Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Jan 7, 2015

 

Above:  The scene on the steps of Florida’s Capitol yesterday as Rick Scott was sworn in for a second term (Photo Credit:  FlaglerLive.com)

 

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. to 12:00 p.m.–Florida House of Representatives Insurance and Banking Subcommittee

  • Overview of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation and Current Issues
  • Overview of Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund and Current Issues

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related News

 

A.M. Best to Participate in State of the Florida Insurance Market Summit

A.M. Best announced it will be a sponsor of the intivation-only State of the Florida Insurance Market Summit, to take place January 14-16 at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Florida.

 

Hub International Acquires Florida’s Smith Watson Parker Insurance

Global insurance broker Hub International Limited said it has acquired the assets of Smith Watson Parker Insurance, a Hollywood, Florida-based independent insurance brokerage, Insurance Journal reports.

 

Florida repackaged drug payments to physicians dropped in 2013

Physician repackaged drug payments in Florida fell by nearly 39% in 2013, according to a recent report by the state Division of Workers’ Compensation.  Stephanie Goldberg reports for Business Insurance.

 

Broward promises to rewrite taxi laws for aggressive Uber

Broward County plans to legalize the car-booking app company whose aggressive, law-flouting business approach is sparking controversies across the globe.  Brittany Wallman reports for the Sun-Sentinel.

 

Costs for emergency and out of network care eyed by Florida Senate panel

An “all star” panel of health care industry experts discussed the issue with members of the Florida Senate’s Health Policy Committee on yesterday afternoon. Christine Jordan Sexton reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.

 

Scott takes oath for second term, urges Northerners to move to Florida

Florida Governor Rick Scott entered the history books yesterday as he was sworn into a second term and vowed to use it to continue cutting the scope of government while brandishing Florida’s business bona fides.  Aaron Deslatte reports for the Sun-Sentinel.

 

Governor says staff will follow public records law

Beginning Tuesday, the day the governor was sworn into office after being re-elected, his office will require former employees who use their private email accounts or private cellphones for public business to turn over the records when they leave, Scott’s office announced in an email.  The Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports via the Bradenton Herald.

 

Slashing Taxes, Fighting Vouchers, Expanding Medicaid (or Not):  What’s Ahead in 2015

The topics that will dominate discussion in the Capitol in the coming year are already starting to shape up.   THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Brandon Larrabee shares 10 stories with FlaglerLive.com that could generate major headlines this year.

 

Political clout missing in Washington as Florida’s population rank rises

With the 114th Congress opening this week, just one member of the Florida congressional delegation holds a coveted committee chairmanship and no one from the Sunshine State is in the president’s inner circle.  Tampa Tribune’s Jerome Stockfish reports.

 

Orlando to host meeting Thursday to help plan Florida courts

Pointing to issues such as changes in Florida’s population and economic structure, judicial-branch officials will hold a series of public meetings during the next two months as they develop a long-range strategic plan for the courts system.  THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via the Orlando Sentinel.

 

Florida’s water and land legacy measure gets first look from lawmakers

Florida lawmakers begin sizing up Amendment 1 – the signature environmental measure of recent years that some advocates fear could be misused in the hands of the Legislature.  The Palm Beach Post’s John Kennedy reports for the “Post on Politics” blog.

 

Florida Senate committee approves CareerSource rebranding

After Florida renamed 24 regional workforce boards and almost 100 one-stop career centers last year – now known as CareerSource – the change is now a step closer to becoming state law.  Phil Ammann reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.

 

Reinsurance Rates Declined in January, Guy Carpenter Says

Prices charged by reinsurers for annual contracts renewed this month declined for a second straight year amid an absence of costly disasters, Guy Carpenter said.  Bloomberg’s Oliver Suess reports.

 

North Carolina Home Insurers Weigh Appeal of Rate Denial

North Carolina property insurers are on hold while the industry-backed rating agency contemplates whether to appeal a decision by regulators denying a proposed 25.3 percent rate increase, Insurance Journal reports.

 

 

 

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