Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, October 15
Oct 15, 2013
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 Office of Insurance Regulation hearing: National Mortgage Insurance Corporation (“NMIC”). Tallahassee, Florida. Consideration of NMIC’s application for a Certificate of Authority as a property and casualty insurance company writing mortgage guaranty insurance. To view the hearing notice, click here.
1:30 p.m.–Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Advisory Council meeting. Discussion of October claims-paying capacity estimates. Teleconference: 888-670-3525; conference code: 7135858151. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Citizens report: South Florida lawyers are responsible for rising litigation costs
Citizen’s Property Insurance spent $100 million in the last two years in legal defense fees and attributes the increase in their legal bills to a handful of South Florida law firms – most of which are in Miami Dade County – that have targeted the insurance giant with water claims in a hurricane-free year, Mary Ellen Klas writes for the Miami Herald’s “Naked Politics” blog.
Florida’s First Light Program Managers Acquires Frontline Underwriters of Mississippi
First Light Program Managers of Dania, Florida, said it has acquired substantially all of the assets of wholesale broker Frontline Underwriters Inc. of Madison, Mississippi. Details of the transaction were not disclosed, Insurance Journal reported.
Agriculture Commissioner calls for energy tax cut, outlines other legislative proposals
Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Monday he will push in 2014 for a $250 million reduction on sales taxes that businesses pay for energy, The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports.
Blog: After fundraising committee drama, Florida Democratic Party rehires Jeff Ryan
Almost a month to the day after being fired, the Florida Democratic Party official in charge of raising money for House campaign has been rehired, Florida Times-Union’s Matt Dixon blogs.
Florida’s debate over Common Core will play out in public this week, The Florida Current’s James Call reports.
Hukill files bill to cut cell phone, cable taxes
Sen. Dorothy Hukill, R-Port Orange, filed SB 266, which would cut the communication services tax by 2 percent, costing the state $282 million but possibly providing relief to consumers’ cable and cell telephone bills, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Florida Chamber pushes trade as path to diversify economy
This year, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the state’s leading business lobby, is again touting trade as a way to diversify the economy, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Florida’s use of new drug in execution spurs ethical concerns
The Florida Department of Corrections is planning to use a lethal injection drug today that has never been used before in executions, raising ethical concerns by legal experts throughout the nation, Kristine Crane reports for the Gainesville Sun.
Five Questions for House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford
West Palm Beach Rep. Mark Pafford, who will become House Democratic leader after the 2014 elections, started as an aide to Congressman Lawrence J. Smith and then-state Rep. Lois Frankel, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Margie Menzel reports.
Amazon fulfillment center in Tennessee offers look at what Hillsborough can expect
Hillsborough County officials couldn’t wait to announce that Amazon sealed a deal last week to open a distribution center in Ruskin, bringing 1,000 jobs to the region, Susan Thurston reports for Tampa Bay Times.
IAIS Propose Limits to Role of Observers at Meetings
The International Association of Insurance Supervisors proposes to limit participation of “observers”-including insurance industry associations, lawyers, consultants, non-governmental organizations and consumer advocates, Elizabeth Festa reports for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.
Federal Regulators Look to Require Banks to Accept Private Flood Insurance
Federal bank regulators are proposing a rule aimed at encouraging flood insurance customers to buy private flood insurance, Arthur Postal reports for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.
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