Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, May 27
May 27, 2010
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Miami judge certifies nation’s first drywall class action
Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Joseph Farina has certified the nation’s first Chinese drywall class action lawsuit.
Trial lawyers urge Crist to veto bill making it easier for insurers to raise rates
Unsuccessful in attempts to scuttle property insurance changes pushed by the industry, the state’s trial lawyer organization is turning its attention to a potentially more sympathetic target: Gov. Charlie Crist.
Florida rules too rigid, property insurers contend
Hurricanes aren’t the real threat to the Florida insurance industry. It’s the regulators that do the damage, the head of an industry-backed nonprofit said Wednesday at the annual Governor’s Hurricane Conference in Fort Lauderdale.
Indirect losses associated with oil spill may be hard for Southwest Florida businesses to claim
Take a number. Get in line. Southwest Florida businesses aren’t likely a top priority for BP when it comes to reimbursement from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
Blog: Forecast–Maybe a Rough Hurricane Season for Florida Insurance
State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, USAA, Hartford and others have cut back their business in Florida dramatically. And not just because of hurricanes. The industry claims to have lost $700 million in Florida last year, even though no storms hit the state.
Mason Dixon Survey: One in three Florida residents has no disaster plan
A new National Hurricane Survival Initiative poll of coastal residents in nine states reveals a frighteningly high level of complacency after the relatively quiet 2009 hurricane season.
- Officials meet in Fort Lauderdale to deal with expected busy hurricane season
- Governor Proclaims Florida Hurricane Preparedness Week May 23-29
- New Polk Emergency Operations Center Opens in Time For Storm Season
Coastal South Florida counties among the top 10 coastal counties in population growth since 1960
Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties were among the 10 coastal counties nationwide with the largest increases in population, according to a U.S. Census report released Wednesday.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Florida Public Employees’ Union Drops Opposition to Workers’ Comp Bill
The state’s public employees’ union Wednesday dropped its opposition to legislation aimed at cutting workers’ compensation costs for businesses by revamping prescription drug standards.
Floridians among worst drivers in U.S.
View Larger Florida drivers are getting better at passing their driving tests, but they are still below the U.S. average.
HMA plans Florida expansion with Shands deal
Health Management Associates Inc. has definitive agreements to acquire a 60 percent interest in three Shands HealthCare hospitals in Florida.
Justices Again Reject Florida Property Tax Break Challenge
For a second time this week, the justices Wednesday refused to hear an appeal of lower court rulings upholding the constitutional provision limiting increases in annual property tax assessments to 3 percent for primary homeowners.
Crist expected to axe spending
Friday is Gov. Charlie Crist’s deadline for approving – or vetoing – thousands of spending proposals that lawmakers passed last month.
Crist is expected to axe millions of dollars worth of individual spending items, having already criticized lawmakers for packing the $70.4 billion budget at the last minute with home-district projects.
- Blog: Crist will veto ‘inexcusable’ highway fund raid
- Crist signs Florida sexual predator, tax holiday laws
Orlando road agency likely to spend $14 million to refinance variable rate swap bonds
The major road-building agency in Metro Orlando likely will decide today to spend $14 million or more to refinance a now-shaky $250 million bond deal it first made in 2005.
A Monster Financial Operation Quietly Grows Florida Roots
Five years ago, after a national search, in 2005 the Depository Trust & Clearing Corp., a Manhattan financial processing juggernaut, chose Tampa for its Southern Business Center.
Editorial: Florida Consumer advocacy agencies need to step up
Florida has several consumer protection agencies, but if the Robert Joyner case is any indication, the state’s consumers are not getting good protection. Those victimized by fraud should not have to seek justice on their own in court.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: William ‘Doc’ Myers dies at 79
Sen. William “Doc” Myers, a former Republican state legislator and Hobe Sound physician who became an influential leader on children’s and human service issues during his 22-year legislative career died Tuesday. He was 79.
Legislation designed to move more policies from Louisiana Citizens approved by Senate panel
A bill designed to encourage private insurance companies to take policies from the state-run insurer of last resort cleared a Senate committee today.
Louisiana House Insurance Committee changes, then approves Chinese drywall bill
A House committee traditionally viewed as friendly toward the insurance industry today approved a bill to prohibit insurers from dropping or not renewing homeowners and businesses who file claims for having Chinese drywall in their property.
Canada prohibits insurance sales on bank websites
Canada said on Thursday it was cracking down on banks that market “unauthorized insurance” on their websites, spelling out new rules designed to keep the realms of banking and insurance separate.
High Court Extends Liability For Discrimination Cases
Expanding potential liability for employers and their employment practices insurers, the U.S. Supreme Court gave the green light to an employment case involving the use of tests that have a disparate impact on a protected employment class.
Offshore reinsurance tax plan alive in Congress
A controversial tax proposal targeting offshore reinsurance transactions has a “reasonably good” chance of being considered by Congress before lawmakers depart for the summer recess, says a key proponent of the effort.
Arkansas Supreme Court: Actual Cash Value Class Action Suit Against Insurer Can Proceed
The Arkansas Supreme Court has affirmed a lower court order certifying class action status in a case involving an insurer’s depreciation practices in property claims against “actual cash value” homeowners policies.
Blog: Long Island insurers resist windstorm insurance triggers
Two serious wind events are going to hit Long Island someday. The first will be a storm. The second will be a storm of outrage over the crazy quilt of windstorm insurance deductibles and their triggers.
JJR Capital Corp. and Kingsway Financial Services Inc. are pleased to announce that JJR VI Acquisition Corp. and Kingsway have entered into a letter of intent dated May 26, 2010 to complete a going-public transaction by Kingsway’s subsidiaries, American Country Insurance Company and American Service Insurance Company by way of a reverse takeover of J6, a capital pool company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange in a transaction valued at over US$80 million.
RIMS: The more insurers, the cheaper the rates
The 21st century is scarcely 10 years old. But Americans are constantly reminded that natural and man-made disasters are as prevalent as ever.
National Hurricane Center director’s biggest concern is Haiti, not oil spill
The chances a hurricane will drive some of that big Gulf of Mexico oil spill onto Florida’s shores isn’t Bill Read’s biggest concern.
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