Oklahoma Commissioner Plans Regulatory Action After Towing Claim Bill Fails

May 8, 2018

A bill aimed at prevented insurance companies from cancelling, non-renewing or increasing consumers’ insurance premiums for filing a towing or roadside assistance claim failed to advance in Oklahoma’s legislative session, so the state’s insurance commissioner plans take regulatory action. https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2018/05/07/488492.htm

Puerto Rico governor submits bill to open insurance market

May 8, 2018

Puerto Rico governor Ricardo Rosselló has introduced proposed legislation to grant international insurers and reinsurers greater access to the local market, James Young reports for BNAmericas.com. Jamaica looks at cat bonds, other tools to confront disasters   http://www.bnamericas.com/en/news/insurance/puerto-rico-governor-submits-bill-to-open-insurance-market/

Why Most States Are Struggling to Regulate Airbnb

May 8, 2018

Competing constituencies help account for the difficulty states have had in regulating and taxing the short-term rental industry, even as some cities have taken action to regulate short-term rentals.  RouteFifty.com notes the Stateline article. https://www.routefifty.com/management/2018/05/states-struggle-to-regulate-airbnb/148001/

Tree trimming seen as key as hurricane season nears

May 7, 2018

Fallen trees and uncollected debris stacked along roads were among the biggest impediments — along with traffic, wind and flooding — to power restoration following Hurricane Irma, according to officials from Florida Power & Light, Duke Energy Florida, Tampa Electric, …

Customers clamor for “undergrounding” during PSC storm-hardening workshop

May 7, 2018

Large electric customers and local governments complained about communications meltdowns and urged large-scale “undergrounding” of Florida’s electric infrastructure, FloridaPolitics.com’s Michael Moline reports. http://floridapolitics.com/archives/262804-customers-clamor-for-undergrounding-during-psc-storm-hardening-workshop

NTSB confirms local, federal criminal investigation into FIU bridge collapse

May 7, 2018

A lawyer for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has told a Tallahassee judge that “at least two federal agencies” and Miami-Dade police are pursuing criminal investigations into March’s collapse of a pedestrian bridge at the Florida International University campus.  Jim Rosica reports for FloridaPolitics.com. …