.
Supreme Court Has Chance To Shape Future Of Climate Change Litigation
While the Obama administration and several conservative organizations oppose climate litigation, feeling that the elected branches are better positioned to provide a sustainable national energy strategy, the U.S. Supreme Court will have its chance to make a mark on the discussion beginning in April.
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