Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, June 2
Jun 2, 2009
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A summary of Governor Charlie Crist’s bill action on Monday.
Florida Surplus Lines Insurance Regulation Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature
Legislation intended to clarify the regulation of the surplus lines insurance industry in Florida has reached the desk of Gov. Charlie Crist.
Florida Public Interest Research Group: Veto Anti-Consumer Property Insurance Rates Bill
Not one Floridian has been spared from the challenges of these tough economic times. Yet a bill that would allow a select few, big property insurance companies to sneak unrestrained, unregulated and unrelenting rate hikes on unsuspecting consumers will arrive at Governor Crist’s desk over the coming days.
Subsidy for storm coverage is wrong, former Floridian says
The Atlantic hurricane season officially opened this week.
Fla. car insurance rates up slightly
Annual car insurance rates in Florida were up 4 percent in May, month-over-month, to an average of $1,772.27, according to a report from CarInsurance.com.
FAIFA Communications Director: SB 1122 is bad medicine for Florida
Florida continues to struggle to reduce the amount our residents pay for health insurance as medical costs continue to spiral, says Bob Lotane, Communications Director for the Florida Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
Governor Crist Signs Child Advocacy Legislation
Protects rights of children involved in courts, increases children’s access to health care
Governor Charlie Crist today signed legislation to improve the quality of life for Florida’s children.
Escambia seeks funds to fight sand erosion at Pensacola Beach
Pensacola Beach is looking for sand, again.
Crist signs growth overhaul for Florida, acknowledges concerns
Gov. Charlie Crist on Monday approved changes to Florida growth laws that supporters say will strengthen the economy and that opponents predict will increase urban sprawl and traffic gridlock.
McCollum could face GOP primary foes
The state Republican Party, which had hoped to clear the field to give Attorney General Bill McCollum an uncontested nomination for governor, now finds itself with at least two potential challengers, veteran legislator Dan Webster and state Sen. Paula Dockery.
Sen. Al Lawson: ‘Right now, I’m still running for Congress’
If state Sen. Dan Gelber’s selfless withdrawal this weekend from the U.S. Senate race is supposed to inspire Senate Democratic Leader Al Lawson to put his Washington dreams on hold, it isn’t working.
Attorney general’s race could become crowded
State Sen. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, sidestepped a U.S. Senate primary over the weekend but may be headed into a three-Democrat primary battle for the party’s attorney general nomination.
Florida Chamber backs Negron for state Senate on eve of qualifying period
The Florida Chamber of Commerce has endorsed former state Rep. Joe Negron of Stuart to replace state Sen. Ken Pruitt, R-Port St. Lucie, as the qualifying period for the Aug. 4 special election begins Tuesday.
Big-name Dems back former Wexler aide Berman for Hasner’s state House seat
With state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, R-Boca Raton, term-limited in 2010, Democrats are making a serious play for his District 87 seat.
Who’ll run to replace Sansom? Here are some names
On Saturday, a distant 521 days before the 2010 general election, a political fund-raiser was held in Okaloosa County.
A CSX Corp. spokesman Monday said the Jacksonville-based railroad expects to get back some of the $8.9 million owed to it by General Motors Corp. following the automaker’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. CSX ships cars for General Motors.
Disaster fund would take punch out of storm aftermath
Critics say insurance customers, businesses may face surcharges
New Jersey is pounded every few years by hurricanes and tropical storms, though nothing in recent memory to match the mega-storm Hurricane Katrina that leveled much of New Orleans in 2005.
Texas Legislators Pass Windstorm Insurance Bill
On the first day of the official hurricane season for 2009, and on the last day of the Texas legislative session, Texas lawmakers passed a bill that would recapitalize the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA).
Insurance Department in Limbo as Texas Legislature Adjourns
While the Texas Legislature managed to pass a long sought bill, HB 4409, that addresses funding for the state’s insurer of last resort for wind and hail along the Texas coast, lawmakers failed to decide on other legislation impacting the insurance industry in the state.
Mississippi Surplus Lines Insurance Fees Go Into State’s General Fund
Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney has delivered a $2 million check targeted for the state’s general fund.
New Municipal Bond Insurer Set to Launch, Reports Reuters
A newly formed U.S. municipal bond insurer, ready to open its doors as soon as it gets credit ratings, expects to launch with about 50 employees and double that number as it ramps up, executives told Reuters.
U.S. Supreme Court Rules For Company In Key Asbestos Case
Railroad workers who seek damages for mental anguish out of fear they will get cancer from exposure to asbestos must show that “fear is genuine and serious,” the Supreme Court ruled Monday.
Demographic Shifts Impacting Underwriting, Pricing
Demographic changes are impacting the underwriting and pricing of many insurance products and the implications of these changes are creating new challenges and opportunities for property/casualty insurers, according to some industry analysts.
Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor Shows Record of Favoring Insurers
The Supreme Court almost never takes up insurance related cases. Even so, President Obama’s recent nominee brings a long record of decisions favoring insurers, a possible plus for the insurance industry, said Philadelphia based insurance attorney Randy J. Maniloff.
P/C Insurers Apply Lessons from Hurricane Katrina
The property/casualty insurance industry is employing advancements in catastrophe modeling and considering the impact of the creation of a national catastrophe fund as it applies lessons learned from Hurricane Katrina.
Lloyd’s CEO Says Insurance May Play ‘Bigger Role’ in Poor Regions
Lloyd’s CEO Richard Ward, in a speech given to a meeting in Tokyo of the Geneva Association, the organization for the study of insurance economics today, called for insurance to play a bigger role in providing vital financial assistance to catastrophe-hit areas and in helping some of the world’s poorest regions to prosper.
8th Annual Institute for Crisis Management Crisis Report Released
Overall business crises were up only slightly in 2008, compared to the year before, but there were significant increases in negative news coverage in eight of 16 broad crisis categories monitored by the Institute for Crisis Management.
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