Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, December 10
Dec 10, 2009
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Florida Cat Fund Still Paying for 2004-2005 Seasons
Despite These Challenges, Overall Financial Outlook Improves
The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund is likely to increase its assessments early next year because it is still paying off claims associated with the eight hurricanes that struck Florida back in 2004 and 2005.
Posen Construction under state microscope
The Department of Environmental Protection is investigating other projects involving Posen Construction, as well as other Lee County construction and business sites, to discover whether asbestos was in building materials.
Florida 2009 Property & Casualty Market Review
Dim the lights, turn on the projector, and cue the voiceover: “In a world gone mad, when everything was crumbling around them, one industry stood strong – INSURANCE!”
2009: A Shift in Direction for Florida’s Insurance Market
Economic Realities Driving Changes Into 2010
When it comes to insurance in Florida, the focus for most of the last three years has been largely on the volatile nature of the state’s property insurance market.
Fla. sales tax deduction among federal tax breaks
The U.S. House voted Wednesday to extend $31 billion in popular tax breaks, including an income tax deduction for sales and property taxes, to be financed with a tax increase on investment fund managers and a crackdown on international tax cheats.
For the first time, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is poised to impose stringent new water quality regulations on the state of Florida that will cost our state and its businesses and families billions of dollars a year.
Atwater’s intervention frees rail legislation logjam
Inside his spacious Capitol office, Senate President Jeff Atwater lost his cool as he worked feverishly to save major rail projects and keep a special legislative session from becoming a political disaster.
- Nelson: U.S. Senate to provide $40 million for SunRail start
- One Paragraph Sealed The Fate Of Senate Vote
- SunRail may get development rolling
Fla. redistricting proposals may get new challenge
The Legislature again may ask the Florida Supreme Court to keep off the 2010 ballot two citizen initiatives designed to limit gerrymandering in congressional and legislative redistricting, a pair of House and Senate leaders said Wednesday.
Florida citrus votes to continue self-imposed tax for research
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson today announced the Florida citrus industry has overwhelmingly voted to continue funding a self-imposed tax to conduct important research for another six years. Consensus was reached through a statewide referendum that concluded today.
Fla. senators urge study at Lejeune
Florida’s U.S. senators are urging the military to fund a mortality study at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina to see if polluted water caused health problems for those who lived and worked there.
Governor Crist applauds Sunshine State’s increasing home sales
Holds roundtable discussion with Florida realtors
Governor Charlie Crist today, as part of his continued focus on strengthening Florida’s economy, met with Florida realtors to discuss the state’s housing market.
Florida GOP facing more bitter battles
As primary battles go, this one’s pretty ugly. The intra-party Republican fight in Florida between Gov. Charlie Crist and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio is full of fireworks.
Fla. State Senate campaign asked donors to pre-date checks before start of fundraising ban
Two days after the start of the annual spring legislative session, when House lawmakers are banned from collecting or soliciting campaign contributions, the state Senate campaign for House K-12 Budget Council Chairwoman Anitere Flores sent out this e-mail asking donors to pre-date checks to Feb. 27.
Federal agents quiz Florida legislators about Mendelsohn, more
Flashing badges, federal agents descended on Florida’s Capitol this week to question at least six senators and staff members about indicted political player Alan Mendelsohn and former Sen. Mandy Dawson of Fort Lauderdale.
Reinsurance, Surplus Lines Measure Moves Ahead In U.S. House
Reinsurance and surplus lines purchases would be governed by the tax policies, licensing and other requirements of the buyer’s home state under legislation approved for House floor action.
Texas Windstorm Insurance Assoc. Posts New Maximum Liability Limits
The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association reports that new maximum limits of liability will go into effect Jan. 1, 2010. The new limits are higher than those currently in place for 2009.
Miss. insurance commissioner says he had to agree to coastal insurance rate increase
Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said he was not happy about granting a 19.5 percent homeowners rate increase to State Farm, but he had little choice.
U.S. targets rating agencies’ role in meltdown
The three dominant agencies Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings have been widely criticized for failing to give investors adequate warning of the risks in subprime mortgage securities, whose collapse touched off the financial crisis.
Supreme Court rules on prerequisite for arbitration
A unanimous Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that written proof of an attempt by workers and their employer to resolve a dispute is not a requirement prior to arbitration under a law governing the railway and airline industries.
NAIC Says Insurers Can Limit Answers On Climate Survey
The regulator leading the National Association of Insurance Commissioners effort to get insurers’ climate change information said companies will be given lots of leeway in responding.
Focus On Subrogation Missing From Many Firms, Survey Finds
Subrogation of claims, which can yield a high return on investment, is still not a core function for a majority of insurers in a survey.
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