Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Monday, April 5, 2010
Apr 5, 2010
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Tax Watch: Florida One Hurricane Away From Financial Ruin
Florida is one major hurricane from financial ruin, insurance companies need more freedom to raise rates, and lawmakers need to rein in Citizen’s Property Insurance, the state-run behemoth that has become the largest property insurer in the state.
- To view the Florida Tax Watch report, click here.
South Florida leads nation in potential storm-surge losses
When it comes to storm-surge damage, South Florida has more at risk than any other place in the country. A new study puts it at $53.6 billion.
The ZIP Codes 33140 in Miami Beach, 33301 in Fort Lauderdale and 33480 in Palm Beach have some of the region’s priciest homes — with the owners among those having the most to lose if a hurricane drives the Atlantic Ocean inland.
Florida Homeowners’ Insurance Rates Could Spike
The Florida legislature is considering two different rate hikes that could really hammer consumers on homeowner’s insurance.
Former State Representative Don Brown: Consumers all pay for insurance politics
Florida is in the grip of a failing insurance regulatory system that’s unjustly taxing residents, jeopardizing their insurance security and intruding upon consumer choices. This is abundantly clear from the alarming number of property insurers who are teetering on insolvency.
Column: Pay now for homeowner’s insurance, or pay later, but we’re paying
Hey, do you want to pay more for insurance on your house? I’m taking a wild guess that your answer is “no.”
Editorial: Put property insurance on firm ground
Property insurance in Florida, as Rep. Bill Proctor of St. Augustine says, is a house of cards. One major storm would blow it all away and with it the state’s economic future. Legislation sponsored by Proctor would begin to establish a market-based foundation for the state’s property insurance.
Contractors seek state law mandating timely payments
Local governments would have to pay construction contractors within about three weeks of getting an invoice, according to a bill working its way through the state Legislature. State law currently calls for governments to pay for construction and other services “in a timely manner.”
Cape Coral man wonders if dad’s death linked to toxic Chinese drywall
A Cape Coral man is worried his father’s death was linked to the sulfur gas filling his home that was built with Chinese drywall.
Mount Dora Dr. Jack Cassell’s anti-Obama stance sparks firestorm nationwide
Urologist stands firm, appears on national news as blogosphere erupts over sign telling Obama voters to go elsewhere
Doug Bell isn’t a patient of Dr. Jack Cassell’s, but he almost wishes he were. The Sorrento salesman heard about the firestorm over a sign that the Mount Dora urologist posted on his office door — it reads, “If you voted for Obama…seek urologic care elsewhere” — and wanted to see it himself.
Pain clinic doctor thrives amid deaths, lawsuits
…George and Jacque Lauzerique said they hope some good can come from their son’s death. Christensen settled their lawsuit for an undisclosed amount. State records show his Insurance company paid about $250,000. The Lauzeriques said the lawsuit was never about money. By filing a lawsuit, they hoped to stop Christensen from hurting others.
Tampa area pharmacists accused in $1.5 million fraud scheme
A Medicaid auditor stopped by unnaounced at the Rx Shop pharmacy in Clearwater. Owner Jatin Patel feared he might be caught. He had been stealing from Medicaid, Medicare and Tricare, the military Insurance program, by submitting fraudulent reimbursement requests for prescriptions he never filled.
Blog: Crist seeks federal investigation into state GOP
Gov. Charlie Crist officially asked for a federal investigation into possible wrongdoing at the Republican Party of Florida today.
State nears new deal on gaming
The Legislature’s top gambling negotiator said the state has resolved all its differences with the Seminole Tribe Friday and agreed to a pact that will bring the state $1.5 billion over five years in exchange for giving tribal casinos the exclusive operation of table games in South Florida and slot machines in the rest of the state.
Florida Enforcement Sting Nets Unlicensed, Uninsured Moving Companies
Florida officials are targeting unregistered and uninsured moving companies following complaints from consumers and others in the industry. Florida Agriculture and Consumer …
Florida legislators expect a week of lengthy meetings, testy debates
The roller-coaster ride of controversial bills continues this week as legislators have a jampacked schedule of lengthy debates and long days.
Comparing the winners and losers in the Florida House and Senate budgets
The wrangling begins Tuesday. The Florida House and Senate both approved budget plans last week. But that’s just the beginning.
The late Sen. Jim King won a reputation during more than two decades in the Florida Legislature as a consensus builder who helped bridge the gap not only between Republicans and Democrats but also within the Senate GOP caucus itself.
In Tallahassee today, marathon meeting on education proposals
The roller-coaster ride of controversial bills continues this week as legislators have a jam-packed schedule of lengthy debates and long days.
Momentum for renewable-energy legislation lacking
In the last legislative session before his death, state Sen. Jim King tirelessly pushed for an energy compromise to reduce the amount of dirty fuel the state uses to produce electricity.
Gov. Crist faces fight of political life
Gov. Charlie Crist will soon confront a set of wrenching decisions that challenge his priorities as governor and something just as important: his desire to be Florida’s next U.S. senator.
Feds: All Chinese drywall must go
The federal government is recommending that homeowners with corroded Chinese drywall remove all of the material from their homes – along with electrical components, sprinklers and gas lines – to eliminate safety problems.
Louisiana Citizens Insurance OKs 7% on Average Rate Hike
Homeowners who are dependent on Louisiana’s property insurer of last resort will see rates increasing by an average of 7 percent statewide
Guy Carpenter: Reinsurance Rates Mostly Decline At Renewals
With the exception of parts of Latin America, reinsurance rates for most of the world continued to decline at the April 1 reinsurance renewals period, a brokerage said.
Study shows US refineries have bad safety record
U.S. oil refineries have an ongoing problem with accidents that turn deadly, losing four times as much money from such incidents than refineries in the rest of the world, according to an insurance company report obtained Friday by The Associated Press.
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