Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Friday, Jan. 25
Jan 25, 2008
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Allstate Agents Group Supports Company In Fla. Dispute
Allstate agents group has filed a brief with a Florida appeals court supporting the Northbrook, Ill., insurer’s efforts to prevent the state’s regulator from lifting the company’s license.
Allstate gives documents to regulator
Allstate Corp., the nation’s largest publicly traded home and auto insurer, has turned over material it considers trade secrets to the Florida regulator trying to bar the company from selling new policies in the state.
Read to be named hurricane center chief
Veteran forecaster Bill Read is expected to be named director of the National Hurricane Center later Friday, The Miami Herald has learned.
Takeouts slow Citizens’ growth
Seven companies that assumed policies from the state-run insurer helped curb its growth a bit in the past year.
Live near the beach? State Farm not there
State Farm Insurance, Florida’s largest private home insurer, has begun dropping property coverage for 50,000 Floridians as part of a rate reduction agreement with the state.
Ignoring need for catastrophe fund would be disaster
One reason Florida moved its primary to Jan. 29, is so that issues pressing to the nation’s fourth-largest state would get the candidates’ attention.
EDITORIAL: Either pay ’em more, or do it ourselves
Let’s review the action.
EDITORIAL: Our position: Presidential candidates should help solve Florida property-insurance crisis
If the candidates for president are smart, they’ll keep promising relief to homeowners who’ve taken a beating on property insurance.
Florida’s banks rupturing in face of credit crisis
Florida’s biggest banks got hammered by the deepening credit crisis in the fourth quarter.
Agent faces 90 counts of fraud
A South Tampa insurance agent accused of bilking the company he worked for out of thousands of dollars turned himself in to authorities Thursday and was arrested on 90 fraud-related counts, sheriff’s officials said.
Debate was a good night for everyone but pimps, gamblers, non-Republicans
9:10 p.m. Under way — and talking about free money for everyone!
Thursday night’s Republican debate — the last one before the Florida primary, which could more or less determine the GOP nominee — was supposed to be a crucial turning point.
Gov. Crist says Amendment 1 will stir home sales
Gov. Charlie Crist made several stops Thursday in South Florida while campaigning for the proposed property tax legislation on Tuesday’s ballot.
Seminoles to roll out Vegas-style slots Monday
Las Vegas-style slots hit the Seminole Hard Rock next week, but blackjack and baccarat are months away.
About 1,000 Las Vegas-style slot machines will begin spinning at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino near Hollywood on Monday — months earlier than expected and one day before a vote to allow slot machines in Miami-Dade.
Justice Dept. OKs Florida voting changes
The U.S. Department of Justice has blessed some, but not all, of Florida’s latest voting changes, despite protests from civil rights groups.
The impact for now: none.
Florida board backs 8% tuition increase
Florida’s college students, who just got hit with a tuition increase this month, could pay 8 percent more for their classes starting in the fall if the panel that oversees the state university system has its way.
1 step closer to fair tax reform
While Florida voters are deliberating about an ill-advised constitutional amendment proposal on Tuesday’s ballot, the state Tax and Budget Reform Commission is pushing toward a deadline to determine what it might do to truly reform Florida’s convoluted taxing structure.
AMA now a voice for the uninsured
Dr. Nancy Nielsen, president-elect of the American Medical Association, came to the Economic Club of Florida on a mission: to speak Thursday on behalf of those without health insurance. And she came packing a powerful story of a Tallahassee woman to illustrate her point.
Chancellor for Colleges Is Named
Former Broward Community College president Will Holcombe became Florida’s community colleges chancellor Thursday after holding the job on an interim basis since October. He was appointed by Education Commissioner Eric Smith, also a newcomer who assumed his post in December.
Imagine that you buy a house with mostly borrowed money — a mortgage — and the lender insists that you take out fire insurance to protect your house and his collateral.
Senate Committee Shift Could Hamper OFC Effort
Advocates of optional federal chartering for insurers are looking for a new champion in the Senate after a prime supporter was given a new committee assignment, insurance industry sources said today.
Samsung insurance arm raided in corruption probe
A South Korean special counsel raided an insurance arm of Samsung Group on Friday as a part of its probe into whether the country’s largest conglomerate may have bribed public officials, the company said.
D.C. to Appeal Revised Flood maps
The District of Columbia is planning to challenge new maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that would designate a broad section of the city’s center a flood zone.
House To Hold Hearing On Bond Insurance
Concerned that bond insurers’ weakness will raise borrowing costs for state and local government, members of a House committee said today they will hold a hearing next month to examine whether stronger regulation for the sector is needed.
Word Of Bond Insurer Bailout Plan Premature: Says Dinallo
New York State Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo moved to quell speculation today about how fast regulators and banks might move and what action might be taken to bolster troubled bond insurers.
La. To Drop Risk Retention Group Fee Request
Louisiana officials have informed a risk retention group trade organization that a plan to charge RRGs a $1,000 fee has been dropped.
Mass. Bill to Ban Texting While Driving Includes Insurance Surcharges
The Massachusetts House has approved a bill banning drivers from talking or texting on cell phones while behind the wheel, despite opposition from a lawmaker from a city where authorities say a man sending a message struck and killed a 13-year-old boy in a hit-and-run accident last month.
Ohio Med Mal Reports Says Drop in Claims Attributed to Reform Efforts
A new report released this week by the Ohio Department of Insurance says the number of medical malpractice claims in the state dropped 20 percent from 2005 to 2006.
Minn. Victim Fund Bill Raises Questions on Caps, Insurer Reimbursement
United in a desire to provide state money to victims of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, Minnesota lawmakers are split over whether to cap those awards at $400,000 or leave the check size to a neutral decisionmaker.