Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Wednesday, September 5
Sep 5, 2012
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
2:00 p.m.–Florida Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guaranty Association Workgroup meeting. Orlando, Florida. Agenda includes discussion of issues and concerns resulting from recent insolvencies including large deductible policies, collateral and employee leasing policies. To view the meeting notice, click here.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation announced today that Allianz Life Insurance Company has agreed to a multi-state settlement with 44 state insurance regulators regarding suitability issues involving the sale of so-called “two-tier” fixed annuities, some of them equity indexed annuities.
Citizens Board Member John Rollins: Refocus on facts–Citizens Property Insurance still a time bomb
Florida’s recent luck with Mother Nature has distracted the state’s media, which is investigating relatively small issues at Citizens Property Insurance Corp. while ignoring the fiscal time bomb that is our property insurance market.
News Release: Quality Built, LLC announces QB Windstorm Plus
Quality Built, LLC, Florida’s leading Windstorm Quality Assurance Company announces the launch of QB Windstorm Plus, a private retail inspection program available to all Florida homeowners working with participating insurance companies to eliminate costly and disruptive windstorm reinspections for up to five years.
Lynn Haven Fire Department Improves City’s Fire Insurance Rating
Later this year, Lynn Haven property owners just may get a very welcome surprise in their insurance bill.
Homeowners would pay for septic tank inspections if OK’d
If the Alachua County Commission opts into a septic tank inspection plan developed by the state Legislature, eligible homeowners will foot the bill when inspection time arrives every five years.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater: Eight Arrested in Miami for Staged Crashes
Eight South Floridians have been charged with conducting numerous staged accidents connected to auto insurance fraud rings, the state’s chief financial officer announced Tuesday.
Local employers ban texting while driving after Florida Legislature fails to outlaw it
Growing numbers of local employers are telling workers to stop texting while driving, even though the Florida Legislature has failed to outlaw the practice.
Florida P.I.P. Law Firm files over 100 lawsuits each week to collect debts owed to medical providers, by some of the largest auto insurance companies in the country.
5 more sign on to a statewide health exchange
The Harris Corp. continues to build a Florida Health Information Exchange as the Agency for Health Care Administration announced Tuesday that five more organizations will join the network, which enables health care providers to access patient information via the Internet.
In Florida, Medicare Is Not a Senior-Only Issue
For Bruce Cargill, an 87-year-old retiree, Medicare is a “glorious program” that, along with Social Security, keeps millions of older Americans out of poverty.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Phone Threats to Insurer
A 49-year-old Florida man pleaded guilty Friday to making hundreds of threatening calls to employees at the Travelers Insurance Company.
Group aiming to oust 3 justices starts state tour
An organization working to deny three Florida Supreme Court justices new terms on the high bench began barnstorming through nine cities Tuesday, touting a “report card” that flunked all three members on some major issues.
Florida judges speak out on proposed rules
Florida’s judges aren’t happy about some new rules on how the state’s judicial system is governed that were adopted by the Florida Supreme Court.
Florida regulators holding nuclear costs hearing
The Florida Public Service Commission is holding a hearing on whether the state’s two largest electric utilities can charge customers for costs related to incomplete nuclear power plant projects in 2013.
Senator Mike Fasano wants Lisa Edgar ousted from Public Service Commission
Senator Mike Fasano, who opposed Public Service Commissioner Lisa Edgar’s reappointment to the commission four years ago, is asking Governor Rick Scott not to reappoint her this time.
Some legislators balk at new water legislation despite summer of water worries
Some key legislators say they’re not interested in coming up with new legislation to address environmentalists’ concerns after a summer of water controversy and recommendations last week in an Ichetucknee Springs restoration plan.
A federal judge has ruled the state is discriminating against potentially thousands of U.S. citizens who live in Florida, by charging them higher out-of-state tuition as non-resident students simply because their parents may lack legal U.S. residency.
Florida Governor Rick Scott’s communication director out
Brian Burgess, Governor Rick Scott’s communications director, is leaving the governor’s office to join the Republican Party of Florida’s media team.
Phil Lewis, former Florida Senate leader, dies at 82
Phil Lewis, a Democrat who presided over the Florida Senate as president from 1978 to 1980, died today at his home in West Palm Beach. He was 82.
Missouri Insurance Director Named Chair of National Solvency Modernization Initiative
John M. Huff, director of the Missouri Department of Insurance, has been appointed chair of a national task force focusing on insurance regulation.
Global Reinsurance Capital Hits Record Levels; Competition Holding Down Rates
Reinsurers worldwide had $480 billion in capital available at the end of June, up 5 percent from the end of 2011 as the industry posted smaller disaster losses and charged higher prices in some areas, brokerage Aon Benfield said on Tuesday.
Ratings Agencies: Validus Remains Strong After Flagstone Acquisition
Ratings agencies agree that Validus Holdings should not see significant negative repercussions from its proposed acquisition of Flagstone Reinsurance Holdings, as statements today indicate Validus’ ratings will remain unchanged.
Consumer Federation of America’s Hunter Looks Back on Andrew, Katrina, and Broken Industry
As I watched coverage of the flooding caused by Hurricane Isaac in New Orleans this past week, I could not help but recall the Category 5 storm which struck Florida 20 years ago that forever changed not only the lives of citizens impacted by the storm, but also the entire property and casualty insurance industry.
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