Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Thursday, September 24

Sep 24, 2009

 

 

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Fla. Office of Insurance Regulation and State Farm Postpone Formal Hearing on Proposed Withdrawal Plan to Nov. 17 in Tallahassee

(additional details to come)

 

Miami Insurance Co. No. 1 on Inc. Magazine’s Exclusive List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies-the Inc. 500

Bolstered by this year’s No. 1 company, Northern Capital Insurance, Insurance emerged as the top industry, with an average growth rate of 667 percent. Other strong performers include Energy (523 percent) and Government Services (491 percent).

 

Lee County’s drywall victims await tax deal

Homeowners hope for value reduction

Letters were sent late Wednesday to 1,086 homeowners who claimed they have defective Chinese drywall, informing them whether they will receive a 50 percent reduction in their home’s market value.

 

Tampa’s WellCare, CEO Heath Schiesser come to terms on separation

Heath Schiesser, president and chief executive officer of WellCare Health Plans Inc., is in line for a $2 million payment when he steps down at the end of this year.

 

Old Southern to enter agreement with Florida

Old Southern Bank announced that it expects to enter an agreement with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation to add procedures related to bank lending.

 

South Florida hotels still reeling from ‘AIG effect’

Born a year ago and more than 2,000 miles away, the ”AIG effect” continues to cause pain for South Florida’s tourism industry.

 

Governor Crist, FDLE announce crime in Florida down for first half of year

Governor Charlie Crist and Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Gerald Bailey today announced that crime in Florida is down 7.9 percent for the first half of 2009.

 

Fla. legislation to lift government red tape takes effect Oct. 1

Legislation signed by Gov. Charlie Crist on June 17, which takes effect Oct. 1, aims to ease the administrative burden on businesses.

 

McCarville joins race for Poppell’s 2010 Fla. House seat in Indian River County

Democrat Wes McCarville said after being defeated in his bid for the state House 29 seat that includes portions of Indian River County that the race wouldnt be his last.

 

Endorsements for Fla. AG candidate in 2010

Too early for the 2010 political season to begin? Nonsense.

 

State attorney: Evidence reveals former Fla. House Leader Sansom opened key e-mails

State Attorney Willie Meggs told Leon County Judge Terry Lewis on Wednesday morning that he will soon submit discovery evidence showing that e-mails sent to former House Speaker Ray Sansom regarding the $6 million airport hangar sought by developer Jay Odom were in fact opened.

 

Trial lawyers group admits role in racially charged election flier

In a highly embarrassing mea culpa, Florida’s powerful trial lawyer lobby admitted Wednesday that it was behind an ugly race-baiting flier in a recent North Florida Senate election.

 

Governor suspends Eggelletion, Gallagher in wake of corruption arrests

Broward County Commissioner, School Board member and three others released from custody after court appearance

Moving from the corridors of power to the courthouse, a trifecta of public officials, shackled at ankle and wrist, shuffled before a judge Wednesday to answer federal charges in one of the most wide-ranging corruption scandals in Broward County history.

 

Moody’s Accused Of Issuing Inflated Ratings: Report

A former analyst with Moody’s Corp has accused the credit ratings agency of issuing inflated ratings, and has taken his concerns to U.S. congressional investigators, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.

 

Administration Backs Financial Consumer Agency; Bill Exempts P/C

U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner argued forcefully Wednesday for creating a government watchdog for financial consumers, while giving cautious support to paring back its scope.

 

PCI Member to U.S. House Committee:  Industry Is Healthy, Well-Regulated

J. Douglas Robinson, chairman and CEO of Utica, N.Y.-based Utica National Insurance Group, a PCI member company, testified before the House Small Business Committee Wednesday to reiterate that home, auto and business insurers did not cause the current financial crisis, do not present systemic risk, and are already regulated effectively.

 

Report: FEMA Overpays Private Insurers for Handling Flood Insurance

The federal government is overpaying private insurance companies that manage flood insurance policies by as much as 16.5 percent.

 

Insurance companies charged with steering business

Legislation aimed at free choice in picking car loaners

If you have an auto accident and need to rent a car at the insurance company’s expense, you have a right to get the loaner from wherever you want.

 

NAIC Says It Needs More Data As Credit Score Inquiry Continues 

The nation’s insurance regulators ended their latest look at the use of consumer credit records as an underwriting factor by declaring they need more information.

 

State Regulators Vote for a National Plan to Cover Natural Disasters

The United States is unprepared to deal with the financial toll of increasing natural calamities and must pursue a national plan to deal with damages from looming “mega-disasters,” insurance regulators asserted yesterday.

 

Plan for New Annuity Model Continues at NAIC

A National Association of Insurance Commissioners working group will continue consideration of a new model act on annuity sales suitability following comments from insurers and others that questioned the need for a new measure.

 

State Insurance Regulators:  Trade concession puts U.S. consumers at risk 

“Valuable Legal Protections” Jeopardized, State Regulators Say

Canadian trucks and buses on U.S. roadways could escape responsibility for damages if U.S. rules on how the vehicles are insured are relaxed.

 

Appeals court OKs global warming nuisance suits

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York has ruled that five of the largest U.S. coal-burning electric utilities can be sued under the federal common law of “nuisance” for their alleged contribution to global warming.

 

Program Offers Coverage to Managers for Property of the Stars

A Los Angeles broker has designed an insurance program specifically marketed to those who manage and attend to the glitterati.

 

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