Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Thursday, January 24
Jan 24, 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
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.–Florida Department of Financial Services Automobile Insurance Fraud Strike Force meeting. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
Florida Senate panel to prep massive changes to property insurance market
The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee is developing a bill that would deliver drastic changes to Florida’s property insurance market.
Reinsurers may get boost from Citizens Property Insurance downsizing
Hearings continue this week within the Florida state legislature to discuss the potential downsizing of the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation – a move that would greatly benefit Bermuda’s reinsurance market.
Former Florida Surplus Lines Association Leader Indicted
A former executive director and past president of the Florida Surplus Lines Association has been indicted for allegedly embezzling an estimated $130,000 in association funds.
Former Florida lawmakers look at Massachusetts
Florida lawmakers considering how to implement the federal health care overhaul sought information Tuesday from two economists on the Massachusetts initiative that served as the blueprint for the national plan.
Miami “Mike” to Acquire Universal Health Care
Miami health-care investment firm MBF Healthcare Partners — whose chairman is multimillionare Miguel “Mike” Fernandez — intends “to acquire certain assets” of Universal Health Care, a multistate Medicare plan based in St. Petersburg.
Hospital turf war in Venice moves to the courts
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has sued Venice and its City Council over a land-use decision favoring rival Venice Regional Medical Center, escalating the health care providers’ turf war over south Sarasota County patients.
Florida Governor Rick Scott, Cabinet approve no-bid Glades deal
Governor Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet unanimously approved the request of two agriculture companies Wednesday allowing them to renew their leases to farm state land in exchange for swapping other parcels to use for Everglades cleanup efforts.
Lawmakers scrutinize economic incentive programs as budget battles brew
Lawmakers in both chambers of the Legislature are taking a closer look at Florida’s economic incentives programs, after high-profile failures have left state taxpayers paying for companies that went bankrupt and failed to provide the promised jobs.
Florida Governor Rick Scott calls for $2,500 pay raises for teachers
Saying that Florida school teachers “have done a great job” in raising student achievement, Governor Rick Scott announced Wednesday that his budget recommendations will include across-the-board raises of $2,500 for all full-time educators next fiscal year.
Florida Education Commissioner Bennett gets philosophical with Senate panel about education
Governor Rick Scott was the first item on the Senate Education Committee’s agenda for Wednesday’s meeting.
Florida Lands Three Cities Among America’s Worst Run
Don’t look in the list of top 20 cities best run — topped by Plano, Texas, and Madison, Wis. — for an entry from Florida.
Blog: Senators Bill Montford, David Simmons, John Thrasher File For 2014 Bids
Senators David Simmons and John Thrasher have joined a growing list of incumbent lawmakers who are making plans to run for re-election in 2014.
Appeals court denies request to block FPL plant
A Florida appeals court Wednesday denied a second attempt by the Seminole Tribe of Florida to quash a 2011 Hendry County ordinance that would enable FPL to build a massive power plant on 3,127 acres of panther habitat near its reservation.
Miami conclave to help map the next 50 years for Southeast Florida
On a Google map, the long stretch of Florida coastline from deep South Miami-Dade County to Sebastian Inlet appears a seamless mass of urban development jammed between a thin border of sand on one side and wetlands and farmland on the other.
Committee suggests Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance drop one idea
A Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. committee recommended Wednesday to drop the idea of selling only hurricane coverage, or wind-and-hail policies.
New National Association of Insurance Commissioners CEO Nelson Says No Need for Dual Regulation
The new CEO of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners says there is a limited role for the federal government in insurance in partnership with state regulators but there is “no need for dual regulation.”
Property and Casualty Insurers See ORSA Value to Their Business
Many property/casualty insurers are beginning to implement pending Own Risk and Solvency Assessment regulatory requirements in advance of their 2015 effective date and finding the process can be a valuable business tool.
Michigan Regulators Warn of Bogus No-Fault Auto Insurance Certificates
The Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation are warning Michigan drivers that they may have unknowingly purchased fraudulent automobile insurance certificates from an unlicensed individual reportedly issued through Tennessee Christian Motorist Aid.
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