Capitol to Courthouse Daily Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, February 17

Feb 17, 2011

 

 

To go directly to the section of your choice, click on a hyperlink below.   Other hyperlinks to meeting information, bills and news are noted in bold type.

 

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events

 

  • 8:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. — Senate Budget Subcommittee on General Government Appropriations.  Florida Department of Financial Services, Florida Office of Insurance Regulation presentations on Schedule VIIIB Reduction Proposals for Fiscal Year 2011-12
  • 2:00 p.m. — National Association of Insurance Commissioners Surplus Lines Implementation Task Force Clearinghouse Plan of Operation Subgroup meeting.  To register for the teleconference, click here.

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related Bills Filed for 2011

 

HB 803 relating to Property and Casualty Insurance by State Representative John Wood

HB 803 would revise the minimum surplus required of certain insurers and authorize the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“OIR”) to reduce surplus requirements.  The bill also revises provisions related to federal multiple-peril crop insurance, the frequency that an insurer may use same accountant to prepare a financial report and requirements for insurer communication with a public adjuster to reach an agreement related to a covered loss.  Should it become law, HB 803 would prohibit a public adjuster from restricting reasonable access to an insured or the insured’s property.  It would also require the OIR to issue approval of a file and use filing, rather than notice of intent to approve.  The bill would rename Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s (“Citizens”) “high-risk account” as the “coastal account” and revise conditions for imposing a Citizens policyholder surcharge.  HB 803 would require delivery of a “Notice of Change in Policy Terms.”  Further, it would require that a policyholder enter into a contract for performance of building and structural repairs and allow an insurer to limit its initial payment for losses to personal property.  It would revise provisions of law relating to sinkhole coverage and provide a criminal penalty for accepting rebates from persons performing related repairs.   Sellers of real property would be required to provide to provide a buyer with a copy of sinkhole inspection reports and certifications.  The bill provides that a neutral evaluator is an agent of the Florida Department of Financial Services for purposes of immunity from suit.  Effective date:  June 1, 2011

 

HB 4171 relating to Mold-Related Services by State Representative J.W. Grant

HB 4171 would repeal provisions of law relating to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s mold-related services licensing program and related regulation of mold assessment and remediation, examination, licensure, continuing education, and discipline of mold assessors and mold remediators, as well as certification of corporations and partnerships offering mold assessment or mold remediation to the public.  Effective date: July 1, 2011

 

 

Daily Insurance-Related News

 

Sarasota’s Dolphin Towers study complete

A critical engineering study that might help resolve who pays for repairs to structurally damaged Dolphin Towers in downtown Sarasota will be presented this week to the insurance company that provides building coverage. It will then be released to the city.

 

Lynne McChristian:  Discounts hurt insurers’ solvency

Property insurance rates have not gone up by the percentage a letter writer claims – and that data comes straight from insurance regulators.

 

Florida’s BKS-Partners Finalizes Acquisition of IRMS

Tampa-based Baldwin Krystan Sherman Partners, LLC has completed its acquisition of the Naples-based Insurance and Risk Management Services employee benefits division.

 

Florida’s Brown & Brown Names President Of Peachtree Special Risk

Daytona Beach, Florida-based insurance broker Brown & Brown Inc. said it has named Elizabeth “Liz” White president of Peachtree Special Risk Brokers LLC.

 

Organized crime ring has South Florida, staged accident ties

Thirteen people were charged in three indictments unsealed in Miami on Wednesday as part of a massive organized crime ring that spanned from coast to coast.


Florida Lawmakers Ponder Removing Traffic Cams

Florida’s red-light violators may have something to celebrate if a proposed senate bill is passed.

 

Scott rejects $2.3 billion for high-speed rail

Governor Rick Scott on Wednesday rejected $2.3 billion in federal money to build high-speed rail between Tampa and Orlando.

 

Blog:  Disappointment in governor continues — Senator Ring predicts ripple effect on investors

Senator Jeremy Ring, a Democrat and one of the founders of Yahoo.com, said Governor Rick Scott’s decision to cancel the high speed rail will send a negative message to venture capitalists considering whether to invest in Florida.


Lawmaker says Florida will pull out of Medicaid if federal government opposes changes

Managed care plans will be required to spend 90 percent of Medicaid premium on health care services and the developmentally disabled population won’t be required to enter managed care plans under the Senate version of a Medicaid rewrite that was briefly discussed Tuesday afternoon.

 

Senate’s Medicaid plan could drop patients who refuse to lose weight or stop smoking

Alcoholics, drug addicts, smokers and the obese may lose their Medicaid benefits under the proposal that is being worked on by the Florida Senate.

 

Change to veterans’ nursing homes would eliminate roughly 1,000 jobs

One thousand state jobs would be eliminated under a move pushed by Governor Rick Scott to create a public nursing home corporation for Florida veterans.

 

Floridians May Get to Recall Governor                    

Legislation to recall Florida’s governor, as well as, state officials was filed on Wednesday by a Democratic House lawmaker Representative Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg) filed legislation – House Joint Resolution 785 and House Bill 787 – which would allow the public to recall from office, Florida legislators,  members of the Florida Cabinet, governor and lieutenant governor.

 

First District Court of Appeal rejects Ray Sansom petition                

The First District Court of Appeal today denied a petition by former House Speaker Ray Sansom to take up misconduct allegations against Leon County State Attorney Willie Meggs.

 

Vacant federal insurance positions concern lawmakers

A bipartisan group of congressmen sent a letter Wednesday to President Barack Obama expressing concern over the fact that two key insurance-related positions created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act remain unfilled.

 

Powers Of Proposed New York Regulatory Agency Concern Industry

Insurance industry trade associations are working with the New York governor’s office to discuss differences of opinion regarding a plan to merge the state’s insurance department with the Department of Banking and the Consumer Protection Agency.

 

Certificates of Insurance a Priority Legislative Issue for Texas Agents

With a massive hole in the state’s budget and the duty to redistrict, insurance issues are likely to be low priority items for Texas 82nd Legislature, which began its session in January.

 

Government Accountability Office:  National Flood Insurance Program still a high risk

The National Flood Insurance Program once again has made the Government Accountability Office’s list of high-risk federal operations.

 

Analysis:  Europe’s Solvency II to have major U.S. impact

Solvency II, Europe’s upcoming risk-based rules for insurers, is likely to significantly affect all U.S. insurers at least somewhat, a consultant says in a report

 

 

 

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