Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Monday, July 18
Jul 18, 2011
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.
Florida seldom cracks down on insurance companies and their adjusters
When Floridians complain that an insurance company’s claims adjuster is mishandling, lowballing or delaying claims, there’s a less than 16 percent chance the adjuster will be disciplined.
Citizens insurance better prepared in case of hurricane after closing $900 million deal
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. said Friday it closed on $900 million in pre-event bond financing to help with the costs of providing coverage to coastal customers.
Florida Seeks Insurance Broker for $1.3 Billion SunRail Project
After surviving three governors and numerous legislative sessions, Florida’s SunRail commuter rail project that will tie together the city of Orlando with four other counties extending up to the eastern seaboard is about to get underway.
Victims of government negligence often can’t collect jury awards
It’s been nine years since a Hollywood city utility truck crashed head on into self-employed landscaper Ronald Miller, leaving him in chronic pain with neck and knee injuries.
State refuses to pay citrus canker awards
Five years after the chain saws went silent, the state is refusing to pay thousands of South Florida homeowners for fruit trees destroyed in the fight against citrus canker.
Florida House Democrats assail Medicaid privatization plan
Opponents of state Republicans’ efforts to privatize Florida’s Medicaid program are taking their arguments to a higher level: the federal government.
Federal labor officials to investigate questionable contracts at Florida workforce boards
Governor Rick Scott confirmed that the U.S. Department of Labor has launched an investigation into Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards to determine if they have been improperly awarding contracts to companies controlled by associated with board members.
State’s upgraded credit rating may be hard to impress the public
Governor Rick Scott and the Legislature received a thumbs-up last week from rating agency Standard & Poor’s for the tough budget decisions they made this spring.
Blog: Governor Scott scraps small-business advocate
Governor Rick Scott for months has touted his push to grow jobs by taking a machete to thousands of government regulations that limit environmental pollution, safeguard people and police businesses.
Central Florida’s SunRail project finally gets started
After years of debate and delay, construction on Central Florida’s SunRail commuter train is finally ready to start.
Upcoming jobs report will set the pace for South Florida’s recovery
The bad news: There is a long road ahead for South Florida’s recovering jobs market.
The Department of Community Affairs has reversed itself in the case, now finding changes to a local government comprehensive plan in compliance.
Despite public controversy, some state parks operations are quietly going private
For months, fans of Florida’s award-winning park system have been in an uproar.
Orlando lawmaker wants to ban jurors from cashing in immediately after trials
A Florida legislator came to Orlando on Thursday to talk about a law he proposes that would make it a third-degree felony for jurors to sell their stories within 270 days of serving on a jury.
Foreign buyers drawn to Florida
Two weeks before Howard McIntyre bought his property in Bradenton’s Heritage Harbour three years ago, he began having doubts about owning a place so far from his Ontario home.
Standard & Poor’s puts AAA-rated insurers on negative review amid threat of U.S. debt default
Standard & Poor’s Corp. said Friday that it has placed its long-term counterparty-credit and financial-strength ratings and related issue ratings on all AAA-rated U.S. insurance groups on review with negative implications because of their significant holdings of U.S. Treasury and agency securities.
South Dakota Insurance Director Merle Scheiber has signed an agreement to join NIMA.
RIMS gets approval to develop risk management standards
The Risk & Insurance Management Society Inc. said it has received approval to begin developing risk management standards.
Q&A: He’s rebuilding Texas windstorm insurer
John Polak, interim general manager of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, was hired earlier this year by the insurer’s board amid a fraud investigation by the Travis County district attorney’s office.
Ohio insurance regulation rates A+ in 2011 report
Ohio has earned a top grade for its property-and-casualty regulatory environment from the Heartland Institute.
New herbicide might be killing trees across U.S.
A recently approved herbicide called Imprelis, widely used by landscapers because it was thought to be environmentally friendly, has emerged as the leading suspect in the deaths of thousands of Norway spruces, eastern white pines and other trees on lawns and golf courses across the country.
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