Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Wednsday, August 27, 2014

Aug 27, 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

 

10:00 a.m.–Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Public Rate Hearing:  Florida Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (“Citizens”).  Tallahassee, Florida.  Citizens has proposed rate changes for its multi-peril and wind-only Coastal Account, Commercial Lines Account and Personal Lines Account.  These include, but are not limited to, commercial property, homeowners, mobile home and dwelling/fire lines of business.  To access a chart of the proposed rates, as well as the agenda, click here.

2:00 p.m.–Florida Workers’ Compensation Joint Underwriting Association Rates and Forms Committee meeting.  To view the agenda, click here.

     

     

    Daily Florida Insurance-Related News

     

    Above:  SaintPetersBlog.com’s Editorial Cartoonist Bill Day illustrates the Florida Governor’s race showdown now set between Rick Scott and Charlie Crist 

     

    Former Florida Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw Loses HD 61 Democratic primary

    In Tampa’s House District 61, the bottom line was Tallahassee experience versus community activism, Phil Ammann reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.

     

    Charlie Crist crushes Nan Rich, but race against Rick Scott is far tougher

    Florida Democrats made it official Tuesday:  They want a former Republican governor to beat the current Republican governor.   The Miami Herald’s Marc Caputo reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.

     

    Ex-Lieutenant Governor Carroll rips Scott, others in new book

    In a new book, former Florida Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll describes the misery of being in a “boys’ club” led by Governor Rick Scott, who showed no interest in her ideas to reach out to black and Hispanic voters and whose staff members treated her shabbily, Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.

     

    Sheldon crushes Thurston and will face Florida Attorney General Bondi

    George Sheldon easily beat Perry Thurston Tuesday for the Democratic nomination for Florida Attorney General, Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Van Sickler reports via “The Buzz” blog.

     

    Florida State Senators Keep Their Seats in Primaries

    Seven members of the Florida Senate had primary challenges on Tuesday and all of them bested their opponents, SunshineStateNews.com’s Kevin Derby reports.

     

    Scratch-n-sniff mailer not enough to keep Kristin Jacobs from winning House District 96 primary

    After a heated battle over who possesses the right amount of experience – as well as an appearance from a “scratch-and-sniff” direct mailer – former Broward County Mayor Kristin Jacobs has won her bid for the Democratic primary in Florida House District 96, Phil Ammann reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.

     

    Tuesday’s election brings new faces to the Florida House

    Bobby DuBose, a Fort Lauderdale city commissioner, won the contest to represent House District 94 in central Broward County.  He edged out fellow Democrat Levoyd Williams, a city commissioner in Lauderdale Lakes, the Miami Herald’s Kathleen McGrory reports for the “Naked Politics” blog.

     

    Jay Trumbull Cultivates Business Experience, Support Into A Win In HD 6 Primary

    Bay County business executive Jay Trumbull defeated a crowded pack of Republicans with 43 percent of the vote Tuesday to win the GOP primary for House District 6, Peter Schorsch reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.

     

    Eric Eisgnaugle, Mike Miller win Orange County House primaries

    State Representative Eric Eisnaugle on Tuesday easily won a Republican primary in Orange County’s House District 44, sending him into a November contest against no-party candidate Matthew Falconer, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via SaintPetersBlog.com.

     

    Brad Drake Takes Next Step For Tallahassee Return

    Former State Representative Brad Drake is one-step closer to his Tallahassee return, now that he won Tuesday’s GOP primary for House District 5, Peter Schorsch reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.

     

    Colleen Burton Victorious In Bitter House District 40 GOP Primary

    A hostile battle for the Republican primary House District 40 – marked by waves of negative ads from outside groups supporting each side – has ended, as Colleen Burton has defeated John Shannon by a margin of 51 to 49 percent, Phil Ammann reports for SaintPetersBlog.com.

     

    North Florida Congressmen Easily Win in GOP Primaries

    While several Republican congressmen from North Florida faced primary challenges on Tuesday, all of them easily kept their seats, SunshineStateNews.com’s Kevin Derby reports.

     

    Primary voting in Florida slow but smooth, state says

      Polls across Florida opened smoothly Tuesday, and more than 1.1 million ballots had been cast by the time precincts opened for the statewide primary election, Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.

       

      Are Regulators Friends or Foe?  A Florida Court Ruling Raises Questions

      A recent court decision held that Florida’s unclaimed property law does not make life insurance proceeds due and payable at the time of the insured’s death, as the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation originally interpreted the state’s unclaimed property law to mandate, National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports for LifeHealthPro.com.

       

      NCCI Proposes Average Workers’ Comp Rate Decrease of 2.5 Percent in Florida

      Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation announced it received the 2015 Florida workers’ compensation rate filing by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), which proposes a statewide average rate decrease of 2.5 percent – the first decrease in four years, Insurance Journal reports.

       

      Driver “gassed” over bad gas dispute from January after heavy rains flooded the South Florida area

      Sunoco’s insurance company denied a station owner’s claim over watered-down gas, saying the gas was bad when it was delivered.  Now the Sunoco station is going after the gas company.

       

      Bikers miss corn dogs but get $72,500 settlement from Florida State Fair

      The Florida State Fair Authority will pay $72,500 to three bikers who were turned away from the 2010 fair for not removing their club logos, Tampa Bay Times’ Patty Ryan reports.

       

      Disney files patent application for drone use at theme parks

      SaintPetersBlog.com notes the Orlando Sentinel reports that Walt Disney Company filed three patent applications for UAV [unmanned aerial vehicles], with language outlining plans for “entertainment” and “projections screens” at its theme parks.

       

       

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