Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Monday, Nov. 26

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Allstate Sued Over Credit Score Use

Allstate’s use of credit scoring algorithms to set customers’ insurance premiums violates the Illinois consumer fraud law, according to a prospective class-action filed by a combine of seven law firms. 

 

Lott To Quit Senate Next Month

WASHINGTON—Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., an outspoken foe of insurers who is said to have promised after Hurricane Katrina he would “bring down” the industry, announced today he would resign before the year’s end.

 

Ex-chairman: Tribal spending is ‘secret ingredient’ for leaders to maintain control (with video)

In the past seven years, Seminole Tribal Council members have spent more than $280 million from accounts they control. That spending has included paying tribal members’ bills, financing their vacations and buying them cars, motorcycles, furniture, televisions and computers.

 

Insurers, state pad coffers in calm year

Rate reduction appears unlikely
 
The sigh of relief as Florida exits a second straight year without a hurricane sounds more like a whisper in the face of what could lie ahead.

 

Dog tracks vow fight with governor

Compact gives new games to Seminoles

Izzy Havenick — one of the owners of the Naples Fort Myers Greyhound Track — has lost a big hand, but he says he and other pari-mutuels around the state haven’t folded just yet.

 

Heavyweights may square off for Senate seat

Brace yourselves for what could be one of the costliest races in Florida next year.

 

Governor can shift the public access paradigm

Gov. Charlie Crist’s “Open Government Bill of Rights” is a bold, imaginative and historically significant change in how state government works.

 

Lesser-known insurers bet the house on the idea that selectivity and patience will bring success

As traditional property insurance giants like Allstate, Nationwide and State Farm thin their ranks in Florida, small, nimble carriers with unfamiliar names -Coral, Edison, PURE, American Integrity and others – are stepping in to fill at least part of the void.

 

Florida Escapes Another Hurricane Season

TAMPA – Florida wraps up a second straight year without a hurricane Friday amid signs that people have forgotten the pummeling the state took in the two previous years.

 

Insurers look ahead to 2008

After 2 years without a major storm, bets are on a hurricane

TALLAHASSEE – The sigh of relief as Florida racks up a second straight year without a hurricane sounds more like a whisper in the face of what lies ahead.

 

Controversy not new for Fla. primaries

Vote goes from tourist gimmick to political lawsuit

Wrangling over Florida’s presidential nomination process is nothing new.

 

Jail is no place for the mentally ill

Florida’s approach to treating people who are mentally ill is criminal. We don’t mean this in an accusatory way, even though such an accusation would be literally true.

 

Serbia says will sell DDOR insurer to Fondiaria

BELGRADE – Serbia on Monday agreed to sell 100 percent of its unlisted insurer DDOR for 264 million euros after Italy’s Fondiaria, the sole bidder, improved its original offer, the government said in a statement.

 

Governor can shift the public access paradigm

Gov. Charlie Crist’s ‘Open Government Bill of Rights’ is a bold, imaginative and historically significant change in how state government works.

 

Insurer to inform locals

DAYTONA BEACH — State-operated Citizens Property Insurance Corp. plans a forum for Volusia-Flagler customers from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

 

Fla. malpractice insurance rates down

TALLAHASSEE – Four years ago, many Florida doctors threatened to quit their practices because their malpractice insurance premiums were spiraling out of control.

 

Mandating insurance tricky in California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — To bring about universal coverage in California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says people must start thinking about health insurance the way they do auto insurance – as a responsibility everyone must shoulder.

 

Report: Corporate America Making Strides on SOX Compliance

Corporate America is making marked improvements in regulatory compliance despite persistent problems and the financial services industry ranks as a top-performer, according to a study of financial reporting and corporate risk by Compliance Week, a magazine and newsletter on corporate governance and compliance.

 

Pets can get insurance at Palm Beach Community College, partners can’t

The pets of Palm Beach Community College employees will qualify for discounted group medical insurance beginning in January, but domestic partners are still barred from receiving similar benefits.

 

Editorial:  Not ‘good hands people’; bob-and-weave people

To understand why Gov. Crist and insurance regulators want to put Allstate executives under oath, consider what happened this month when regulators questioned Allstate about the company’s request for a 42 percent property insurance rate increase. 

 

County Weighs FEMA Response

NEW PORT RICHEY – Former County Commissioner Peter Altman sought to help dozens of coastal homeowners in 2003 when the Federal Emergency Management Agency said they may have illegally expanded their homes in flood zones.