Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Friday, December 23

Dec 23, 2011

 

The offices of Colodny Fass will be closed on Monday, December 26, and will reopen on Tuesday, December 27.

 

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

 

There are no Florida insurance-related events scheduled for today.

 

 

Daily Insurance-Related News

 

Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to review its replacement costs calculator

In response to “publicly expressed concerns,” the state’s insurer of last resort, Citizens, said Thursday that it will conduct a special review in South Florida and Tampa for software used to set the replacement value of houses.

 

Editorial:  Personal Injury Protection reform needs sworn testimony

A new study by the Americans for Insurance Reform should reverberate in Tallahassee as Gov. Rick Scott and state lawmakers prepare to reform no-fault auto insurance, or PIP.

 

Senior citizens ask feds to block Florida Medicaid privatization

A coalition of 30 advocacy groups for elder issues has sent a letter to the federal government requesting that the state’s request to expand its Medicaid Reform Pilot program statewide be denied. The groups fear the expansion will affect health care access for disabled elder Floridians.

 

Bed bug infestation a nasty surprise for Miami investor

A Miami-based real estate investor is suing over a pesky problem at a recently purchased West Palm Beach apartment complex – bedbugs.

 

Feds OK new nuclear reactor design for proposed Florida plants

The Westinghouse Electric Co. AP1000 reactor design has been planned for use in two proposed plants in Florida.

 

Lawmakers claim ignorance on impact of redistricting maps

Many lawmakers and other key players in Florida’s process for drawing new congressional and legislative districts have adopted their own don’t ask, don’t tell policies.

 

Florida banks improve

Banks in the Sunshine State are getting healthier, and the outlook for 2012 is even better.  But they still have far to go to recoup their pre-recession health, banking analysts say.

 

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Putnam: Too Much Ambiguity in State Gambling Laws

If Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam wades further into the state gaming issues, his focus will be on the adult arcades that are commonly referred to as Internet cafes.

 

Seminole school leaders blast tax-credit scholarships

As the school district struggles to make ends meet, leaders express frustration over what they see as a double standard

Florida’s tax-credit scholarship program for low-income students is “a travesty” and “part of the agenda” to weaken public schools, Seminole County education leaders say.

 

Mississippi high court overturns judgment for insurer

The Mississippi Supreme Court has overturned a judgment for an insurance company in a wind vs. water case involving a Pascagoula home hit by 6.3 feet of storm surge during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

 

Federal Insurance Office Letters Say Federal Government Can Protect Against Bank-Centric ‘Eurocratic’ Regulation

Fears that only the federal government has the power to prevent imposition of “bank-centric” international-financial regulation by Europeans is leading two major insurance players to moderate their comments to the Treasury Department on the role the federal government should play in insurance regulation going forward.

 

Regulators expected to extend Volcker rule comment

U.S. regulators are expected to give the public and the banking industry 30 more days to comment on a proposed framework to implement the controversial Volcker rule, which bans banks from trading with their own funds, according to a person with knowledge of the decision.

 

Michigan Governor Signs Unemployment, Workers’ Compensation Legislation

Michigan employers are likely to save money on unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation under changes signed into law on Dec. 19 by Gov. Rick Snyder. Critics, though, said the moves could make it more difficult for injured and jobless workers to get the benefits they need.

 

Top car insurance myths

In an ideal world, car insurance would be straightforward and everyone would understand exactly how it works. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it is.

 

 

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