Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, May 6
May 6, 2010
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Nationwide Insurance To Hire 1,400 in Florida and Ohio
Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. announced Wednesday it will fill 1,400 job openings, including about 600 in its home state of Ohio.
Allstate Insurance Company appointed an impressive number of new exclusive agents in Florida last year. Now, the company is ramping up its recruiting again – looking for 102 more Florida agency owners this year.
Manatee insurance broker charged with stealing more than $400K in premiums
A local insurance broker already with two homes in foreclosure and facing lawsuits by a credit card company has now been arrested on a charge he bilked an insurance company out of more than $400,000.
St. Petersburg-based United Insurance pays off debt
United Insurance Holdings Corp. used $18.5 million in cash to pay off debt incurred in 2008.
Sinkhole swallows Plant City woman as she pulls weeds in her yard
Imagine being outside, doing a little gardening one minute, then inside a 10-foot deep hole the next. A Plant City woman claims it happened to her.
Hillsborough County to help with Chinese drywall problems
County commissioners Wednesday approved shifting $500,000 from money earmarked for blighted areas to replace drywall and other components in homes with the defective wallboard.
Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers: Reinsurance tax threatens Florida
Anticipating the hurricane season, Congressman Ron Klein has introduced the Homeowners Defense Act. It would create a federal bond guarantee for the huge debts that Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund would incur after severe storms.
Feds: Orlando officer took $200K in FEMA funds
A now retired Orlando police officer has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that she took $200,000 in FEMA funds intended to go to the city.
Insurance premium tax port funding bill falls short of winning Legislature’s approval
State Rep. Lake Ray’s push to win a new source of funding for expansion of Florida’s ports fell short in the final days of the legislative session.
News Release: Jupiter-based Weiss Buys Back Bank and Insurance Ratings From TheStreet.com
Weiss Ratings Resumes Role as Nation’s Leading Independent Rating Agency of Financial Institutions
Weiss Group, LLC, a leading provider of independent research and ratings since 1971, has announced today that it has bought back the bank and insurance company ratings which it had sold to TheStreet in 2006, restoring the business to its wholly owned subsidiary, Weiss Ratings.
Florida cities, counties, state poised to tap red-light-camera cash
Millions of dollars already have been made by red-light cameras, and even more money appears to be on the way for governments and private companies that operate the systems at intersections throughout Florida.
Florida-based WellCare May Pursue Cash From Former CEO
WellCare Health Plans Inc., the Florida-based health insurer, may try to recover money from former Chief Executive Officer Todd S. Farha after finding claims of financial misstatements “have merit.”
Insurers can’t comply, Florida official says
A “huge” number of insurance products being sold in Florida fail to meet spending requirements under the new federal health law, Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said at a public hearing in Orlando on Tuesday.
Editorial: Good, bad, and ugly of health care reform on Florida
While Congress turns its attention toward banking regulation, climate change and immigration, Florida and the rest of the nation are digesting the landmark health care reforms. Sifting through some of the good, the bad and the ugly:
Joining together from coast to coast, CFO Alex Sink, State Senator Dan Gelber (D-Miami Beach), and State Representatives Keith Fitzgerald (D-Sarasota) and Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg) called on Governor Charlie Crist to reconvene the legislature for a special session to consider a constitutional amendment that would ban drilling off of Florida’s beaches.
- Attorneys General send letter to President, US Attorney General regarding oil spill
- Florida Senator Haridopolos says opening state to drilling should be dead issue in wake of oil catastrophe in gulf
- Oil drilling becomes issue in U.S. Senate race
- Florida legislation seeks to hold oil companies accountable for spills
- Insurance Information Institute: Insurance claims in Florida must be documented prior to oil spill
- Florida tourism officials try to quell oil concerns
- Coast Guard opens oil spill command post in St. Petersburg
- South Florida companies get ready to combat spill
- What should Floridians expect when oil slick hits shore?
- Apalachicola workers are learning to deploy booms
- Owner of sunken Gulf rig gets $401M insurance money; DOJ requests information
- Who pays for the oil spill?
- The Tangled Question of Liability
Kevin Burns drops out of Florida U.S. Senate race
Squeezed out of a U.S. Senate race dominated by political heavyweights, former North Miami Mayor Kevin Burns said Wednesday that he would run for the state Senate instead.
Crist and Seminoles celebrate as he symbolically signs gambling pact
If the Seminole Tribe of Florida included millions of members, as opposed to its actual 3,200 or so members, Gov. Charlie Crist might well be a shoo-in for U.S. Senate.
Abortion veto choice is defining, or redefining, moment for Charlie Crist
Facing an intense public outcry, Charlie Crist confronts possibly the toughest decision of his term as governor: whether to sign or veto a bill antiabortion advocates call the “most significant pro-life measure that’s ever happened in Florida’s history.”
Lawmaker urges Crist to help state workers
A House member whose district includes thousands of state employees urged Gov. Charlie Crist on Wednesday to veto “de facto pay cuts” in the state budget.
New Poll Gives Charlie Crist 6-point Lead Over Rubio
Gov. Charlie Crist holds a six-point lead in Florida’s race for the U.S. Senate a poll found Thursday. Crist, who left the Republican Party last week to run as an independent, is supported by 38 percent of likely voters.
- GOP members to Florida Gov. Crist: Return our money
- GOP Chairman Thrasher turning up heat on Crist
- EBay pulls Crist portrait sale, then it resumes
Editorial: Crack down on corruption next year
The timing is all wrong for Gov. Crist to call a special session this year on corruption.
With the plague of official corruption that has infected Florida in recent years, it’s disconcerting that a majority of state legislators couldn’t agree on a series of antidotes before their regular session ended last week.
New Mexico Insurance Chief Resigns After Blue Cross Flap
State Insurance Superintendent Morris Chavez resigned Tuesday, saying it was time to step down but conceding he was stung by personal attacks that erupted over a rate increase granted to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico last week.
A Move To Limit Any Treasury Insurance Trade Pact Power
An Oregon senator is proposing an amendment to financial services legislation significantly limiting the Treasury Department’s authority to negotiate international insurance trade agreements.
Amlin unit to redomicile from Bermuda to Switzerland
Amlin P.L.C. plans to move its Amlin Bermuda Ltd. unit to Switzerland to establish a base for European reinsurance operations, Amlin said Wednesday.
RIMS, others oppose Office of National Insurance change
The Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc. and seven insurance and financial services groups have written the head of a Senate subcommittee to oppose a measure that would weaken the proposed Office of National Insurance.
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development urges greater oversight of insurers
The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, citing insurers’ role in the ailing economy, says greater monitoring of insurers and other reforms are needed to avoid another global financial crisis.
Auto Owners Taking Higher Comprehensive Deductibles
Auto policyholders’ comprehensive coverage deductible amounts are rising at a 160 percent faster rate than collision deductibles, according to a Mitchell International Inc. study.
Louisiana to Borrow $320M for New Construction Spending
Louisiana will borrow $320 million next year for state construction projects, far less than needed to fulfill the billions of dollars in requests from lawmakers and state agencies, the governor’s top budget adviser said.
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