Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, September 2
Sep 2, 2008
To view a complete story, click on a headline below:
Governor Crist Declares Florida State of Emergency Due to Hurricane Hanna Threat
Florida Governor Charlie Crist issued an Executive Order today, September 2, 2008, that declares a State of Emergency for the entire State of Florida due to the threat posed by Hurricane Hanna.
Insurance owned by strangers? Critics cry foul
It’s known by various names, including ‘stranger-owned life insurance.’ But are strangers enticing seniors to buy life insurance and cashing in when they die?
New Citizens discounts kicking in for condos
Local condominiums will see significant savings on their insurance premiums starting Monday.
Wall Street Journal: Debate Gaining Strength Over Government’s Insurance Role
Obama Seeks More, McCain Opposes It; Untested Safety NetÂ
Gustav and storms that follow it this election year could energize a debate over whether the federal government should insure against extreme weather, and in effect subsidize coastal growth.
Leon, Wakulla qualify for FEMA after Fay
Several counties also receive help with road, sewer repairs
Community relations officials with the federal government walked Timber Lake’s streets Monday to let residents know disaster-relief money is available, bringing much-needed good news to a neighborhood whose streets were covered with discarded toys, furniture and other belongings ruined by Tropical Storm Fay flooding.
Flood insurance: Agents’ hot topic
More homeowners have flood insurance on their minds after Tropical Storm Fay.
Calls to insurance agents in Florida and elsewhere about flood insurance increased by 20 percent this week following Fay. That includes callers inquiring about buying flood insurance and policyholders checking on details of their coverage, said Lynne McChristian, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, which represents the industry.
EDITORIAL: With Allstate deal, the market has struck back
The myths perpetuated for years in Florida by the large private property insurers are collapsing. Myth: There’s no connection between hurricane coverage and other lines of coverage.
Florida Hurricane Victims Rebuild Fortress-like Homes
Floodwaters 5 feet deep filled sculptor and retired Navy Cmdr. Robert Noguere’s bayfront home in Pensacola, Florida when Hurricane Ivan made landfall in 2004.
Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty today announced that the Office of Insurance Regulation (Office) has approved the merger of AmCOMP with Employers Holdings Inc. (Employers), and that the Office and AmCOMP have agreed to a consent order that will require AmCOMP to repay $8.4 million in excessive profits to its Florida policyholders.
Q&A: Cameras start rolling on red-light runners in Orlando
Fair warning: If you run a red light at any of seven intersections in Orlando starting today, the chances are good you’ll get a ticket, complete with pictures of your car doing the deed.
Scripps robotics gets $80 million to find unexpected paths to fight disease
The National Institutes of Health has awarded more than $80 million to The Scripps Research Institute over six years, making its Florida-based robotics program a cornerstone of a nationwide effort to develop better tools for studying drugs and basic biology, it was announced today.
EDITORIAL: Still getting sicker
Close scrutiny of state’s no-frills insurance plan needed to protect consumers
Those hip-hip-hooray headlines about Census figures for 2007 showing a drop in the number of Americans who lack health insurance?
Study: Difficult times for Florida’s workforce
Job growth in Florida was only 0.5 percent in 2006-2007, down from a high of 4 percent in 2004-2005 and compared with 1 percent for the U.S. in 2006-2007.
Crist makes pre-taped address at the GOP Convention
Gov. Charlie Crist just made an appearance at the Republican National Convention, if only remotely through a pre-taped address.
State House candidates focus on different issues
The candidates running for Florida House seats representing eastern and western Alachua County show the differences between those districts.
Bush sets Sept. 12 visit to stump for Rooney
President Bush will come to Palm Beach County on Sept. 12 to raise money for Republican congressional candidate Tom Rooney’s efforts to unseat freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney.
Judge dismisses group’s bid for ballot proposal
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit trying to get a growth-management proposal on the Nov. 4 ballot.
FPL touts nuclear energy as a renewable source
In the massive discussion that’s starting to shape the future of electric power in the state for decades to come, an executive of Florida Power & Light insists that the best way to reduce greenhouse gases is to define nuclear as a renewable energy source.
EDITORIAL: As Tax Notices Arrive This Month, Homeowners Find Ugly Shock
Homeowners have every right to be angry about the property-tax notices that recently arrived in mailboxes.
Bids Drop as More Seek Road Projects
Hammered by a stalled construction economy, more contractors are turning to cities, counties and the state for public works jobs.
One result: Those governments are saving a bundle on road projects.
Congress Ready To Play ‘Beat The Clock’ On Insurance-Related Bills
Congress is going to have its hands full when it returns to work next week for an abbreviated pre-election session, making it that much more difficult to get any definitive action on a plethora of insurance-related bills, industry lobbyists say.
‘Great Debate’ Over Federal Regulation Tops NU Virtual Conference
The debate over state versus federal regulation, the latest twists in enterprise risk management, the newest trends in predictive analytics and the battle to contain workers’ compensation costs are among the hot topics addressed at “Facing The Future Of Insurance,” the second annual online conference and exposition produced by National Underwriter and two of its fellow publications, Claims and Tech Decisions.
Cat Bonds Buck Credit Crunch Says S&P Report
Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services has released findings, which show that ‘natural catastrophe bonds (‘nat cats’) have proven generally resilient during the capital market’s turbulence over the past year.” They are currently the “main insurance linked securities (ILS) asset class,” said S&P.
Global Reinsurers Do Balancing Act With Market Anything But Predictable
With an eye out for potential windstorms and concerns over fallout from the subprime market meltdown, an earthquake in China and the recent tragic plane crash in Spain, global reinsurers are balancing multiple catastrophic exposures while striving to maintain underwriting discipline in a softening market, industry observers say.
MMC Says It Has No Interest In Buying Benfield
Marsh & McLennan Companies said it has no interest in acquiring reinsurance broker Benfield Group, after reports surfaced the company was planning to make a counteroffer to Aons planned acquisition.
Report: Highly Satisfied Customers Have Higher Auto Renewal Rates
Auto insurance customers with high commitment levels not only make more recommendations and are more likely to renew their policies, but are also significantly less sensitive to pricing offers from competitors, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 National Auto Insurance Study. Auto insurers with highly satisfied customers have a renewal rate that is 9 percentage points higher, on average, than insurers whose customers report low levels of satisfaction, the report indicated.