Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Monday, February 10

Feb 10, 2014

 

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 events scheduled for today.

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related News

 

From top to bottom, FEMA has botched handling flood insurance rates

Here is part of FEMA’s official explanation about how its National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) arrived at new premiums for homes that had rate subsidies, Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano writes.

 

Florida 2nd in nation for long-term unemployment

Despite creating more than 460,000 jobs since 2010, Florida ranks second among states with workers who have been unemployed for at least six months, researchers say.  The Sun-Sentinel’s William E. Gibson and Jim Stratton report.

 

Crist calls for lifting of Cuban trade embargo

Former Governor Charlie Crist said Friday night political leaders should risk the wrath of the influential Cuban-American voters in South Florida and demand an end of the United States’ economic embargo of Cuba, The Florida Current’s Gray Rohrer reports.

 

State says Web site needs overhaul to achieve campaign finance goals

When Florida lawmakers raised campaign contribution limits last year, they said the goal was to make the money in politics more transparent. There was one problem: the state’s campaign finance web site, the Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas writes in Tampa Bay Times’ “The Buzz” blog.

 

Bills would extend renewable energy tax exemption to commercial property

Florida House and Senate bills filed this week would extend a property tax exemption to commercial property for solar panels or other renewable energy projects, The Florida Current’s Bruce Ritchie reports.

 

In possible special election for Benacquisto’s state Senate seat, the numbers don’t lie

If State Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto should win the special election to replace disgraced former Congressman Trey Radel, conventional wisdom is that one of the region’s current Florida House members will immediately become the frontrunner to take her place in the Senate.  SaintPetersBlog.com’s Peter Schorsch analyzes the possible outcome.

 

Food-stamp fraud rare, despite stories of abuse

In 2012, Florida earned an $8 million bonus from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for its accuracy in food stamp reporting.  Less than 1 percent of the state’s food stamp funding went astray, Kevin Wiatrowski reports for the Tampa Tribune.

 

Senate committee delays gambling overhaul bill until February 24

A Florida Senate committee is delaying the proposed gambling overhaul bill – originally to be done by Monday – to February 24, according to Gaming Committee chair Senator Garrett Richter, SaintPetersBlog.com’s Peter Schorsch reports.

 

Congressmen Mistaken About Which Properties Get National Flood Insurance Rate-Hike Reprieve

Statements by members of Congress in Louisiana and Mississippi Thursday that increases in flood-insurance premiums now being implemented will be delayed through a provision in a recent appropriations bill are inaccurate, according to industry lobbyists and officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Underwriter’s Arthur Postal reports for PropertyCasualty360.com.

 

Life Partners products ruled securities by Texas Appeals Court

Life Partners Inc.’s life settlement policies should be regulated under state securities laws, a Texas appeals court said, reversing a lower court that found the policies didn’t qualify, Laurel Brubaker Calkins reports for LifeHealthPro.com.

 

Insurance giants win big at Winter Games

Insuring the Olympic games against catastrophe has become a herculean – but lucrative – task for a select group of the world’s largest insurance and reinsurance companies, Jaqueline Nelson reports for the Globe and Mail.

 

Hole-in-one Insurance Fraudster in Washington Sentenced

Kevin Kolenda, 56, a Connecticut businessman who has been reportedly defrauding golf tournaments and golfers for two decades, was sentenced Friday in King County Superior Court in Washington, Insurance Journal reports.​

 

Berkshire Likely Not Last Insurer To Face SIFI Scrutiny

The Financial Stability Oversight Council is reportedly eyeing Berkshire Hathaway Inc. as a possible systemically important financial institution, making clear that U.S. regulators will push ahead with reviews of insurance giants despite vehement arguments from the industry that the designations – and greater regulation – are unwarranted, reports Bibeka Shrestha for LAW360.