Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Wednesday, November 18
Nov 18, 2009
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COLUMN: Time running out to file Wilma claims
Six major storms have struck South Florida since 2004, causing widespread damage to shared community homes and property.
State Farm Could Stay Put In Florida
Ten months ago, State Farm was the scourge of Tallahassee when it announced plans to pull out of Florida’s property insurance market.
EDITORIAL: A bad deal from Citizens
Florida’s state-run insurer absolutely should be rooting out fraud and incompetence that is inflating hurricane-mitigation discounts for homeowners.
Florida leaders push ban on texting while driving
Gov. Charlie Crist and the state’s top highway safety appointee endorsed a ban on texting while driving Tuesday, adding new momentum to an idea that has never taken hold in the Legislature.
EDITORIAL: Florida can’t justify taking control of Medicaid
Give us the money. You can keep the rules.
That’s the message two powerful state senators are considering delivering to Washington about Florida’s vast and still-growing Medicaid program.
Florida Association of Insurance Agents Co-Sponsors Financial Literacy Web Site Project
Deluged by economic uncertainty — failing banks, stock market crashes, taxpayer bailouts and well publicized cases of investment manager fraud – four out of five Floridians don’t feel particularly confident right now.
Governor Crist Makes Appointments to Leadership Team
Governor Charlie Crist today appointed Charles “Chuck” Drago as deputy chief of staff to the Governor and Stephanie Smith to serve in an expanded role as executive deputy chief of staff within the Executive Office of the Governor.
Big increase for Florida unemployment tax
Unemployment compensation taxes paid by Florida businesses will skyrocket next year due to the state’s high jobless rate — 11 percent in September.
Crist hopeful that lawmakers will have special session on rail
Gov. Charlie Crist said he is “hopefully optimistic” that lawmakers will hold a special session soon about commuter rail, which could help the state win federal aid for a high-speed rail line from Tampa to Orlando.
Florida lawmakers weigh end of stimulus money
As lawmakers grapple with a shortfall for the coming fiscal year that could total as much as $2.7 billion, there’s another financial headache looming on the horizon.
Lawsuit seeks to overhaul state education policies
Florida is violating the state Constitution by not pouring enough money into schools and relentlessly focusing on high-stakes testing policies that aren’t getting good results, says a lawsuit expected to be filed today in Leon County circuit court.
Florida’s prison problem could find a solution in Texas
If only Florida’s economy could grow like its prisons.
In Sarasota, IberiaBank is suddenly a player in Florida
By taking over the failed Century Bank of Sarasota and Orion Bank of Naples last Friday, IberiaBank grabbed $928 million in deposits and a 5.1 percent share in the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice market.
Bill would prohibit insurers from dropping Chinese drywall homes
A federal bill filed Tuesday would prohibit insurers from canceling or altering coverage of homes because they contain defective Chinese drywall, but experts said its chances of passage appear remote.
Commissioner rejects Texas home insurer’s rate hike
Thousands of homeowners covered by the state’s insurer of last resort caught a break Tuesday when the state’s insurance commissioner rejected the company’s request to hike their rates 19.5 percent.
New York Enacts Comprehensive Law to Regulate Life Settlements
The Life Insurance Settlement Association announced the passage of a new law in New York that establishes comprehensive regulation of Life Settlements in that state.
Catastrophe bond activity expands in fourth quarter
A series of transactions hitting the market is expected to generate roughly $400 million in additional catastrophe bond capacity, and veteran sponsors are taking the lead, experts say.
Stanford lawyers, Lloyd’s of London butt heads in court
R. Allen Stanford sat in court glumly for three hours Tuesday while a dozen lawyers debated whether insurance should pay for his criminal attorneys and whether those lawyers will have to report to a civil receiver when they find something new in the case.
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