Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, October 23
Oct 23, 2009
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
Insured by Citizens? They may drop in
Citizens Property Insurance plans to physically inspect 500 of the personal and commercial properties it insures, aiming to validate the accuracy of more than $700 million in credits it has granted for improvements that protect against wind damage.
Florida’s Citizens Reconsiders, Renews House With Chinese Drywall
Florida’s state-backed property insurer has taken a second look at a home with corrosion from defective Chinese drywall and decided to renew its homeowners’ insurance policy on the house after all.
Column: Florida’s Citizens rate change is more political than practical
Citizens Property Insurance policyholders — and there are more than a million of you out there — have new premiums heading their way after three years of frozen rates.
A state law that allows for products to be declared a public hazard was wrongly used in a South Florida case involving a Ford Explorer, a state appeals court ruled, invalidating a judge’s declaration that the vehicle is hazardous.
Fla. to get $83M to help residents with energy costs
Florida will receive nearly $83 million out of $2.6 billion that is going to states to help low income residents with their heating bills for the last three months of the year.
Jacksonville’s EverBank makes $535M acquisition
EverBank Financial Corp. signed a definitive agreement to acquire a commercial finance and leasing company, gaining about $535 million in capital.
Florida Judge: $97M Nicaraguan Judgment Against Dole Unenforceable
Florida judge has said a $97 million judgment against U.S. food giant Dole and Dow Chemical Co. cannot be enforced because the Nicaraguan court that issued it neither had jurisdiction nor met international legal standards.
AM Best Upgrades MAPFRE Florida
A.M. Best Co. has upgraded the financial strength rating (FSR) to ‘A’ (Excellent) from ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the issuer credit rating (ICR) to “a” from “a-” of MAPFRE Insurance Company of Florida. Best also affirmed the FSR of ‘A-‘ (Excellent) and the ICR of “a-” of MAPFRE Insurance Company of Florham Park, NJ.
USA Today: Hurricane alleys get big break this year
When a hurricane hits South Florida, the employees at Beach Ace Hardware, two blocks from the ocean in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, work until the sheriff’s department warns it is shutting the bridge that connects the beachfront town to the mainland.
City, county promise better fire, emergency response under new agreement
The Tallahassee Fire Department is hiring new firefighters/emergency-medical technicians to improve fire and emergency response in rural Leon County – and residents are paying for the service.
Five-acre prescribed burn underway in Collier County today
The Florida Division of Forestry is conducting a five-acre prescribed burn this morning in Collier County in Picayune Strand State Forest between Everglades and DeSoto boulevards, south of 52nd Avenue.
Florida drivers set seatbelt record
Seatbelt law hopes to save lives
For the first time, Florida drivers have topped the national average on seatbelt usage. Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos announced Thursday that statewide seatbelt use reached a record of 85.2 percent.
Charlotte County Emergency Manager inducted into Hall of Fame
Wayne Sallade, Charlotte County’s emergency management director, is an inaugural member of the Florida Emergency Management Hall of Fame.
LeMieux Says Past Work Won’t Affect Future Votes
During his short stint between working for Gov. Charlie Crist and becoming Florida’s next U.S. senator, George LeMieux made a living by representing those seeking a helping hand from his former boss and state government.
Editorial: Two-tiered Florida property tax system one more roadblock to recovery
Investors and second-home buyers took much of the blame for bringing down the Tampa Bay housing market.
Florida task force considers fingerprinting caregivers
A governor’s task force is exploring a statewide electronic fingerprinting system for caregivers of Florida’s children, elderly and disabled.
Editorial: Oil industry greases votes at Florida Legislature
The oil industry’s money machine is pumping money into the state Legislature in an effort to open drilling within three miles of Florida’s coast.
Klement gets hurry-up call on PSC from Fla. governor
His appointment to the Florida Public Service Commission was originally supposed to begin in January, but David Klement, of Bradenton, learned that he will be getting to work even sooner.
FPL plans to spend $5 million to argue for rate hike — and asks customers to pay most of it
Florida Power & Light plans to spend almost $5 million to argue for its proposed $1.27 billion base rate hike.
Allegiant Air offers Cheap, No-Frills service in Florida
What kind of airline offers fares as low as $9, expands during a crippling recession and ignores high-paying business travelers? The nation’s most profitable airline: small but nimble Allegiant Air.
Louisiana Citizens Rate Increase Will Be Less Than Expected
A projected 10 percent increase in rates for clients of the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will “probably be less than that,” the chief executive officer of the state’s insurer of last resort has said.
Connecticut Recovers $700K for Consumers
The Connecticut Insurance Department’s Consumer Affairs unit says it recovered more than $700,000 for consumers in the third quarter.
Dixon Hughes Insurance Services To Discuss Fraud Issues at IASA Conference
Insurance Services Group Presents Accounting Fraud Topic at IASA Mid-South Chapter Annual Conference
Dixon Hughes, one of the nation’s top 20 CPA firms providing services to life, health, property and casualty, and other risk management entities, has been invited to present to the IASA Mid-South Chapter on October 29, 2009 with the topic entitled “Committing Fraud: When Good People Go Bad.”
P/C Insurers Look to Avoid Federal Consumer Protection Agency
The House Financial Services Committee has adopted an amendment ensuring that all lines of property/casualty insurance would be exempted from the jurisdiction of the new proposed federal Consumer Financial Protection Agency.
Recession Creates Employer Practices Liability Insurance Demand, Says Marsh
Demand has been rising for employment practices liability insurance protection as layoff activity has increased employee claims, an insurance brokerage expert said.
Shaw Makes History with Major Milestone at World’s Largest Surge Barrier in New Orleans
Just 10 months since breaking ground on the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Surge Barrier project, The Shaw Group Inc. has completed a major phase of construction on Lake Borgne near New Orleans, driving the final 66-inch diameter, 144-foot-long vertical pile on the foundation of the world’s largest storm surge barrier on Oct. 21, 2009.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to ccochran@cftlaw.com.