Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Wednesday, April 23
Apr 23, 2008
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Allstate Ruling Delayed Until Tuesday
Allstate Corp. is preparing for both favorable and unfavorable rulings on its ability to conduct new business in Florida after an appeals court erroneously released a decision late Monday that could have meant trouble for the insurer.
Appeals court Allstate ruling an ‘error’
At the end of an odd turn of events Monday the status quo held and Allstate agents were still selling insurance Tuesday, but it remains to be seen whether the mistaken release of a court order was a preview of what’s to come next week.
Homeowner Insurance Reforms Stir Up A Lot Of Debate
Winds are blowing hard and dark clouds are gathering, but it’s not a hurricane approaching. A storm of debate is circulating around homeowner’s insurance reform.
Municipalities’ insurer refunds $10M
With no major storms in Florida in 2007, the trust has money left over from premiums.
Thanks to their insurer, Florida municipalities will get a refund of millions of dollars.
Florida House passes tax-cut bill; Senate not on board
The Florida House passed a tax-cut package today along party lines, but faces long odds in getting a reluctant Senate to agree to cuts that would dig deeply into local government and school budgets.
Like oil and water, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist and insurance companies rarely mix.
About half of Fla. Road Ranger money restored
Florida’s Road Rangers will live to ride another year.
Florida Lawmakers Have Much Cutting Yet to Do
As the annual session grinds toward its May 2 deadline, Florida lawmakers still have much of their toughest work ahead of them.
Senate leader retools commuter rail proposal
The more than $1 billion Central Florida dream train made a long-anticipated and successful stop in a powerful state Senate committee Tuesday.
Brown & Brown shares soar despite outlook
Business insurance prices in Florida are plunging 30 percent this year as carriers struggle to retain accounts in a soft economy, Brown & Brown Inc.’s chairman said Tuesday.
Florida Attorney General Agrees to $1.6M Settlement with Construction Firm
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum announced that his office has reached a $1.6 million agreement with a Collier County construction company and its president, resolving complaints that more than 100 construction jobs were paid for but never completed.
State appeals court rules in favor of citizens group
An appeals court says it is unconstitutional to revoke signatures on petitions to get citizen initiatives on the ballot.
Bill regulates contract expirations
A proposal in the Legislature would require companies to let consumers know in writing that their service contracts will be renewed automatically if they don’t cancel first.
Fed up with high monthly bills and often inaccurate charges, Lourdes Delara thought she would just switch into a lower rate plan until her contract expired and she could look for a new cellphone provider.
House, Senate Approve Plans That Would Raise Court Fees
Floridians who file for divorce, contest a traffic ticket or sue a negligent motorist would pay more to use the state’s court system under a deal Gov. Charlie Crist and House and Senate lawmakers have signed off on.
April 23: The day in Tallahassee
A proposal to automatically compensate people who were wrongfully imprisoned has passed the Senate, though it will not compensate people with prior records.
State legislators’ campaign for crane standards falters again
Despite three South Florida construction crane accidents this year, it looks like efforts to set statewide standards for their operators won’t make it through the Legislature.
Court to hear case that could help workers claim benefits
When Wanda Glenn first sought disability benefits from MetLife Inc. in 2000, she “never in a million years” expected it would end up as a Supreme Court case.
WSI raises 2008 Atlantic hurricane forecast
Private weather forecaster WSI Corp said on Tuesday it raised the number of Atlantic hurricanes it expects this year to eight from seven due to warmer-than-normal ocean temperatures that will likely encourage storm development.
Liberty Mutual Unearths ‘Green’ Commercial Property Coverages
With green building construction starts expected to increase 400 percent in the next two years according to construction experts, Liberty Mutual Property, part of Liberty Mutual Group, has introduced a collection of “green” commercial property coverages.
West Has Nation’s Hot Spots for Vehicle Thefts
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has ranked the top metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) with the highest per capita rate for vehicle thefts in the nation in 2007.
Midwest Earthquake Spurs Renewed Interest in Purchasing Insurance
Eastern Missouri residents are scrambling to get earthquake insurance after last week’s 5.2 magnitude trembler rattled windows and shook houses.
Jury Awards Montana Woman $5.3 Million in Insurance Lawsuit
A federal jury has ordered an insurance company to pay a Bigfork, Mont., woman $5.3 million in damages in a bad-faith lawsuit that accused the company of failing to pay her medical expenses after a head-on car crash in January 2003.
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