Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, May 26, 2015
May 26, 2015
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
State Representative Frank Artiles: Three Reasons Florida’s Citizens Loan Plan Is Bad Idea
There’s a plan being hatched by the board of Citizens Property Insurance, Florida’s insurer of last resort, that could be bad news for the industry – and in turn, for ratepayers, State Representative Frank Artiles tells Insurance Journal.
Amid threat of storms, doubt over Florida’s property insurers
Welcome to the annual crapshoot that is the Sunshine State’s hurricane season, Tampa Bay Times’ Columnist Robert Trigaux writes.
FSU Researchers First to Use Drones to Prepare for Hurricane Season
Florida State University’s Center for Disaster Risk Policy made history in May by flying unmanned aircraft systems — commonly known as drones — in an emergency response exercise to prepare for the Atlantic hurricane season, SunshineStateNews.com reports.
Lauderdale seeks to tighten control of vacation rentals
Homeowners offering their properties as vacation rentals could soon have to obey additional regulations if they want to continue operating in the city, the Sun-Sentinel’s Larry Barszewski reports.
Marion schools get 36% break on property and casualty insurance
Since Marion County has not been hit with a tropical storm in more than a decade — and since another slow hurricane season is expected — property insurance premiums for its school district and most businesses statewide have dropped by 15 percent for 2015-16, Ocala Star-Banner’s Joe Callahan reports.
AAA reports 1 in 3 Florida boaters lack insurance
According to AAA, many people wrongly assume their homeowners insurance is the only coverage they need for a boat, but most homeowners policies have minimal coverage for small boats with either no engine or a very small one. Kendall Morris reports for WBIR-TV.
Florida Supreme Court Rules Medical Malpractice Caps Aren’t Retroactive
A 2003 law capping medical malpractice lawsuit awards at $500,000 can’t be applied retroactively. The Associated Press reports via Insurance Journal.
Amerigroup Florida expands kids coverage
Amerigroup Florida added six counties, including Manatee and Miami-Dade counties, to its coverage area for the Florida Healthy Kids program, Tampa Bay Business Journal’s Margie Manning reports.
Senate releases Special Session schedule: health care first, budget second
In a memo sent to senators, Senate President Andy Gardiner outlined the timeline that he plans on following during the session showing that the chamber will focus on healthcare access the first day. He will “likely” plan budget conferences with the House the weekend of June 5-7, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Christine Jordan Sexton reports.
Florida Constitutional Amendments Pile Up for 2016
Presidential candidates have something in common with proposed changes to the state Constitution: There’s already a slew of them, James Rosica reports for Scripps’ “Political Fix Florida” blog.
History shows Democrats unlikely to make hay from state GOP budget troubles
The last time the Republican lawmakers were too dysfunctional to pass a budget on time was 2003, when Republican Senate President Jim King and House Speaker Johnnie Byrd could not stand one another, Tampa Bay Times’ Adam Smith writes.
Florida Officials Find 103 Card Skimmers at Gas Stations Statewide
Officials with Florida’s Department of Agriculture say 103 skimmer devices that are used for identity theft have been discovered at more than 7,500 gas stations it inspected. The Associated Press reports via Insurance Journal.
U.S. Senate Committee Passes Dodd-Frank Relief Bill Without Democrats
A bill to ease regulations across the U.S. financial sector passed a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday with no support from Democrats, in a setback to the largest overhaul of 2010 banking reforms since the rules were put in place. Reuters’ Michael Flaherty and Sarah N. Lynch report.
Q&A: Bradley L. Kading, Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers
Bradley Kading recently spoke with Business Insurance Senior Editor Mark A. Hofmann about the state of the Bermuda market.
NAIC Group Looks At Uniform System For Unclaimed Policies
Developing a uniform system for states to deal with the issue within a year has been deemed “essential” by a new committee, the Unclaimed Benefits Model Drafting Subgroup. Arthur Postal reports for InsuranceNewsNet.com.
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