Capitol to Courthouse Florida Insurance Report – Wednesday, November 16, 2016
Nov 16, 2016
Insurance giant to lay off 103 in Broward County
Woodland Hills, California-based Farmers Insurance Group has filed notice with state of Florida regulators that it intends reduce its Plantation workforce by 103 positions. Nina Lincoff reports for the South Florida Business Journal.
All caps email leads to lawsuit against Sha’Ron James
A 64-year-old former employee of state Insurance Consumer Advocate Sha’Ron James says she was wrongly fired, Jim Rosica reports for FloridaPolitics.com.
Shrinking Shores: Florida reneges on pledges to its beaches
State leaders have failed to deliver money promised to keep sand out of Florida’s dozens of inlets, a major driver of beach erosion. Ryan Mills and Eric Staats reports for the Naples Daily News.
St. Pete lawmaker tests fully autonomous Uber – and loves it
Florida State Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) spent the day in Pittsburgh testing out a fully autonomous Uber vehicle as part of his two-year quest to further such advancements in the Tampa Bay region. Janelle Irwin reports for the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Orchid Underwriters Introduces Connect
Founded in 1998 and based in Vero Beach, Florida, Orchid specializes in providing specialty insurance products for homeowners and small businesses.
Scott describes vision for health care reform
Governor Rick Scott’s vision for health care in Florida after President-elect Donald Trump repeals the Affordable Care Act would be cheaper, high quality and it would make use of the latest technology available. Arek Sarkissian reports for the Naples Daily News.
Florida Senate won’t follow House’s lead in upending rules for lobbyists
Already, watchers of the Florida Legislature can see the first break between the House and the Senate this year: Where Speaker-designate Richard Corcoran is going after lobbyists in tough new rules, President-designate Joe Negron’s Senate rules released Tuesday do no such thing. The Tampa Bay Times’ Michael Auslen reports via “The Buzz” blog.
Freshman state senators learn the ropes in Tallahassee
Newcomers to the Florida Senate were met with a dose of reality Tuesday, in the form of a warning about the state’s iffy revenue forecasts, FloridaPolitics.com’s Michael Moline reports.
Governor Rick Scott considering bid for U.S. Senate in 2018
Florida Governor Rick Scott, who challenged the Republican establishment six years ago and stormed his way into the governor’s mansion, now says he is considering running for the U.S. Senate. The Associated Press’ Gary Fineout reports via the Winter Haven News Chief.
Term-limited Florida CFO Atwater says he won’t run for office in 2018
Long talked of for some kind of higher office, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater says he won’t be on any ballot next election cycle. John Kennedy reports for the Palm Beach Post.
Court date set for decision on Senate District 30 primary do-over
Newly elected state Senator Bobby Powell, D-Riviera Beach, is slated to be sworn-in next Tuesday after a court case that will shape his political future, John Kennedy reports for the Palm Beach Post.
Will Florida have enough water by 2070?
During the next half century, urban sprawl across Florida could double the water consumption of cities and suburbs, according to a new study released Tuesday. The Miami Herald’s Jenny Staletovich reports.
- Does population surge mean Florida will be parched?
- Florida sees greatest annual increase in population since 2006
Closed foreclosures in Florida still highest nationally
Florida recorded 53,084 closed foreclosures during the 12-month period ended in September, according to a report from real estate data provider CoreLogic. John Hielscher reports for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Pay up, Fasano tells state for database crashes; state says no
After the latest crash of the Florida driver’s license database, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano decided he’d had enough. He sent an invoice of $5,155.91 to state highway safety chief Terry Rhodes, demanding that the state reimburse the county for the local tax revenue he lost, the Tampa Bay Times’ Steve Bousquet reports via “The Buzz” blog.
More listeria recalls for ice cream sold in Florida
Listeria problems, which caused several national ice cream recalls that touched Florida in October, continue to do so in November, the Miami Herald reports.
Scammers posing as FPL targeting businesses, demanding payment
Phone scammers posing as Florida Power & Light Co. employees have been targeting customers across its 35-county territory for months. The Palm Beach Post’s Susan Salisbury reports via the “Protecting Your Pocket” blog.
ISO Files Homesharing Coverage Options For Homeowners’ Policies
The new homeowners coverage options and accompanying rating provisions have been filed on a multistate basis to offer additional protection for homeowners and renters who choose to participate in homesharing. They address a number of exposures faced by homesharing hosts including: liability, theft, vandalism, and damage to guests’ property, Insurance Journal reports.
FEMA Adds 4,400 Properties to High-Risk Zones in Tennessee’s Davidson County
Thousands of property owners may have to purchase flood insurance for the first time as new flood maps go into effect next year in Davidson County, Insurance Journal reports.
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