Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report–Thursday, June 5, 2014
Jun 5, 2014
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Daily Florida Insurance-Related Events
There are no events scheduled for today.
Daily Florida Insurance-Related News
US Re-owned Florida insurer liquidated
A state circuit judge has ruled that Florida-based insurer Sunshine State Insurance, which is owned by broker US Re, is insolvent, Intelligent Insurer reports.
Citizen’s inspector general opens investigation into ethics issues
Citizens Inspector General Bruce Meeks said Wednesday he has launched an investigation into the way the state-run insurer handles employees who leave the agency to go to work for companies that receive contracts, the Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
Florida second-worst for insurance discounts
Florida residents who purchase car and home insurance from the same company receive an average discount of $147 per year, the second-lowest in the U.S., according to insuranceQuotes.com South Florida Business Journal’s Cindy Barth reports.
Horace Mann Insurance Quietly Dropping Florida Homeowners’ Policies
In January, Horace Mann Insurance began notifying Florida homeowner policyholders whose policies had a June 1, 2014 renewal date that their policies would non-renew, the beginning of the process of non-renewing nearly all homeowner policies in the state of Florida, the Palm Beach Post’s Charles Elmore reports via the “Protecting Your Pocket” blog.
In what could be a first-of-its-kind decision in Florida, an appeals court ruled Tuesday that a man suffering from head injuries was not entitled to treatment from a Spanish-speaking psychologist as part of a workers-compensation insurance claim, FlaglerLive.com reports.
Florida Supreme Court Considers Retroactive Medical Malpractice Cap
On Wednesday, the Florida Supreme Court questioned lawyers in a continuing dispute over a 2003 medical-malpractice law limiting the amount of money a woman can receive because of complications after leg surgery, SaintPetersBlog.com reports.
Data: Wait times at Gainesville VA hospital among worst in nation
Recently reported data on wait times for new patients at Veterans Affairs hospitals show the Gainesville VA medical center ranked as one of the worst in the nation regarding average wait times, Morgan Watkins reports for the Gainesville Sun.
Redistricting trial comes to a close with much left unfinished
Florida’s precedent-setting redistricting trial came to a partial close Wednesday as lawyers wrapped up by agreeing to submit their closing arguments to the judge in writing in the next week, the Miami Herald’s Mary Ellen Klas reports via the “Naked Politics” blog.
Three more indicted in Expressway Authority probe
A former Florida lawmaker, a state transportation official and a former board member of an Orlando expressway authority were indicted Wednesday on misdemeanor charges of violating public meeting laws, the Associated Press’ Kyle Hightower reports via the Tampa Tribune.
Florida high court hears appeal on gun law
The attorney for a man sentenced to 80 years in prison for firing a gun into the air told the Florida Supreme Court justices Wednesday that the judge who sentenced his client should have had more discretion with the punishment, Associated Press’ Brendan Farrington reports via the Tampa Tribune.
University of Florida researchers report breakthrough in citrus disease
A pair of University of Florida researchers united in marriage and science have successfully treated citrus greening using a chemical used to treat gout in humans — bringing science a little closer to putting an end to a disease that has plagued Florida for nearly a decade, Jeff Schweers reports for the Gainesville Sun.
Tampa’s Ybor City concerned about new tobacco rules
With Tampa’s history as Florida’s “Cigar City,” the issue of tobacco regulation causes considerable concern locally, James Rosica reports for the Tampa Tribune.
Insurance company drops suits over Chicago-area flooding
An insurance company has dropped its unprecedented lawsuit that had claimed that nearly 200 Chicago-area communities didn’t do enough to prevent last year’s widespread flooding, Robert McCoppin of the Chicago Tribune reports via Insurance News Net.
Kia Dancing Hamster Arrested on Insurance Fraud Charges in California
Leroy Barnes, 27, of Los Angeles, known as one of the dancing hamsters in Kia commercials, was arrested on insurance fraud charges related to his alleged fraudulent collection of state disability insurance benefits. Barnes is suspected of deceiving his doctors about his employment status while he receiving disability benefits, the California Insurance Department reports.
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