Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, May 7

May 7, 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

 

There are no insurance-related events scheduled today.

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related News


President Obama approves federal disaster aid in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties

President Barack Obama has approved federal financial assistance for residents of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, NorthEscambia.com reports.

 

More Citizens take-outs approved in hurricane season

Regulators have approved Southern Oak Insurance to select up to 10,000 policies from state-run Citizens Property Insurance in July, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.

 

Florida Highlights Arson Week With Demos

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, who also serves as Florida’s State Fire Marshal, recognized May 4 to 10 as Arson Awareness Week 2014, Claims Journal reports.

 

County slaps fines on drivers for Lyft, Uber ride-share firms; Companies say they’ll pay all costs related to penalties 

County taxi cops made good on their threat to issue fines and citations against Lyft and Uber drivers over the weekend.  Some drivers got $100 fines, some $500. 

 

Florida Hospital to Pay $2.5 Million to Settle Whistleblower Suit Alleging Medicare False Billing Cover-Up 

Milberg LLP today announced that the United States Department of Justice and a whistleblower represented by the firm have reached an agreement with Florida-based Baptist Health System Inc. (“BHS”) to resolve civil fraud liability under the Federal False Claims Act (“FCA”) for $2.5 million.  

 

Allstate Seeks 61 New Agency Owners in Florida This Year

Allstate Insurance Company is launching a recruitment campaign to appoint 61 new agency owners in Florida this year, InsuranceNewsNet.com reports.

 

Appeals Court Backs State in Seminole Tax Dispute

A federal appeals court this week rejected arguments that the Seminole Tribe of Florida should be exempt from state taxes when fueling up vehicles on nontribal lands, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Saunders reports via SunshineStateNews.com.

 

Judge rules against teachers

A U.S. District Judge has dismissed a challenge to Florida’s teacher evaluation system, The Florida Current’s James Call reports.

 

Florida Cabinet Advised to Approve Miami-Dade Nuclear Reactor Construction

Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet are being advised by staff members to approve Florida Power & Light’s plan to build two nuclear reactors at the Turkey Point complex in Miami-Dade County, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via the Orlando Sentinel.

 

Louisiana Citizens starts claims program with Home Depot

Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will connect its policyholders with experienced, licensed and insured local contractors in a program with The Home Depot, The Advocate reports.

 

Allstate Insurance Assigned Patent for Insurance Rating Plan

Allstate Insurance, Northbrook, Illinois, has been assigned a patent (8,719,134) developed by five co-inventors for an insurance rating plan, InsuranceNewsNet.com reports.

 

Louisiana Looks At Unclaimed Life Benefits

Louisiana State Treasurer John Kennedy is taking a stand against a bill being heard in the House Insurance Committee that would make it harder for state residents to collect unclaimed life insurance benefits, InsuranceNewsNet.com reports.

 

 

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