Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Sep 16, 2014
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
8:30 a.m.–Florida Automobile Joint Underwriting Association Board of Governors meeting. Tampa, Florida. Teleconference: 877-826-6967; conference ID: 2867636526#.
9:30 a.m.–Florida Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services (“IAAS”) Proposed Rule Hearing. Tallahassee, Florida. Proposed changes to Rule 69B-220.051, “Conduct of Public Adjusters,” and Rule 69B-220.201, “Ethical Requirements,” would incorporate legislative changes to Part VI of Chapter 626, F.S. The proposed amendments would clarify the responsiblities and requirements of public adjusters and public adjuster apprentices, define the terms “adjusting services” and “public adjuster apprentice,” specify the terms and conditions of public adjuster contracts, require the license number on advertisements, prescribe practices for fair dealing between public adjusters and claimants, update the code of ethics for all adjusters and delete provisions that reiterate statutory materials. To view the Hearing notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Lehigh Acres home without water due to collapsed well
An insurance blame game has caught a Lehigh Acres homeowner in the middle. Meanwhile, she is living without running water to her home, WINK News reports.
Survey: Florida and Georgia not so neighborly behind the wheel
Drivers from Florida and Georgia are apparently driving each other crazy, Tampa Bay Times’ Jeff Harrington explains.
Crist would consider bypassing lawmakers to expand Medicaid
Charlie Crist says he believes there is “a good argument” that a Florida governor could expand the state’s Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act through an executive order, without approval by the Legislature, and he might seek to do so if he’s elected governor. William March reports for the Tampa Tribune.
EMPLOYERS Launches Work-Related Injury Hotline for Florida Small Business Clients
EMPLOYERS, a small business insurance specialist, has launched Coventry/NT24, a 24-hour hotline staffed by registered nurses who are specially trained to provide medical guidance over the phone for work-related injuries or illnesses, Insurance Journal reports.
Insurer to Pay for Florida Gators-Idaho Vandals Cancelled Game
The University of Florida’s Athletic Department is scheduled to collect $1.8 million under a Lloyd’s of London insurance policy that covers the loss of ticket revenue in the event a home game is cancelled, Insurance Journal’s Michael Adams reports.
Florida Pastor Sentenced For Insurance Fraud
Nathaniel A. McNeil, 46, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced today to 68 months in prison, followed by a three year term of supervised release, for engaging in a life insurance scheme with at least 1,249 victims. McNeil was also ordered to pay $32,835 in restitution to identified victims, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia reports via InsuranceNewsNet.com.
Florida Attorney General’s Office Files Motions to Intervene in Same Sex Marriage Cases
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has filed a motion to intervene in the Broward County marriage equality case. Last week, Judge Dale Cohen vacated his earlier overturn of the state’s ban on same-sex marriage after learning that Bondi’s office had not been properly notified about the Broward case. Prior to that decision, it appeared that marriages would have been able to commence in Broward County when the 30-day stay lapsed without action from Bondi’s office.
Costa Farms filed a petition Monday challenging the proposed regulations for the Charlotte’s Web law. The Miami grower with offices from North Carolina to China argues the Department of Health exceeded its authority in designing an application process that includes a lottery and widens the pool of applicants beyond what was specified by the Legislature, SaintPetersBlog.com’s James Call reports.
South Florida sober homes spark attention of state, federal officials
Cities want regulation over recovery industry
More than 50 people from all levels of government packed a conference room on a recent Friday and took turns addressing their mutual concern: the proliferation of “sober homes” in South Florida neighborhoods, Marissa Gottesman reports for the Sun-Sentinel.
Tourism, retirees may help Florida’s growing income gap, Standard & Poor’s says
A new report says a rising concentration of income among the nation’s richest households is a problem for Florida because it is one of 10 states most dependent on sales taxes, Associated Press’ Gary Fineout reports via FloridaToday.com.
Panhandle key to Rick Scott’s re-election bid
As it was in 2010, it’s all about jobs for Florida Governor Rick Scott, but on the stump, he looks and sounds more confident today than the wide-eyed neophyte who burst onto the scene four years ago without much going for him, other than a very big checkbook. All those zeroes have a way of obscuring one’s humble beginnings, writes Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet.
Republican State Representative Michael Bileca Takes Double-Digit Lead In HD 115, Says New Poll
In South Florida House District 115, incumbent Republican State Represenative Michael Bileca takes a commanding double-digit lead, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
New Poll Gives Daniel Diaz Leyva 9 Point Lead Over Jose Rodriguez In HD 112
House District 112 voters weighed in on Republican candidate Daniel Diaz Leyva, giving the Miami attorney a 9-point lead against his Democratic opponent, incumbent State Representative Jose Javier Rodriguez, according to new polling released Friday. SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
New poll shows Bob Cortes leading incumbent Karen Castor-Dentel 53%-38% in HD 30
Longwood City Commissioner and Republican business executive Bob Cortes enjoys a 15-point advantage over first term first-term Democratic state Rep. Karen Castor-Dentel, according to new polling for the House District 30 race, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
Ross Spano Takes 13-Point Lead Over Donna Lee Fore In House District 59
With the support of slightly more than half of likely House District 59 voters, first-term State Representative Ross Spano holds a double-digit lead against Democrat Donna Lee Fore, according to a new poll released last week. SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
Texas Windstorm Insurer to Offer $500 Million of Unrated Debt in Municipal Deals
Texas Windstorm Insurance Association this week is offering $500 million in unrated municipal debt as the Austin-based group girds for the hurricane season through November, Bloomberg’s Romy Varghese reports via Insurance Journal.
Homeowner Insurance Rate Hikes not Challenged by Texas Commissioner
The Texas insurance commissioner has allowed the three largest home insurers to impose significant rate hikes on many policyholders despite the objections of a state consumer advocate, Insurance Journal reports.
Rate Change Ahead for Louisiana Citizens Insurance Commercial Customers
Premiums for almost all of Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s commercial customers will increase an average of 2.3 percent beginning in February, under a proposed rate filing, Insurance Journal reports.
Bad news for U.S. insurers as Europe takes the lead in insurance mergers and acquisitions activity
The historic domination of the U.S. in terms of overall share of mergers and acquisitions in the insurance industry has slipped as Europe has taken pole position in the volume of transactions completed according to the latest Global M&A report from Clyde & Co. National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com reports.
Surplus Lines Taxation Uniformity Remains A Critical Issue
Uniformity of taxation of the surplus lines market remains the key regulatory and legislative goal of the National Association of Surplus Lines Offices Ltd., according to NAPSLO’s Legislative Committee. National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports for PropertyCasualty360.com.
Day One of the 2014 NAPSLO Annual Convention kicked off this morning at the Hyatt Regency and Mariott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia, National Underwriter’s Caterina Pontoriero reports in this photo blog.
For a financial sector posting a double-digit rise in earnings and boasting large cash piles, reinsurers sure see a lot of storm clouds on the horizon, Jonathan Gould reports for Insurance Journal
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