Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, Oct. 11

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FEMA Shifts, Draws Own Disaster Plans

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – The Federal Emergency Management Agency is quietly drawing up plans for a handful of disasters: devastating earthquakes beneath San Francisco and St. Louis and catastrophic storms in South Florida and Hawaii, FEMA’s chief said Thursday.

 

Crist signs no-fault insurance bill

Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill Thursday that revamps and restores a no-fault auto insurance system.

 

Insurer Can’t Stop Fla. Collusion Probe, Says Judge

A Florida judge yesterday rejected a Cincinnati insurer’s efforts to stop a probe by the state Office of Insurance Regulation into “potential collusion” over rates by property insurers.

 

Patients out of the loop as State Farm fights PIP fraud

Rose Cummings has trouble sweeping her floors because it hurts her back to use the broom.

 

New PIP law rises from dead

TALLAHASSEE — Moving quickly to breathe new life into Florida’s expired no-fault auto insurance law, Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill this morning that he compared to the biblical Lazarus.

 

Lawmakers ready to back Crist’s tax plan

Support signifies abandonment of the super homestead exemption

TALLAHASSEE — While saying he is disappointed that more property taxes are not being cut, House Speaker Marco Rubio embraced Gov. Charlie Crist’s latest tax-cutting plan on Wednesday, clearing the way for the Legislature to put the new proposal on the Jan. 29 presidential primary ballot.

 

Property tax special session to begin Friday after budget cuts

Florida lawmakers will get a 10-minute break after a special session on budget cutting ends Friday before beginning another one to deal with property tax relief.

 

Search for title company’s millions leads to employee

Much of $7.9-million looted from Gulf Coast Title remains missing.

CLEARWATER — With last month’s arrests of John and Cheryl Wehlau on charges of looting $7.9-million from the escrow accounts of their title company, investigators were left with a huge question.

 

Court says insurers must respond to state subpoenas

TALLAHASSEE — A Leon County circuit judge has dismissed a Florida property insurer’s petition to shut down the Office of Insurance Regulation’s wide-ranging collusion investigation.

 

Comment sought on financial regulation

The recent market turmoil that started with problems in subprime mortgages has increased interest in finding ways to improve government regulation, a top Treasury official said Thursday.

 

New auto coverage plan to restart on January 1

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill Thursday that restores the no-fault personal injury protection law, known as PIP, effective Jan. 1.

 

Katrina plays little role in La. race

Hurricane Katrina ended Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco’s re-election bid, but the storm that flooded New Orleans and crippled the economy of the state’s leading city has played surprisingly little role in the race to replace her.

 

Ex state Rep. Kosmas to challenge Congressman Feeney

Suzanne Kosmas recently let pollsters use her name to test the strength of Congressman Tom Feeney in his home district.

 

Legislators to continue gaming talks next week

TALLAHASSEE — Representatives of the Seminole Tribe and state officials will meet Tuesday to continue negotiations over expanding gambling at the tribe’s Florida casinos, including in Immokalee.

 

Property/Casualty Insurers to Pay $1.13 Billion in 3Q Cat Claims

U.S. property/casualty insurers are expected to pay homeowners and businesses an estimated $1.125 billion for third-quarter property losses resulting from a total of six catastrophes in 11 states, according to preliminary analysis by ISO’s Property Claim Services (PCS) unit.

 

Actuaries Challenged by Terrorism, Natural Catastrophe Insurance Plans

Congressional consideration of renewing the federal terrorism risk insurance program poses a number of political and actuarial issues, while reserving actuaries continue to face significant challenges when dealing with large catastrophic events such as natural catastrophes, attendees of the Casualty Loss Reserve Seminar heard.

 

After Audit, Insurers Vow to Improve Medicare Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 9 — Health insurance companies cited by federal auditors for violation of Medicare standards said Tuesday that they were addressing the deficiencies and would improve service to patients, who will be able to switch plans in the last six weeks of the year.

 

Judge Rules DNC, Florida Clash Is ‘Intra-Party Dispute’

TAMPA – The first legal challenge to the Democratic National Committee’s refusal to seat Florida’s delegates to the party’s national convention next year was thrown out of federal court Friday.