Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Monday, September 9

Sep 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

 

There are no insurance-related events scheduled for today.

 

 

Daily Florida Insurance-Related News

 

As Citizens sheds policies, Florida homeowners face tough choices

In the next month, nearly 400,000 people whose homes are covered by the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will get a letter in the mail from another insurance company taking over their homeowners insurance coverage by Nov. 5, Mary Ellen Klas reports for the Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times.

 

Florida’s Citizens Increasing Rates on Some Commercial Policies

Florida regulators have approved a first round of rate changes for the state-backed property insurer that include an 8.3 percent increase in condominium association multi-peril policies, Michael Adams reports for Insurance Journal.

 

Florida State University Model Designed To Better Gauge Tornado Risk

Model Corrects Population Bias But Raises Questions about Storm Intensity

Are tornadoes increasing in both intensity and frequency, or could skewed historical data lead to false conclusions?  Christina Bramlet reports for National Underwriter’s PropertyCasualty360.com.

 

New York Times:  In South Florida, a Polluted Bubble Ready to Burst

On wind-whipped days when rain pounds this part of South Florida, people are quickly reminded that Lake Okeechobee, with its vulnerable dike and polluted waters, has become a giant environmental problem far beyond its banks, the News York Times Lizette Alvarez reports.

 

Matt Gaetz launches idea to legalize fireworks

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, has filed a bill (HB 4005) that would repeal a fireworks ban in the state, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports.

 

Scott to embark on tax cut tour

Gov. Rick Scott’s office announced Friday he will tour the state next week to discuss cutting taxes and fees with Florida residents, The Florida Current reports.

 

As rates increase, lending rises also in Florida

Despite rising interest rates, financial institutions in Florida have found plenty of eager borrowers so far this year, John Hielscher reports for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

 

Execution rescheduled to accommodate Pam Bondi political event

A “hometown campaign kickoff” at a waterfront home in Tampa for Attorney General Pam Bondi is scheduled for the same night that Gov. Rick Scott had once set as the execution date for Death Row inmate Marshall Lee Gore, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA reports via Tampa Bay Times.

 

Mike Fasano may endorse candidate to replace him in state House

A lot of Florida politicos are closely watching the special election to succeed maverick Republican Mike Fasano in his west Pasco state House seat for any insight into the political climate heading into 2014, Adam Smith writes for Tampa Bay Times.

 

Party Staffers Jeff Ryan, Chris Mitchell Fired Amid Democratic Turmoil

Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant fired two top staffers linked to a campaign committee created by incoming House Minority Leader Darryl Rouson, escalating an intra-party fight over Rouson’s fundraising efforts and leaving an already fractured House caucus in disarray, THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA’S Dara Kam and Brandon Larrabee report for SunshineStateNews.com.

 

Panama City lawyer drops out of District 6 House race

After entering the state House District 6 race to some fanfare, Panama City lawyer Waylon Thompson has officially dropped out, leaving behind a crowded field to duke it out to replace state Rep. Jimmy Patronis, R-Panama City, Matthew Beaton reports for the Panama City News-Herald.

 

Anitere Flores a Major Factor in GOP’s Future, With or Without Lieutenant Governor Appointment

When Jennifer Carroll resigned in the middle of March, many of the chattering class in Tallahassee assumed that Sen. Anitere Flores would be Rick Scott’s replacement for her as lieutenant governor, writes Jeff Henderson for SunshineStateNews.com.

 

Gus Bilirakis is a Workhorse, Not a Show Horse

It’s easy to overlook Gus Bilirakis, even though he’s been embroiled  in Florida politics for 15 years, writes Jeff Henderson for SunshineStateNews.com.

 

From prison, former GOP chair Jim Greer reflects on career

He once controlled the Republican Party of Florida, flying on chartered jets, drinking top-shelf bourbon and mingling with the rich and powerful, Tampa Bay Times Steve Bousquet writes in this exclusive interview.

 

Florida’s Pro-Consumer Bill Another Casualty Of The American Chemistry Council

Florida Rep. Mark Danish co-sponsored a bill this past session to identify chemicals of high concern.  The idea was to let consumers know which products contain potentially toxic chemicals, with Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection posting the information online, the Florida Center for Public Integrity’s Ronnie Greene reports.

 

Quiet Hurricane Season 2013 a “Head Scratcher” for Embarrassed Forecasters

The 2013 Atlantic hurricane season, which forecasters had predicted would be more active than normal, has turned out to be something of a dud so far as an unusual calm hangs over the tropics, Reuters’ Tom Brown reports via Insurance Journal.

 

Fitch Says softening rates could challenge global reinsurers’ profits

While the outlook for the reinsurance industry as a whole remains stable and profitability remains adequate, there are several challenges facing the global reinsurance market, according to Fitch Ratings Ltd., Sarah Veysey reports for Business Insurance.

 

 

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