Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, July 31

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Gov. Crist, state regulators reject State Farm’s 7 percent rate reduction

Prodded by a tough-talking Gov. Charlie Crist, state regulators said Tuesday they have rejected a proposed 7 percent rate reduction by State Farm Insurance Co., insisting that Florida’s largest private carrier of homeowners’ policies can do better.

 

Crist lashes out at insurers

TALLAHASSEE — Feeling the heat from Floridians who are angry that property insurance rates have not dropped as promised, Gov. Charlie Crist and state officials lashed out at insurance companies Tuesday.

 

Crist suggests property insurers not following rate savings law

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Charlie Crist suggested Tuesday that some property insurers may be deliberately flouting a new state law that requires them to buy cheaper reinsurance and pass the savings on to consumers.

 

Crist may take legal action against property insurers

TALLAHASSEE — Gov. Charlie Crist continued his crusade to lower property insurance rates, today threatening to take insurers to court for not lowering premiums enough as required by state law.

 

PCI Responds to Fla. Gov. Crist’s Comments to Cabinet

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) issued the following statement regarding comments made today by Gov. Charlie Crist during the Florida Cabinet’s discussion on property insurance. The statement can be attributed to William Stander, assistant vice president and regional manager for PCI.

 

Deerfield native brings financial background to state race

As the Florida legislature ponders a third special session in September, Mark LaFontaine says he has the answer to the budget dilemma: electing him to the Florida State House District 92 in 2008.

 

Judge nixes claims in Fannie Mae suit

WASHINGTON — A group of shareholders who opted out of a class-action lawsuit against Fannie Mae saw many of their own claims against the mortgage giant dismissed Tuesday.

 

Lawmakers Being Investigated

Members of Congress recently under scrutiny by federal authorities:

 

Small businesses abandon group healthcare policies

Going against widely accepted traditions, some small businesses are finding it cheaper to help their workers obtain individual health insurance policies.

 

Crist Sticks to Budget Cutting for Sept.

Lawmakers will return to Tallahassee for a special session in September where they may have to cut $1 billion or more from the state budget.

 

Cheaper state sinkhole coverage may be costly

SPRING HILL – Kathy Doyle’s homeowners insurance policy likely will drop by 55 percent in October.  But she’d rather pay more.

 

Giuliani Offers Health Care Plan

ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday offered a consumer-oriented solution to the nation’s health care woes that relies on giving individuals tax credits to purchase private insurance.

 

36th state insurer asks to hike rates

USAA, Florida’s fourth-largest insurer of homeowners, has filed a request for a statewide average rate increase of 53.9 percent, another indication that the plan to bring rate relief to hard-pressed policyholders by lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Crist is not working.

 

Are You Set For A Hurricane?

TAMPA – If any state should be wise in the ways of hurricanes by now it’s Florida.  But it seems Floridians aren’t much different from people in seven other southern states.

 

Ciprianis Plead Guilty to Tax Evasion

NEW YORK — The father and son at the helm of the famous Cipriani restaurants in Europe and the U.S. pleaded guilty Tuesday to evading millions of dollars in state and city taxes.

 

Study Debunks Full-Moon Injury Beliefs

VIENNA, Austria — Ever whacked your thumb with a hammer, or wrenched your back after lifting a heavy box, and blamed the full moon? It’s a popular notion, but there’s no cosmic connection, Austrian government researchers said Tuesday.

 

Sending Back the Doctor’s Bill

HOW to fix the health care system?

Easy, liberals say. If Washington would just force cuts in prescription drug prices and insurance company profits, plenty of money would be left over to cover the uninsured.