Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report: Tuesday, August 7
Aug 7, 2012
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
9:00 a.m.–Florida Cabinet meeting. To view the complete agenda, click here.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (“OIR”)
- For approval for publication
- Notice of Repeal to Rule 69O-157.105, “Refund of Premium,” which requires insurers that cancel an insurance policy to refund to the policyholder any unearned premium paid to the insurer. This Rule substantially restates the language of Section 627.6645(4), F.S., and is considered unnecessary.
- Notice of Repeal to Rule 69O-148.001, “Funding of Pre-Need Contracts With Life Insurance or Annuities,” which addresses the sale of life and annuity products by agents to fund pre-need funeral contracts
- Notice of Repeal to Rule 69O-196.008, “Failure to Comply,” pertaining to premium finance companies
- Notice of Repeal to Rule 69O-157.018, “Right to Return Policy-Free Look,” pertaining to individual long-term care insurers
- Notice of Repeal to Rule 69O-185.005, “Advertisement of Mortgage Insurance”
- For approval for publication
9:00 a.m.–OIR Public Rate Hearing: Castle Key Insurance Company. Castle Key Insurance Company and Castle Key Indemnity Company have requested average statewide rate increases of 32.1 percent and 21.9 percent for their homeowners programs, respectively. The rates would be effective December 2, 2012 for new and renewal business. The requested rate increases are not uniform, and some areas would be subject to higher increases. To view the hearing notice, click here.
9:30 a.m.– Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation (“DWC”) Rule Development Workshop. A proposed amendment to Rule 69L-5.216, “Provision of Benefits and Safe Working Environment by Self-Insurers,” would clarify when Form SI-19 (Certification of Servicing for Self-Insurers) is due to the DWC or the Florida Self-Insurers Guaranty Association for current and former self-insurers that contract with Qualified Servicing Entities for more than one year. To view the hearing notice, click here.
2:00 p.m.–Florida Department of Financial Services Automobile Insurance Fraud Strike Force meeting. To view the meeting notice, click here.
Florida Office of Insurance Regulation: Study on Potential Savings of No-Fault Bill Not Final
With numerous caveats, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation released the findings of an independent study of a no-fault reform bill passed this year.
Florida District 17 candidates spar over Citizens Property Insurance rates
The battle over sinkhole insurance premiums has reached the Republican state Senate primary between John Legg and Rob Wallace.
Trayvon Martin family’s home owner association insurance claim lands in federal court
Recent court filings show Trayvon Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, has filed a claim for monetary damages against an insurance company for the Retreat at Twin Lakes homeowners association in her 17-year-old son’s death.
Florida Association of Public Adjusters Mourns Death of President Wolfman
Harvey Wolfman, president of the Florida Association of Public Adjusters, died August 2 following a heart attack.
HCA discloses U.S. inquiry into Florida cardiology services
In summer 2010, a troubling letter reached the chief ethics officer of the hospital giant HCA, written by a former nurse at one of the company’s hospitals in Florida.
Florida could be bellwether for Medicaid expansion
The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning national health care reform could make the Medicaid system in Florida more complicated for many patients, according to The Atlantic.
How did $14 million in drugs vanish from a University of Miami pharmacy?
Olga Hutnik, a pharmacy buyer at the University of Miami, noticed something odd in May 2011 when she looked at the results of a new program to track drugs in the UM medical system: Hundreds of syringes of an expensive cancer drug were apparently missing.
Adam Hollingsworth: Governor Rick Scott’s new right-hand man
For the third time since taking office, Governor Rick Scott has a new chief of staff to help shape his agenda, steer him through political minefields and bolster his shaky standing with Floridians.
Florida Governor Scott to speak at Republican National Convention
Florida Gov. Rick Scott will speak at the Republican National Convention in Tampa this month, the GOP announced Monday.
Final Florida primary voter registration numbers released
Just under 4.6 million Democrats and about 4.1 million Republicans are registered to vote in Florida’s August 14 primary, according to final registration figures from the Division of Elections.
Behind the scenes, Jack Latvala guides a string of Pinellas candidates
The name Jack Latvala will appear only once on a ballot this fall, but the veteran state senator is again a formidable backstage presence in many other races.
William McBride Leads Fundraising in State Senate 14 Campaign
A $200,000 donation from William McBride helps the Republican top his rival for the state Senate District 14 race in fund-raising, according to the latest campaign finance reports.
An update from an earlier post – thanks to Representative Dana Young, who pointed out to us the silliness of an attack ad in Senate District 22 that tries to hit Represenatitve Jeff Brandes for his support of a bill that would allow Google to pursue driverless cars in Florida.
In nasty east Hillsborough race, now both Lee and Burgin face ethics complaints
The slugfest for an eastern Hillsborough County state Senate seat took another turn Monday when two people filed an ethics complaint against candidate Tom Lee, just a week away from the primary election.
State Senate race becomes a rematch between the Bullards and Saunders
The race for the Democratic nominee for Senate District 39 has come down to a contest between legacies.
Blog: The new attack on Jeff Brandes — He’s pushing robot cars on Floridians
This weekend I heard a robo call from the Committee to Protect Florida suggestng that state senate candidate Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, wants to have little old ladies across the state fleeing from “robot cars” on Florida roads.
THE NEWS SERVICE OF FLORIDA: Representative Gonzalez sues to block opponent from the ballot
The legislative campaign between Representative Eddy Gonzalez of Hialeah and his challenger in the Republican primary, Maykel “Miguel” Balboa, has moved into the courts, with Gonzalez filing a wide-ranging complaint Monday seeking to have Balboa kicked off the ballot and an allied political group dissolved.
Four millionaires in hunt for Treasure Coast state legislative seat
This year’s field of candidates vying for Treasure Coast state legislative seats features four millionaires, including the second-wealthiest of all Florida House and Senate hopefuls.
Lawmakers could be asked to pay Ray Sansom’s legal bills
Ray Sansom’s career as speaker of the House was one of the shortest in Florida history.
Florida Attorney General battling with Legislature over settlement
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is quietly feuding with the GOP-controlled Legislature over who should have a say over more than $300 million intended to help homeowners.
Florida ranks fourth in nation for high closing costs
Home sale prices may be cheaper in Florida today than during the boom years, but loan origination and title fees ranked the state fourth in the nation for pricey closing costs.
Economic forecast predicts tepid growth in coming years
Florida’s economy will continue to grow in the next three years, but at a pace that will not reach the heights of the previous decade for some time, according to a new economic forecast from the University of Central Florida.
Federal Insurance Office Eyeing Firms With Non-Insurance Subs
Large insurance companies with major non-insurance subsidiaries are the ones vulnerable to being designated systemically significant internationally, a Treasury official said Monday.
Mississippi Law Calling for Hurricane Mitigation Credits Takes Effect
Mississippi residents along the state’s coastline who are building new homes or chose to strengthen their current homes against hurricane damage can now qualify for premium credits from their property insurer.
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