Category: Insurance Regulatory News

Thanks to Senator Jeff Brandes and other lawmakers, the state has laid an aggressive groundwork to make Florida attractive to the companies building and testing autonomous vehicle technology.  The Tampa Bay Times’ Caitlin Johnston reports for “The Buzz” blog. http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/Florida-law-allows-driverless-vehicles-Does-the-law-go-too-far-_166914400

Commercial airboat rides had been largely unregulated, and the state didn’t require operators to have licenses or complete specific training courses.  The Sun-Sentinel’s Skyler Swisher reports. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-reg-ellie-law-signed-20180330-story.html

Instead of doing immediate inspections, the Agency for Healthcare Administration has no plans to change its existing schedule for license reviews, which sees facilities inspected once every two years, The Miami Herald’s Elizabeth Koh reports via the Tampa Bay Times. http://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/04/02/after-12-elders-died-nursing-homes-get-generators-but-when-will-they-be-inspected/

The largest victim in the case was First American Title.  Paul Brinkmann reports for the Orlando Sentinel. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/brinkmann-on-business/os-cfb-brinkmann-fraud-20180330-story.html

The “resign to run” bill could affect local and state lawmakers running in a Miami congressional district, the Tampa Bay Times’ Lawrence Mower reports for “The Buzz” blog. http://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/03/30/rick-scott-signs-resign-to-run-bill-vetoes-his-first-bill-of-the-year/

A Tampa Bay Times analysis of campaign spending shows some candidates are spending more liberally than others. http://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/03/30/long-before-the-voting-starts-florida-governor-candidates-spend-millions/

Letters provided to the Miami Herald were authored by people with hyphenated names and addresses that don’t show up in public records searches. It’s not known how many letters were received by voters. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article207452534.html

“I don’t know if you can make insurance companies provide coverage, or they might just leave the state entirely.  I think it is a situation where legislators who didn’t know anything about insurance are making rules that won’t work.”  Phil …

Demotech, Inc. has affirmed the Financial Stability Rating® (FSR) of A, Exceptional, assigned to Florida Specialty Insurance Company based upon their development and implementation of a business plan that protects the interests of policyholders, producers, and regulators. http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/demotech-inc-affirms-financial-stability-rating-of-florida-specialty-insurance-company-based-on-its-action-plan-1019988899

Monroe County has estimated a preliminary cost of $93.3 million for Hurricane Irma-related expenses. The figure does not include the airports or mitigation, Insurance Journal reports. https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southeast/2018/03/29/484753.htm