Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Mon. Oct. 15

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You can drop PIP — for now

Some drivers breathed a sigh of relief that Florida’s no-fault auto insurance law will return in January.

 

Op-Ed:  Damage Control

As Floridians, we know we live in a place where hurricanes can and do hit. We know our homes and our property are at risk. And the reality is that many Floridians are struggling with the high cost of property insurance.

 

Gov. Green vs. Gov. Biotech

Biotech is passe. Biofuels are hip. – Where Jeb Bush staked his legacy on making Florida a hub for the biosciences, Charlie Crist has embraced the environment.

 

Senate Panel Agrees On TRIA Language

WASHINGTON —Agreement has been reached by the leadership of the Senate Banking Committee on bare-bones legislation extending for seven years federal supports to insurers after terrorism catastrophes.

 

Program’s Worth Questioned

TAMPA – A My Safe Florida Home inspector says your house can withstand hurricane-force winds. State officials have touted the My Safe Florida Home program for offering free inspections to determine the strength of a house and making recommendations about ways to better fortify.

 

Op-Ed:  Options to Citizens should be considered

With so many touting Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, those who could purchase homeowners coverage in the private market may not be considering all options.

 

When words fail, it’s lunchtime

Rarely is the rhetoric more fanciful than at the ceremonial signing of a bill. That was proven again when Gov. Charlie Crist and lawmakers gathered for the cameras to sign the resurrection of the state’s ‘no-fault’ auto insurance laws on Thursday.

 

Florida legislative special sessions turn into ordinary events

The fourth session, which like the others is estimated to cost taxpayers $40,000 a day, started Friday and could last until Oct. 29.

 

House candidate says he’d focus on bringing jobs to district

Gerald Lefebvre believes people aren’t talking about the most important issues facing Florida.  Now he hopes to highlight some of these issues by running for the Florida House of Representatives.

 

Medical malpractice insurance crisis may be easing, study shows

Florida doctors may be getting a break with their medical malpractice insurance, an analysis by the state Office of Insurance Regulation shows.

 

Medicare Cuts: Area Physicians’ Practices In Jeopardy

Unless Congress acts before Jan. 1, Medicare payments to doctors will decrease by nearly 10 percent – and the domino effect will further reduce access to health care because many physicians will no longer be able to remain in business, warns the American Medical Association.

 

Lakeland Lawmaker Can Go ‘As Far as He Wants’

Seth McKeel is the namesake of his well-respected grandfather, who died in 1969, six years before the younger McKeel was born.

 

Florida CFO Recognizes Domestic Partners

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink has implemented a policy allowing Florida Department of Financial Services (‘DFS’) employees to use sick leave to care for their domestic partners. DFS currently employs 2,560 Floridians.

 

Democrats Vow To Save Plan To Insure Children

WASHINGTON – House Democratic leaders said Sunday that they were working to gather votes to override a veto on a popular children’s health program, but pledged to find a way to cover millions without insurance should their effort fail.

 

Branson to begin ad push for lender

A company controlled by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, Virgin Money USA, is launching a major advertising push today behind a Waltham financial services firm in which it bought a majority stake earlier this year, executives said.

 

Insurers’ Evacuation

The hurricane anxiety of home insurance companies is starting to spread beyond Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts, creeping northward along the coast to Boston and the North Shore.

 

Insurance Without The Premium?

(CBS) To aerospace engineer Cale Stephens, his health insurance policy is a bargain – mostly because he pays no premiums. “It’s been a good plan for us,” he said.

 

I.R.S. Looks at Mortgage Securities

The inquiry, which an I.R.S. official said yesterday was in its early stages, concerns the use of arcane but powerful investment entities known as real estate mortgage investment conduits.

 

N.Y. Insurance Department Prevails in Liquidation Bureau Audit

New York state’s highest court has ruled that the state auditor does not have the authority to audit an obscure division of a state agency managing $3.3 billion dollars.

 

Farm disease prompts national security concern

When there were fears of a foot-and-mouth outbreak in the Midwest this summer, the White House received secret briefings that highlighted the potential for old farm diseases to be new national security threats.

 

Prisons show the ups and downs of privatization

There were little pre-teen beauty queens and balloons and lots of smiling faces among the local officeholders on hand when they cut the ribbon last month to open Florida’s biggest privately operated state prison, a modern, 1,500-bed institution over in Graceville.

 

Ron and Ron already working on ‘08 Players

The 2008 Players Championship is well over 200 days away, but for those who run the tournament and oversee the nearly 2,000 volunteers, there is plenty to do these days.