Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Monday, Aug. 20

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Senator Asks For 2 Sinkhole Fraud Probes

NEW PORT RICHEY – State Sen. Mike Fasano is asking state officials to investigate claims of sinkhole-repair fraud brought to his attention last week by residents of Pasco and Hillsborough counties.

 

Inquiry finds McCarty used state resources for political campaign

TALLAHASSEE — Investigators say Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty used state resources for the political campaign of a friend, but they do not seek sanctions against him.

 

Study: Newer Homes Stand Tougher in Storm Winds

Newer homes suffered less damage than older homes, and their owners filed fewer insurance claims, when Hurricane Charley blasted through Charlotte County three years ago, a study released this week shows.

 

All Floridians Deserve Access To Home-Inspection Program

Of all the remedies lawmakers passed last year to address the high cost of homeowner’s insurance, most popular with citizens was a pilot program called My Safe Florida Home that sends an inspector to your house and gives you up to $5,000 to harden your home against the threat of hurricane winds.

 
State Approves Tool To Assess Hurricane Risk

TALLAHASSEE – A state panel has approved a controversial catastrophe model that will be a tool in setting homeowners insurance rates in Florida – a model the insurance industry suggests may have been manipulated to discount hurricane risk and hold down rates.

 

Without PIP, drivers face a Wild West on the road

From air-conditioned seats to GPS navigation, cars turn up with more and more features each year. Soon, however, one feature that may be absent from many Florida vehicles is insurance. That is if Gov. Charlie Crist does not call the Legislature back to Tallahassee to extend Florida’s mandatory PIP law.

 

Voter’s Coalition backs Crist, lawmakers on insurance rates

The Voter’s Coalition has studied the windstorm insurance rate filings for residential insurance policies in Florida. It appears that the insurance industry is requesting an average increase of 37.3 percent in premiums, which would negate the projected savings intended by the Legislature.

 

Charlie In Charge

Gov. Charlie Crist sees only a bright future ahead for Florida. He’s devoted most of his first seven months leading the state in trying to solve the two issues most on the mind of active voters: the ever-rising cost of property insurance and property taxes.

 

Letter to the Editor:  What about custody issues and PIP?

Will parents of minor children be required to allow the noncustodial parent to drive children when they have no auto insurance at all? Will custodial parents have to go back to court to include the requirement that noncustodial parents carry auto insurance coverage to be able to drive the children?

 

Floridians may see ‘momentous changes’ in car insurance in 6 weeks

Florida drivers are likely to see momentous changes in less than six weeks, barring last-minute action by the Legislature.

 

And now there are 5 Democrats to challenge Keller

Add another Democrat to the list of 2008 candidates looking to challenge U.S. Rep. Ric Keller, R-Orlando.

 

Medicare won’t cover errors in hospitals

Policy change could save lives

WASHINGTON In a significant policy change, Bush administration officials say that Medicare will no longer pay the extra costs of treating preventable errors, injuries and infections that occur in hospitals, a move that could save thousands of lives and millions of dollars.

 

Whose fault is no-fault mess?

Drivers could face more lawsuits and more uninsured motorists when Florida’s no-fault car insurance law ends Oct. 1, a situation that, according to nearly everyone involved in the Capitol, is someone else’s fault.

 

Editorial:  Don’t let PIP RIP

Florida’s no-fault auto insurance apparently is going the way of the dodo bird. Unless state lawmakers agree to extend it, the mandatory coverage, known as Personal Injury Protection or PIP, goes away on Oct. 1.

 

New guidelines for children’s health

Many children who attempt to enroll in a popular children’s health insurance program will have to be uninsured for at least a year before they’ll be allowed to participate, the Bush administration has informed state health officials.

 

Lax oversight has addicts flocking to Florida for painkillers

MIAMI — While more than 30 other states have taken steps to monitor the legal sale of heavy-duty painkillers such as Oxycontin and Vicodin, Florida has stalled – and that has black market dealers and addicts flocking to the state, authorities say.

 

Suspended Pa. judge halts campaign

A suspended judge pleaded not guilty Monday to cheating two insurance companies out of $440,000 and said he plans to retire rather than run for re-election.

 

Democrats less than warm to Bucher’s bid

Democratic state Rep. Susan Bucher’s challenge of Democratic incumbent Arthur Anderson for the nonpartisan elections supervisor’s job creates a dilemma for Dems.

 

Spitzer Veto Of Credit Check Bill Draws Insurers’ Praise

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s recent veto of legislation to limit use of credit scores generated from consumer mortgage and auto loan inquiries is drawing praise from insurance industry trade groups.

 

Northland Adds Identity Theft Coverage to Transportation Policies

Northland Insurance, a subsidiary of Travelers, announced the addition of Identity Theft Expense Reimbursement Coverage to transportation policies where available, at no additional charge.

 

U.S. action on free trade is left hanging

Congress is finding ways to check globalization. But some experts say such protectionist measures are detrimental to U.S. workers.

WASHINGTON — Just a day after Senate Republicans took the lead in scuttling an overhaul of U.S. immigration laws, House Democrats stiff-armed the Bush administration’s largest-ever trade deal and declared they would deny the White House the authority it needs to cut more deals.