Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, August 25
Aug 25, 2009
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News Service of Florida: Plakon No Longer on Insurance Panel
Rep. Scott Plakon just last week urged House Insurance, Business, & Financial Affairs Chairman Pat Patterson to bring the state’s top insurance regulator, Kevin McCarty, before the panel in October to discuss how much property coverage is available on the private market in Florida.
Florida Hurricane Insurance System in Better Shape Should Luck Run Out
Florida property insurers are warning residents that a major hurricane is likely this season given the state’s history of storms.
Florida’s Suncoast Insurance Joins ISU Network
Suncoast Insurance Associates of Tampa, Florida, recently joined the ISU Insurance Services network, according to Daniel Titus, Suncoast president.
Legal challenges mount for Florida’s red-light cameras
Last year, Pembroke Pines turned on its first red-light camera. Across South Florida, other cities followed.
Drivers look at alternatives to avoid red-light cameras proposed for Fort Pierce
Resident Richard Sinnott shuns red-light cameras so much he said he’s going to avoid the intersections where the cameras are placed.
FSU Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center Catastrophe Storm Research Forum
Is the nation’s insurance system prepared for the ‘Big One’?
Blog: Top 10 cars most likely to be stolen in Florida
Every state has it’s Hot Wheels list: The cars most likely to be stolen.
State to borrow to pay benefits Unemployment compensation account drained
With the number of out-of-work Floridians hitting levels not seen since 1975, the state’s savings account to pay unemployment compensation claims officially ran dry Monday.
Changes made in key Florida House committee posts
House Speaker Larry Cretul reshuffled the leadership deck Monday by demoting some members, promoting others and stripping disgraced ex-Speaker Ray Sansom of all committee assignments.
Sansom removes himself from House committee consideration (UPDATED)
As it stands now, state Rep. and former House Speaker Ray Sansom will have no committee assignments when the Florida Legislature convenes next March.
State Rep. Ray Sansom’s lavish use of his Republican Party-issued credit card has triggered a complaint to the Internal Revenue Service.
Young pulls out of Senate consideration
Pinellas County Rep. CW Bill Young has pulled himself out of consideration to be appointed by Gov. Charlie Crist to fill Florida’s vacant Senate seat.
State Senate special election takes a racial turn
A stealthy group called the Conservative Voters’ Coalition is sending out absentee-ballot requests that claim the Black Panthers, MoveOn.org, and ACORN might get involved in the state Senate District 8 primary on Sept 15.
State senator backs drilling off Gulf Coast
Florida lawmakers should open the Gulf Coast to offshore oil drilling to help fund schools, State Sen. Mike Haridopolos believes.
Regulators remove staffer from FPL cases
Utility regulators removed a top staffer from all Florida Power & Light Co. cases on Monday pending an investigation of his attendance at a social function hosted by a FPL executive.
Legislators Seek Federal Approval for Rail Plan
State Sen. Paula Dockery and 16 other Florida legislators have sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Joseph Szabo, the administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, in support of Florida’s request for federal high-speed rail stimulus funds.
Mississippi Insurance Chief Criticizes State Farm’s 45% Coastal Rate Hike
State Farm is looking to raise coastal homeowners insurance rates in Mississippi an average 45 percent but the state regulator isn’t very receptive to the idea.
Louisiana Citizens to Pay Class Action Attorneys, Rather than Post Appeal Bond
Louisiana Citizens Property Corporation will now pay a group of attorneys in a class action lawsuit $6 million in order to go forward with the appeal of a $95 million award against the state backed insurer of last resort for allegedly taking too long to pay claims after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Former New York Insurance Chief Dinallo to run for Attorney General
Dinallo, former New York superintendent of insurance, said Monday that he is gearing up for a possible election effort to be the state’s next attorney general.
Oil industry not really ready for hurricanes
Sure, the oil drilling and production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico are ready to pack it in and get out of harms way should a hurricane threaten the area.
Madoff Fraud Seen Unlikely To Change Homeowner Policies
Despite some large payouts to wealthy homeowners stung by the Madoff Ponzi scheme, it is unlikely that property underwriters will set about revising coverage language for fraud, an expert said.
Probe: New Orleans flood controls unreliable
Huge flood-control pumps installed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina don’t protect the city adequately and the Army Corps of Engineers could have saved $430 million in replacement costs by buying proven equipment, a federal investigation finds.
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