Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, July 16
Jul 16, 2010
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When major insurance companies fight about federal tax policies, most people figure they don’t have a dog in that fight. But when these same companies, whether domestic or foreign, fight for Floridians’ business, it’s good for consumers struggling to insure their homes and businesses.
Blog: Miami Ranked First Among Cities Long Overdue for a Major Hurricane
The grim weathermen of Weather.com have put together a list of the vulnerable cities that are long overdue to fall victim to a major hurricane, and guess who took top honors? Yes, that’s right, Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
Boulders, sand can’t plug Tampa sinkhole
The limestone boulders and eight dump truck loads of sand that was dumped into a yawning 25-foot-wide sinkhole didn’t do much to plug the dirt-draining geological phenomenon.
36 arrested in Medicare scams totaling $251M
Authorities indicted 33 suspects in the Miami area, accused of charging Medicare for about $140 million in various scams
Federal authorities said Friday they are conducting the largest Medicare fraud bust ever in five different states and arrested dozens of suspects accused in scams totaling $251 million.
Attorney General Bill McCollum today released the following statement after a Medicaid fraud enforcement pilot program that the Attorney General requested more than a year ago was approved for Florida by the federal government:
Blog: Cretul tells members to expect short first session; Crist responds to second session talk
Odds are starting to look long for Gov. Charlie Crist’s proposal to ban near-shore oil drilling in Florida’s waters next week.
Republican Rick Scott appeals ruling to give state funds to rival McCollum
Republican candidate for governor Rick Scott wasted no time Wednesday and immediately filed an appeal of federal Judge Robert Hinkle’s decision to deny his request for an injunction to block the release of state funds to his rival under Florida’s public finance law.
Centers for Disease Control issues dengue fever warning for South Florida
Advisories were in effect in Broward and Palm Beach counties Thursday after health department officials announced that a Miami Beach man had come down with a suspected case of locally-acquired dengue fever.
Lawmaker’s effort to discipline Florida Department of Management Services is circumvented
Senate Budget Chief J.D. Alexander was fed up last April with the state agency tasked with managing state government’s properties and payrolls.
Florida loses jobs, but unemployment rate still drops to 11.4%
Florida’s unemployment rate improved for the third straight month, dropping to 11.4 percent in June, even though the state shed 1,900 more jobs month-to-month.
Florida AG candidate Bondi backs Arizona-style immigration law
Republican Pam Bondi said she entered the attorney general’s race because she questioned her opponents’ legal expertise.
Rick Scott wants live audience debate in Jacksonville
He has not yet agreed to a debate in Orlando to be televised statewide
Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott wants a live audience debate with GOP rival Bill McCollum in Jacksonville, and may decline to participate in the only debate currently scheduled between the two that would be televised statewide.
How Financial Reform Package Affects Insurance, Surplus Lines
The Senate has passed the Dodd-Frank financial services reform package that will have some impact on the insurance industry and add involvement by the federal government in the state-based insurance regulatory system.
House Passes 5-Year NFIP Extension; Industry Objects To Amendment
The House today passed legislation that would provide certainty to the National Flood Insurance Program, but an amendment drew condemnation from insurer groups, leading one to withdraw support for the bill.
Georgia Insurance Regulator Oxendine Leads in Republican Race for Governor
Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine is the apparent leader in the race for the Republican nomination for governor in a just-released poll.
Washington Commissioner Criticizes Insurers’ Credit Score Use
Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is taking aim at insurers’ use of credit scores, warning consumers that large drops in credit scores could lead them to pay 8 percent to 15 percent more for insurance.
Gale Force Winds Needed to Re-Inflate Insurance Share Prices
Nobody wishes for a natural disaster, but there’s nothing like a big U.S. hurricane to revitalize shares in property and casualty insurers, currently weighed down by persistently weak insurance prices.
Pennsylvania balks at car insurer’s habits-based plan
If you’ve ever seen “Flo,” the cheerfully offbeat cashier in Progressive Insurance’s ad campaign, you probably know her shtick: that when it comes to auto insurance, Progressive strives to be a little bit different, too.
NAIC Panel Eyes Liquidity Risk
Insurance regulators are trying to figure out ways to take more types of risk into account when looking at insurance company investment portfolios.
U.K. insurer group chief resigns
Kerrie Kelly is resigning after five months as director general of the Assn. of British Insurers and will return to Australia for personal reasons, the ABI said.
Survey Finds Risk Managers Seek Predictability In Placements
Insurance program and policy coverage consistency is the key reason risk managers implement and maintain global insurance programs, according to a recent survey from Jardine Lloyd Thompson.
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