Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, May 11
May 11, 2011
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
1:00 p.m.–Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (“Citizens”) Finance and Investment Committee meeting; Teleconference: 877-866-3074. Agenda includes discussion of pre-event liquidity financing. To view the meeting notice, click here.
2:00 p.m.–Citizens Board of Governors meeting; Teleconference: 877-865-3522. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Florida Leads State Farm’s Top 10 States for Dog Bite Claims in Cost Per Claim
State Farm Insurance Co. has released its top 10 states for claims involving dog bites, with California on top in number of claims and Florida recording the highest cost per claim.
2011 Florida Legislative Session Summary: Insurance
What passed, what failed, what you need to know about insurance legislation.
Hernando commission okays new permit to help track sinkhole reports
The investigation of sinkhole activity in Hernando County will now require a permit under an ordinance approved Tuesday by the County Commission.
Martin County approves fire-rescue study with goal of lowering insurance premiums
The county is going forward with a $45,000 independent study that the fire-rescue chief says could help lower Insurance premium costs for business and homeowners.
The Florida Keys’ designation as an Area of Critical State Concern exempts the county from a new state law that prohibits cities and counties from restricting short-term rentals.
Experts to anchor Hurricane Expo on Saturday
The topic of terrorism has been dominating headlines in recent weeks, but nothing can quite match the sheer terror nature provides when a hurricane is bearing down on an area.
Florida’s Acentria Acquires Stant Agency
Destin, Florida-based Acentria reported it has acquired The Stant Agency. The office will remain in Crestview, Fla.
No clear winners or losers in Florida on tort reform
There were no clear winners or losers on lawsuit reform in this year’s legislative session.
Blue Cross to enter Florida Medicaid program
In a potentially huge change, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida plans to enter the Medicaid program and compete in what likely will become a statewide managed-care system.
Governor Scott’s review of taxpayer funded hospitals ready to gear up
Fresh off a bruising legislative session Florida hospital lobbyists will kick into gear again in May when a gubernatorial panel begins meeting to discuss the role of taxpayer funded public hospitals.
Republican agenda victories stir Democratic protests across Florida
More than 100 people, including five Democratic state lawmakers, showed up west of Delray Beach Tuesday afternoon to protest the policies of Governor Rick Scott and the Republican-controlled legislature.
Transit agency eyes service cuts as feds hold back money
Miami-Dade County transit officials are preparing an emergency plan to cut services to Metrorail, Metrobus and Metromover as a suspension of federal grant money drags into its sixth month.
First District Court of Appeal nominee list stays at seven
Once again, the governor was shut out in his attempt to get more choices in picking judges.
Barney Bishop of Associated Industries of Florida trashed EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson and called the Earthjustice law firm “a liberal, left-leaning, communist-inspired environmental organization.”
Florida lawmakers say business interests played major role in killing immigration control
Immigration was one of the hot-button issues of the Florida campaign trail last year, contributing in large part to former Attorney General Bill McCollum’s loss to Rick Scott in the GOP primary for governor.
Republican supermajority passes fewest number of bills in last decade
Republicans who control the Florida Legislature entered the 2011 session with supermajorities and during a 60-day period they approved an overhaul of Medicaid, the state pension plan, and growth management.
Blog: Session over, Mike Haridopolos turns to Senate race
The 2011 legislative session over, Mike Haridopolos has quickly refocused on his U.S. Senate campaign.
“Playing games?” Commissioners forced to leave after inaction by Governor Scott and lawmakers
Two of the three members of the Florida Parole Commission will have to leave office by June 20 unless the governor and Cabinet recommend keeping them between now and then.
Billionaire’s role in hiring decisions at Florida State University raises questions
A conservative billionaire who opposes government meddling in business has bought a rare commodity: the right to interfere in faculty hiring at a publicly funded university.
Governor Scott appoints new majority to South Florida water board
Governor Rick Scott appointed five new members to the South Florida Water Management District today, creating a new majority on the nine-member board that oversees water management in 16 South Florida counties, including Collier and Lee.
Blog: Florida still No. 1 in mortgage fraud, lenders say
For the fifth year in a row, Florida owns the dubious distinction of mortgage fraud capital of the nation.
Editorial: New York Times — The Rejected Windfall
After Governor Rick Scott of Florida thoughtlessly rejected $2.4 billion in federal aid for a high-speed rail line, he claimed last month that he was doing a huge favor for the national Treasury, which he expected would give away the money in tax cuts.
New regulations proposed for Texas windstorm fund
A bill reforming the troubled Texas Windstorm Insurance Association has passed the Texas House.
Bill to fund home retrofitting clears Alabama Legislature
The Alabama House voted last week in favor of a bill that would create a fund to help homeowners in coastal areas retrofit their homes against hurricanes.
Property and Casualty Insurers Cautious About Adopting New RMS Hurricane Model
Property/casualty insurers appear to be in no rush to adopt a controversial revised catastrophe model that dramatically raises certain estimates of potential hurricane losses in the country.
Keeling resigns as Guy Carpenter International Chief Executive Officer
Guy Carpenter International’s president and CEO Henry Keeling has resigned almost two years after he took the job, The Insurance Insider can reveal.
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