Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Sep 3, 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
8:30 a.m.–Florida Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guaranty Association Investment Committee meeting. Tallahassee, Florida. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Renewing a Citizens policy? Computer intervenes starting this week
Tuesday marked the dawn of a new era for more than 900,000 customers of state-run insurer Citizens. Their decision to renew their policy could be taken out of their hands by a computer, thanks to a law passed by state legislators to help shrink Citizens last year. Charles Elmore reports for the Palm Beach Post.
- Citizens Expands Tool For Customers To Find Private Insurance
- Citizens begins forcing customers to private insurers
Infamous speed trap town investigated over tickets
AAA named a tiny town between Jacksonville and Gainesville one of only two “traffic traps” nationwide and even placed an attention-getting billboard outside the limits of the town to warn drivers to slow down before entering. Associated Press’ Jason Dearen reports via the Tampa Tribune.
Disney, unions in dispute over workers’ extra hours
A dispute about how Walt Disney World doles out extra shifts to workers will go to an arbitrator on Friday, Orlando Sentinel’s Sandra Pedecini reports.
After Florida Ruling, U.S. Supreme Court Could Consider Campaign Cash in Judicial Races
The U.S. Supreme Court could wade into a First Amendment debate about whether it is constitutional for Florida and other states to bar judicial candidates from personally soliciting campaign contributions, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’s Jim Saunders reports via SayfieReview.com.
What to watch for at Friday’s Charlotte’s Web hearing
Florida regulators are preparing for the launch of a new industry, SaintPetersBlog.com’s James Call reports.
Previewing the Top 20 Florida House races to watch in 2014: HD 112, HD 114 and HD 115
Miami-Dade offers a trio of competitive House races in 2014, where incumbents in swing districts could face upset, as long as the opponents raise enough cash to launch effective campaigns, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
Previewing the Top 20 Florida House races to watch in 2014: The Tampa Bay factor
Tampa Bay will almost certainly play a significant role in the upcoming Florida House races, where a trio of first-time GOP candidates and several from high-profile political families, are poised to make substantial gains in Pinellas County, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
Previewing the Top 20 Florida House races to watch in 2014: HD 21, HD 25, HD 27
Of the 120 Florida House seats up for grabs in 2014, the term “competitive” is applicable to only a handful. In a majority, there was either there was weak or no competition, or the primary winners face write-in candidates, who have practically zero chances for success in November. SaintPetersBlog.com’s Peter Schorsch reviews the landscape.
Previewing the Top 20 Florida House races to watch in 2014: HD 29, HD 30, HD 47 and HD 49
North Orlando suburbs make up the majority of House District 29, which covers much of Seminole County and the cities of Lake Mary, Longwood and parts of Sanford, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann explains.
Previewing the Top 20 Florida House races to watch in 2014: HD 84 and HD 89
On the East Coast of Florida, a pair of incumbents faces stiff competition from solid candidates, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann writes.
Previewing the Top 20 Florida House races to watch in 2014: House District 36
House District 36 is the hotly contested seat that went from Republican to Democrat last October in a special election to replace popular State Representative Mike Fasano, who resigned to become Pasco Tax Collector, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Phil Ammann reports.
Johnny Gaffney Blocks Reggie Fullwood’s Easy Path Back to Tallahassee
Reggie Fullwood could well pay the price for a notary’s mistake as he ponders his political future, Jeff Henderson reports for SunshineStateNews.com.
Marijuana’s hazy contribution to highway deaths
As states liberalize their marijuana laws, public officials and safety advocates worry there will be more drivers high on pot and a big increase in traffic deaths, Associated Press reports via SaintPetersBlog.com.
RMS Estimates Insured Losses from the South Napa, California Earthquake Will Not Exceed $250 Million
RMS, the world’s leading catastrophe risk management firm, estimates that insured losses from the August 24, 2014 South Napa Earthquake will not exceed $250 million, the company reports via Advisen.com.
Bank Cyber Attacks Fuel TRIA Debate
Bankers and U.S. officials have warned that cyber-terrorists will try to wreck the financial system’s computer networks. What they aren’t saying publicly is that taxpayers will probably have to cover much of the damage. Bloomberg’s Carter Dougherty reports for Insurance Journal.
Worst Market in Memory to Weigh on Reinsurance Rates
The worst reinsurance market in memory looks set to carry into 2015, industry executives said. Bloomberg’s Oliver Suess and Carolyn Bandel report.
Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell Files Suit Against State Farm Auto Insurance
Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell filed a lawsuit last month against State Farm Insurance alleging the nationwide insurer has engaged in a pattern of unfair and fraudulent business practices aimed at controlling the auto repair industry and forcing unsafe repairs on vehicles without the knowledge or consent of Louisiana consumers.
One hail of a fight: Insurer, contractor still at odds over award in ’06 storm claims case
A jaw-dropping judgment issued in 2011 in favor of Joseph Martin Radcliff is the largest defamation award in Indiana and one of the largest ever in the U.S. Now, State Farm is claiming Radcliff obtained that judgment through fraud on the court. The Indianapolis Star reports via Advisen.com.
Uber, Lyft approve California insurance minimums
Amendments made to a California bill that would require minimum insurance standards for ridesharing have eased opposition from companies like Lyft and Uber which, for the past year, have been waging war with state lawmakers on the issue. Joseph Jaafari reports for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.
The touted start-up is proving to be the embodiment of unrestrained hyper-capitalism. Salon’s Andrew Leonard asks . . . what happens when it wins?
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