Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Jul 2, 2014
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Tropical Storm Watch In Effect For Florida Coast
A tropical depression that formed off the coast of Florida is expected to strengthen and soon become the first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, the Associated Press reports via the Huffington Post.
FEMA chief applauds northwest Florida mitigation effort
A local program allows owners of single-family homes to receive money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover 75 percent of the costs – about $9,400 – to strengthen their homes against hurricane force winds, Kimberly Blair reports for the Pensacola News-Journal.
Most Florida home insurance companies will not survive
Takeout insurers keep just going in and taking out Citizens insurance policies, charge higher rates, and then going out of business, a disgruntled listener writes to Palm Beach County talk radio station 1230 WBZT.
Florida Move Over Act now protects utility vehicles
Utility crews are now protected by the Florida Move Over Act as they work on the side of roads and highways, TCPalm.com reader Jason Hoffman notes.
White House to Rick Scott: Medicaid expansion would create 63,000 jobs
A state-by-state report to be released today estimates that an expansion of Medicaid in Florida would generate 63,800 jobs, mainly in health care from 2014-2017. That’s the three years that the federal government would have paid the entire cost of providing health care to 848,000 people, Tampa Bay Times’ Alex Leary reports for “The Buzz” blog.
University of Florida law professor heavily involved in Hobby Lobby case
For the past two years, University of Florida law professor Steven Willis has been heavily involved in the Hobby Lobby case, filing a friend of the court brief before the Supreme Court and either writing or signing a brief for each Florida Circuit, Gainesville Sun’s Jeff Schweers reports.
Bill McCollum Endorses Old Rival Rick Scott
Former Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum announced that he is endorsing Florida Governor Rick Scott for a second term, Kevin Derby reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Hearing today in challenge to Florida’s gay marriage ban
Attorneys for gay couples and the state of Florida are squaring off at a hearing on a lawsuit challenging Florida’s constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, SaintPetersBlog.com reports.
State Representative David Richardson won re-election on Tuesday after the Florida Division of Elections disqualified his Republican opponent, Laura Levey, because her qualifying check was returned for insufficient funds, SaintPetersBlog.com reports.
State Representative Dane Eagle target of ethics complaint from political rival
State Representative Dane Eagle has become the target of an ethics complaint lodged by a political opponent over a proposal from last Session, SaintPetersBlog.com reports.
Reinsurers Starting to Drop their Terrorism Exclusions
As property insurers lock up their July 1 reinsurance renewals, many are finding a bonus surprise above and beyond the soft pricing environment – the terrorism exclusions that have been standard in reinsurance contracts for the past decade are, in many cases, being completely done away with, Ray Lehmann blogs via Insurance Journal.
New Jersey’s Proposed New Rules for Coastal Development Drawing Concerns
Environmentalists say New Jersey’s proposed new rules for coastal development would place more people and property at risk from future storms like Superstorm Sandy, Associated Press’ Wayne Perry reports via Insurance Journal.
Massachusetts Bill Would Add Liability Coverage to FAIR Plan’s Non-Owner Occupied Dwelling Policy
The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents is pushing a bill, S-465, that would require the Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association, also known as the Massachusetts FAIR Plan, to have liability coverage included in its Non-Owner Occupied Dwelling policy for one-to-four residential units, Insurance Journal reports.
Private Insurers Taking to South Carolina; Windpool Population on Decline
More private insurers are selling wind coverage to South Carolina coastal property owners, leading to a decline in the population of the state’s windpool, Insurance Journal’s Michael Adams reports.
Satellite Imagery Shows Dramatic Air Quality Improvements
A map created from NASA satellite data shows stunning improvements in air quality in U.S. cities between 2005 and 2011, FlaglerLive.com reports.
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