Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, August 21
Aug 21, 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 Board of Employee Leasing Companies Board meeting. Teleconference: 888-670-3525; conference code: 7489217568#. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Citizens asks regulators for 6.6 percent rate increase
The state-run property insurer is looking for an average statewide rate increase of 6.6 percent for residential coverage, but former Rep. Mike Fasano was on hand to chastise the company for what he said amounts to “backdoor” rate increases, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
Governor blames feds for Lake Okeechobee flooding threats, draining problems
Gov. Rick Scott Tuesday called for jumpstarting repairs to Lake Okeechobee‘s leaky dike and proposed spending $40 million to reduce pollution from lake discharges out to sea – blaming the federal government for South Florida’s flood control problems, Andy Reid reports for the Sun-Sentinel.
Florida among states where hurricane insurance is grossly overpriced
There is little doubt the folks along the Gulf Coast are paying too much and getting too little in return, especially after we get hit by a hurricane, writes Richard Andrew for the “Ring of Fire” blog.
Although the waters have been seemingly quiet this hurricane season, National Hurricane Center data reminds us the Atlantic Ocean’s fourth named tropical storm usually doesn’t form until the end of August, writes Steve Pociask, president of the American Consumer Institute Center for Citizen Research in this Sun-Sentinel editorial opinion.
Ft. Myers Beach urges repeal of Biggert-Waters flood insurance act
The Fort Myers Beach Town Council unanimously approved a resolution that urges the U.S. Congress to take action on the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012.
Apparent Sinkhole Swallows Small Ocala Lake
An apparent sinkhole has apparently swallowed a small lake in an Ocala neighborhood, the Associated Press reports via Naples Daily News.
Lake Worth man accused of defrauding insurance company out of almost $20K
Investigators say Yoel Bravo-Navaro, 33, of Lake Worth, and Ismaray Leiva, 25, who has not been arrested, are accused of taking part in a December 2008 Palm Springs crash for personal injury protection benefits, according to the Florida Division of Insurance Fraud, reports Adam Sacasa for the Sun-Sentinel.
Blog: U.S. Representative Castor asks Florida GOP leaders to reinstate approval of insurance rates
Republican lawmakers are standing by their decision to suspend for two years the state’s ability to regulate health insurance rates. But that hasn’t stopped U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor from witing a letter to Senate President Don Gaetz and House Speaker Will Weatherford asking them to reverse course, writes Tia Mitchell for the Miami Herald’s Naked Politics blog.
Florida Now Balking At Insurance Navigators As Obamacare Deadline Nears
Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, says he believes the federal rules are inadequate, reports Greg Allen for National Public Radio.
Ouch! See which industries hit hardest by workers’ comp rate increases
Come 2014, workers’ compensation rates are expected to rise in Florida, according to documents filed with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Orlando Business Journal’s Abraham Aboraya reports.
Growth by HCI Group drawing notice
A Jacksonville company has been rated near the top on Inc. magazine’s list of the fastest-growing companies in the country, the Jacksonville Times-Union’s Roger Bull reports.
Andy Gardiner Brings Leadership Experience and Political Skills to Senate Presidency
Andy Gardiner will take over as the president of the Florida Senate in 2014 but his duties shouldn’t be too new or overwhelming since he has served in the leadership off and on during his years in Tallahassee, Jeff Henderson reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Candidates for governor to have TV debate
In the closing days of next year’s race for governor, the major candidates will get a chance to air their views before a statewide television audience during a one-hour debate sponsored by Leadership Florida and the Florida Press Association, Bill Cotterell reports for The Florida Current.
Former TV reporter Cohn to challenge U.S. Representative Ross
Alan Cohn, former investigative reporter for WFTS, Channel 28, is planning a run against U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, William March reports for the Tampa Tribune.
Will BlueWare scandal prompt tighter review of Florida tax incentive projects?
A now-defunct deal to provide state taxpayer money to Michigan-based BlueWare for relocating to Brevard County is the latest to draw scrutiny to Florida’s economic incentives programs after the company’s chief executive was arrested Friday, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.
FEMA Administrator to Testify Before Senate Committee on Flood Insurance Hikes
Craig Fugate, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will testify at a U.S. Senate Banking Committee hearing regarding increases to flood insurance premiums under the National Flood Insurance Program, Steven Meyerowitz reports for Insurance Journal.
National Insurance Crime Bureau: Top 10 Most-Stolen Cars in 2012
The annually anticipated Hot Wheels report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau has been expanded, National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com reports.
USA Today: Thousands of doctors practicing despite errors, misconduct
Dr. Greggory Phillips was a familiar figure when he appeared before the Texas Medical Board in 2011 on charges that he’d wrongly prescribed the painkillers that killed Jennifer Chaney, Peter Eisler and Barbara Hansen report for USA Today.
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