Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, Oct. 18

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No real progress on tax plan

The Senate passes a proposal, but nobody’s really happy about it.

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Senate passed a property tax cut package Wednesday that disappointed both Republicans and Democrats and rejected provisions the House wants that greatly expand the savings.

 

Florida AG calls for reinsurance backstop 

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum called for a federal backup program for reinsurance Wednesday at the International Association of Insurance Supervisors’ annual conference in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Senate Flood Insurance Bill Keeps Current Limits, Omits Wind Coverage

The U.S. Senate Banking Committee has approved legislation to reform the National Flood Insurance Program. The Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007 will now move to the floor of the full Senate.

 

Senate Panel Releases Compromise Terrorism Insurance Bill

Senate leaders have agreed on a bill to renew the federal terrorism reinsurance program, although without some of the added provisions and for not as long as the House of Representatives wants.

 

It’s now a national issue

Here’s more evidence that the national catastrophic insurance plan offered by two South Florida congressmen is a good idea: It’s making the right opponents.

 

House Fails to Override Child Health Bill Veto

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 — Supporters of a bill to provide health insurance for 10 million children failed this afternoon, as expected, to muster enough support in the House to override President Bush’s veto.

 

New target is Allstate

Issuing subpoenas to Allstate is political grandstanding, but in Florida, there’s an audience for it.

 

Probe Targets Insurer’s Contracts

D.C. Attorney General Is Looking Into CareFirst’s Pricing

The D.C. attorney general’s office has launched an investigation into the business practices of CareFirst Inc., the region’s largest private insurance provider, authorities confirmed yesterday.

 

Who will share our insurance miseries?

As it turns out, Florida and the Gulf Coast states aren’t the only ones with a growing hurricane insurance crisis.

 

U.S. Reps. Melissa Bean (D-Ill.) and Ed Royce (R-Calif.):  The National Insurance Act’s rationale 

America’s economic preeminence in the world hinges upon its global leadership in the financial services industry.

 

Editorial Series: Is Florida over? It’s our decision, Part III of IV, Insurance

Three years ago the average Floridian paid $929 a year to insure his home. Along came hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne, then Wilma in 2005, and the bubble burst.

 

Colonial sees jump in bad loans from Florida

Colonial BancGroup Inc. said net income for the third quarter ended Sept. 30 was $69.4 million, or 45 cents a share, compared to $66.1 million, or 43 cents a share, in the same period a year ago.

 

Florida graded

Florida women are far from healthy. Some of the blame goes to the lack of health insurance, some blame goes to limited health screenings and prevention programs and some is attributable to economic circumstances.

 

New York To End Reinsurance Collateral Rule

New York Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo, breaking away from other states’ regulators, said today he planned to do away with collateral requirements for foreign reinsurers with good financial ratings.  

 

Insurer defends church spying

First, Progressive Insurance spied on its own customers during a private church confessional.

 

Allstate’s 16% profit decline ‘a big miss’

Allstate Corp. said Wednesday that third-quarter profit fell nearly 16 percent because of declining revenue from home insurance, and its operating income fell well short of Wall Street’s expectations.

 

Insurers hope Biketoberfest boosts biker business

While Progressive Insurance, the market leader in motorcycle policies, has decided to sit out Biketoberfest, three competitors are making sure they’re in the thick of things.

 

Florida toddler is at the center of SCHIP battle

Bethany Wilkerson, 2, has curly blond hair and a button nose and bright, blue eyes. On the morning she joined the speaker of the House for a news conference inside the U.S. Capitol, she wore navy pants with white polka dots and a matching blouse, a gift from a friend at a bowling alley, and toyed with a small stuffed rabbit called Pinky.

 

Stalled Health Tests Leave Storm Trailers in Limbo

Three months after the Federal Emergency Management Agency halted the sale of travel trailers to survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita over possible risks from formaldehyde and promised a health study, none of the 56,000 occupied units have been tested.

 

Captive Insurance Industry Fears IRS Rule Change on Reserves

Captive insurance industry insiders say proposed changes to Internal Revenue Service rules could hurt the industry that in Vermont alone supports 1,400 high-paying jobs.

 

Land of Dreams: A Short History

. . . Over the next five decades, as the population grew from 2.7 million to 18.5 million, that dream changed. How and why is covered in a film debuting at 9 tonight on WEDU, Channel 3.