Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, May 8
May 8, 2012
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
9:30 a.m.–Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Rule Development Workshop. Proposed amendments to Rule 69O-149.022 would update and edit the contents of the forms and instructions used by life and health insurers to make electronic form filings via the OIR’s I-File system. To view the hearing notice, click here.
10:00 a.m.–Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Board of Governors meeting. Teleconference: (888) 942-8686; participant code: 574373657#. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Florida Revises Workers’ Compensation Certificates, Excess Profits, Premium Audit Laws
Florida’s governor has signed workers’ compensation legislation streamlining the workers’ compensation certificate process, eliminating mandatory premium audits, and discontinuing refunds for insurers with excess profits.
A.M. Best Co. has opened an office in Miami, Florida to serve the market for insurance ratings in the Latin American region. The Miami office will be used for management meetings and other activities focused on the Latin American (re)insurance markets.
National Insurance Crime Bureau: Florida Among Top Five States for Questionable Slip and Fall Claims
One of the most popular examples used by the insurance industry to describe fraud is the manufactured slip-and-fall injury.
Editorial: Put reform of Florida state property insurer on fast track
As a coastal community vulnerable to hurricanes, Manatee County has much at stake in the years-long dilemma over property insurance.
It is accepted financial acumen for an insurance company to cover only that many risks, whose customer obligations it is capable of meeting.
Hernando poised to become first county to opt out of septic tank inspections
Hernando County is poised to become the first county to opt out of requiring septic tank inspections under HB 1263.
Tourists visit Windermere sinkhole
Tourists from as far away as Texas and Michigan took a break from Disney World on Monday to take photographs of a massive sinkhole that is threatening to swallow some Windermere homes.
- Blog: Massive Florida sinkhole forced evacuations
- Insurance agents deem Windermere home a complete loss
Florida’s Sinkhole Statute Continues to Evolve
”The head has been cut off the sinkhole monster,” said Curtis Hutchins, an in-house attorney for Florida’s Citizen’s Property Insurance Corp.
Letter to the Editor: Should government pay for beach renourishment?
Dear Army Corp of Engineers: Please come to my house and pump concrete into my foundation.
It was a ceremonial signing for Governor Rick Scott as he put pen to paper at the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office for a new auto insurance reform law.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater: Mending a broken system
This year the Legislature took on the challenge of reforming Florida’s broken personal injury protection auto insurance system, which has been infiltrated by crooks and enterprising industries driving up costs for all Floridians.
More Floridians sacrifice medical care as costs rise
One in four Floridians skipped getting health care they needed because of cost, according to a report released Tuesday from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Federal, state negotiators close to deal on Everglades water quality
Eight months after Governor Rick Scott flew to D.C. to tout a plan to avoid a federal takeover of the project, officials on both sides of the confidential negotiations tell the Miami Herald they are close to reaching a deal.
Florida justices hear homestead exemption argument
The Florida Supreme Court is considering whether out-of-state residents can get homestead property tax exemptions if they have dependents permanently living in their Florida homes.
Did government grow in Florida?
A business website claims government employment grew in Florida, but the numbers paint an incomplete picture.
Governor Rick Scott, Florida Cabinet to meet in the Keys
Governor Rick Scott will be meeting with the Florida Cabinet in the Keys.
Blog: Jack Latvala raising money with eye on Senate presidency
Billing himself as the first Pinellas resident since John Stansel Taylor in 1925 to have an opportunity to be Florida Senate president, Jack Latvala is hosting a May 16 fundraising reception at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
Governor Rick Scott to help Boca Raton Republicans raise money
Rick Scott will be the featured speaker next week at a Boca Raton Republican Club fund-raiser, underscoring the political crosswinds buffeting the governor these days.
Governor Rick Scott calls for Florida Polytechnic Board of Trustees applicants
Governor Rick Scott is looking to appoint a charter Board of Trustees for Florida Polytechnic.
Florida Governor Scott signs bill to allow sponsorship signs in state parks
Governor Rick Scott signed a bill Monday that will allow the selling of sponsorship agreements to nonprofit and private businesses for signs in state parks.
Palm Coast cracks down on Internet cafes
Internet café operators in Palm Coast will soon have to make sure their businesses have a clear strip of glass along the front as part of a new ordinance passed by the city.
Florida scores poorly on Senior Hunger Report Card
Every weekday, at least 1,700 meals are prepared at the Brevard Community Kitchen in Cocoa, for delivery to Meals on Wheels recipients and people dining at senior meal sites.
1930s hurricane history revised
History, it seems, is subject to revision – at least hurricane history.
Space weather expert has ominous forecast
A stream of highly charged particles from the sun is headed straight toward Earth, threatening to plunge cities around the world into darkness and bring the global economy screeching to a halt.
Look Who’s Pushing Homeowners Off the Foreclosure Cliff
One of the more confounding aspects of the U.S. housing crisis has been the reluctance of lenders to do more to assist troubled borrowers.
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