Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, June 20

 

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State insurer’s board chairman stepping down

The Board of Governors’ chairman for the state-created homeowners insurance company is stepping down. Bruce Douglas announced Thursday at a board meeting of Citizens Property Insurance in Jacksonville that he will not seek reappointment after serving for six years.

Citizens raises $1.75B in offering

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. said Thursday that it now has $1.75 billion in financing for its high-risk account.

Miami-Dade gets funds for hurricane hardening

Miami-Dade County said it has been awarded nearly $18 million in funds to harden area buildings against hurricanes.

Debbie Mayfield:  Eye of the storm

In 2007, three years after one of the worst hurricane seasons in the state’s history, the Florida Legislature passed a bill that provided insurance companies with a cheaper financial safety net to insure Florida properties.

EDITORIAL:  Guarantee in storms is unlikely

Hurricanes, and the threat of hurricanes, make living in Florida a gamble, forcing residents to choose the risk level they’re comfortable with.

New Web Site Maximizes Insurance Payout

MySmartClaims.com Reopens Settlements

A Florida-based company has launched a revolutionary new on-line service that helps average homeowners recover additional money from insurance companies following damage claims for events such as kitchen fires, broken pipes or strong winds. Damage from hurricanes and other catastrophic events can also qualify.

Insurer targeted in health care protest

About 30 sign-waving demonstrators picketed in front of Blue Cross Blue Shield headquarters in Jacksonville on Thursday to protest against the insurance-based U.S. health care system and to advocate a guaranteed “Medicare for All” system.

Miami insurer expands to Lake County

A Miami-based insurance company will expand into the Central Florida market by Jan. 1.

D.C. Democrats’ List Indicates Candidate Pick For 9th District

Have Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s strategists in Washington picked John Dicks as the candidate they want to face off against freshman GOP Rep. Gus Bilirakis this fall?

Tribune Taps Experts On Drilling For Oil Off Florida

Once unthinkable in Florida, the possibility of drilling for oil off the coast got much more thinkable this week after Gov. Charlie Crist, presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain and President Bush called for an end to a federal moratorium.

Staying Alive crackdown on I-95 gets under way

Authorities have begun prowling Interstate 95 between Miami to Jacksonville to crack down on speeders and other traffic offenders.

Bush Administration Settles Nationwide Class Action in Medicare Prescription Drug Case

Pursuant to a settlement agreement filed in federal court today in the Medicare Part D class action lawsuit Situ v. Leavitt, the Bush administration has agreed to make significant changes to its administration of the prescription drug benefit for low-income beneficiaries. If approved by the judge, the agreement will make it easier for seniors and individuals with disabilities to access the full benefits of the Medicare Part D program and the Low Income Subsidy.

Supreme Court Finds Conflict In Insurer Plan Administration

The Supreme Court ruled today that there is an inherent conflict of interest in cases where an insurance company serves as both the administrator and provider of disability coverage for a retirement plan.

Optional Federal Charter Debate Likely to Continue Into the Next Congressional Session

Some are hopeful that Congress will decide on some reform measures affecting the insurance industry by the end of the year, but unfortunately the optional federal charter (OFC) is unlikely to be one of the resolved issues. According to observers, even the OFC’s strongest allies say the remaining months of the season do not give enough time to iron out the kinks and complexities of the OFC.

Allstate dropping appeal of Calif. auto rate cuts

Insurer Allstate Corp (ALL.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) on Thursday said it has dropped its bid to fight a reduction on auto policy rates imposed earlier this year by California’s insurance regulator.

New ocean monitoring satellite launched

A rocket carrying a U.S-French ocean-monitoring satellite has lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the California coast.

Midwest floods expose outdated levee systems

At least 18 more levees on the already flooded Mississippi River are at high risk of being overwhelmed this weekend, endangering small communities and farmland where decades-old flood protections are far below modern-day guidelines.

Worker injuries being suppressed, report finds

House committee will turn its attention to spate of deaths on Las Vegas Strip

A report released Thursday by the House Labor Committee shows nearly 70 percent of work-related illnesses and injuries may be going unreported, calling into question federal regulators’ claims that workplace problems are declining.