Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, February 5
Feb 5, 2009
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
State Farm shifts some of its Florida auto policies
The shift is State Farm’s attempt to comply with a state law that prohibits an insurance company or an affiliate from selling auto insurance in Florida if doesn’t offer homeowners coverage here as well.
Can Florida’s little guys replace State Farm?
What State Farm sees as a burden, other Florida insurers view as an opportunity.
Insurers not taking in Tampa Bay’s State Farm policyholders
Nothing comes easy for the Florida homeowners State Farm plans to dump, particularly those who live in the Tampa Bay area.
Polk County board writes to Crist about State Farm
Polk County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to send a letter of concern to Gov. Charlie Crist about the future of State Farm Insurance in Florida and, consequently, in Polk County.
Two Florida Insurance Scam Artists Lose Mail Fraud Appeal
Two men sentenced to federal prison for cheating investors out of more than $100 million in an insurance scheme have failed to convince an appeals court that they were unfairly convicted of mail fraud.
Florida Among States Considering Tougher Seat Belt Laws
More than a dozen cash-strapped states are considering legislation that would give law enforcement officers the authority to pull over drivers just for not wearing their seat belts, the Associated Press reported today.
WellCare ditching Florida’s Medicaid Reform program
WellCare of Florida will leave Florida’s controversial Medicaid Reform program; critics say it’s evidence of ‘cherry-picking.’
The state’s largest Medicaid insurer has announced it will leave Florida’s controversial Medicaid Reform program because government-set reimbursement rates are too low.
McCollum Presents Nearly $300,000 in Insurance Settlement Funds to Broward Public Entities
Hospital District, Sheriff’s Office to get funds returned from insurance-related settlement
Attorney General Bill McCollum today presented the North Broward Hospital District and the Broward County Sheriff’s Office with checks totaling nearly $300,000 from an insurance-related settlement reached in 2008.
Congress approves major funding for kids’ insurance, but Florida won’t get much help
Congress passed a major funding boost for children’s health insurance today, and President Barack Obama promptly signed it into law, but it won’t help Florida much unless the state finds tens of millions of matching dollars in its depleted coffers.
If Crist runs for U.S. Senate, former House Speaker Rubio likely to run for governor
Former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio, whose plan to run for U.S. Senate has been sidetracked by the possibility that Gov. Charlie Crist might seek to go to Washington, said today that he’d likely run for governor if Crist goes for the Senate seat.
EDITORIAL: Looking To Washington Holds Risks For Crist
Gov. Charlie Crist’s interest in the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Mel Martinez in two years might seem a blessing for the Republican Party.
HUD releases $91M in foreclosure aid to Florida Municipalities
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has backed releasing $91 million for Florida municipalities to deal with the foreclosure crisis.
Tampa Hard Rock expansion planned – if state passes gaming deal
The Seminole Tribe of Florida plans to spend nearly $800 million to expand the Tampa Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. But it’s far from a done deal.
The tribe will move ahead only if the Legislature passes essentially the same gambling compact the tribe struck with Gov. Charlie Crist, which was thrown out by the Florida Supreme Court. Legislators have various ideas about tinkering with the agreement.
Crist backing new central Fla. commuter rail bill
Crist held a news conference Wednesday with Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and area lawmakers to tout the $1.1 billion SunRail project.
Tight economy limits pool of political candidates in Florida
Campaign finance watchdogs rejoice: The cost of campaigning may be on its way down as the economy sputters.
Pity the political candidate who tries to separate hard-working Americans from their money in the middle of a recession.
NCOIL Assemblyman Morelle to House Committee: States Should Regulate Credit Default Swaps
National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) Financial Services & Investment Products Committee Chair Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle (NY) yesterday called for state regulation of credit default swaps (CDS)-testifying at a full U.S. House Committee on Agriculture hearing that CDS are “species of insurance” and “best left to the regulatory purview of the states.”
- To view Mr. Morelle’s testimony, click here.
Dinallo Opposes OFC, Cites Exchange Progress In NU Visit
New York Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo, in a wide-ranging interview with National Underwriter staff today, said he can support a move for a national Office of Insurance Information, but if federal regulation is ever approved, it should be mandatory because an optional federal charter would result in “regulatory arbitrage.”
Report: Cat Bond Market Off ‘07 Pace, But Did Well In ‘08
Although 2008 was well off of the record-setting 2007 pace for catastrophe bond issuance, the cat bond market generally withstood the impact of negative market forces for the year, Guy Carpenter & Company reported.
Arizona Insurers Want To Know When Cameras Catch Speeding
The Arizona Legislature is debating a bill that would prohibit a state or local authority from using photo enforcement systems to detect speeding violations on state highways. If passed, the bill, HB 2106, also would repeal the state photo enforcement system and the photo enforcement fund established in 2008. However, if the bill is defeated and photo enforcement systems remain in place, insurers say they want to know when drivers are ticketed for speeding.
Better flood maps needed from FEMA, scientists say
Lives and property could be saved in Florida and elsewhere if the federal government would update how it draws flood maps, a national science panel has found.
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