Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Friday, August 9

Aug 9, 2013

 

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

 

9:00 a.m.–Executive Office of the Governor public meeting.  Tallahassee, Florida.  Citizens Inspector General candidate interviews.  To view the meeting notice, click here.

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related News

 

NOAA:  Atlantic hurricane season on track to be above-normal

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) its updated Atlantic hurricane season outlook today saying the season is shaping up to be above normal with the possibility that it could be very active.

 

Florida gets federal grant to study sinkholes

Florida has received a $1.08 million federal grant to study the state’s vulnerability to sinkholes, the Associated Press reports via Palm Beach Post.

 

Florida Chamber:  Proposal threatens insurance in Florida

In disaster-prone Florida, businesses and homeowners rely on a healthy and stable property insurance market. Having affordable coverage options offered by private-sector insurers who are able to handle our state’s hurricane risk are key components to maintaining such a market,  Florida Chamber CEO David Hart writes in this Tallahassee Democrat Editorial Opinion.

 

Right Street Comments on Florida CFO Jeff Atwater’s Letter to State Insurance Commissioner

Yesterday, Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater penned a letter to Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty inquiring why property insurance rates continue to rise even as the cost of reinsurance falls, Right Street’s Christian Camara blogs on Insurance Journal.

 

Lake Okeechobee draining delays criticized

After decades of waiting for relief, patience isn’t a welcome sales pitch for people living beside waterways polluted by drainage for South Florida flood control, Andy Reid reports for the Sun-Sentinel.

 

Did Florida lawmakers know what it meant to hand off health plan rate review to feds?

When Florida lawmakers decided during the 2013 session to hand off review of rates for new health plans for two years to the feds, it’s not clear they knew what that meant, Politifact’s Becky Bowers reports for Tampa Bay Times.

 

Florida Medical Association Survey Reveals Doctors’ Top Concerns

The results of a recent Florida Medical Association (FMA) survey reveal that reducing burdensome regulations, increasing payment for physician services and bringing more fairness to the medical liability system are the top concerns of the state’s physicians, Peter Schorsch of SaintPetersBlog.com reports.

 

Blog:  Four more lawmakers ask for special session

Four more state lawmakers have added their names to the list of those wanting a special session on the state’s “stand your ground” law, reports Tampa Tribune’s James Rosica. 

 

Vendors fret over new Florida public records requirements for state contracts

A new law calling on contractors to keep and maintain public records related to contracts with the state has some vendors concerned about costs, litigation and potential termination of contracts, Gray Rohrer reports for The Florida Current.

 

In race to replace Fasano, Corcoran gets behind “outsider”

The prize for first to file for Florida House District 36, which was left wide open Wednesday after Mike Fasano was tapped Pasco County Tax Collector, goes to Bill Gunter, reports Michael Van Sickler for Tampa Bay Times.

 

Florida Governor to get more business incentives, but still short of desired amount

Gov. Rick Scott will have nearly $30 million more taxpayer money than originally allocated in the budget to use as incentives to lure businesses to relocate or expand in Florida, the Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.

 

Toxic slime warnings along St. Lucie River stirs issue in advance of Senate hearing on Indian River Lagoon

The issue of Indian River Lagoon’s pollution problems was widened this week to include Lake Okeechobee and state versus federal water quality regulations, The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports.

 

TIME:  Why the Next Florida Voter Purge Will Be Different From the Last

After a failed attempt at clearing the voting roll of noncitizens in 2012, can Florida present evidence that this is a problem before the 2014 election?  Maya Rhodan reports for TIME’s “Swampland.”

 

Cat bond sponsors tempt investors with diversified perils and geographies

A new wave of more diversified insurance-linked securities (ILS) is expected in the wake of the world’s first cat bond to exclusively cover storm surge risk, Louie Woodall reports for Risk.net.

 

 

 

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