Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, April 8

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Aid for young insurance firms weighed

A bill will hit the floor of the state House of Representatives Wednesday that proposes to use $250 million from the state-run insurer’s reserves to fund a capital-buildup program for young or start-up insurance companies.

Ban on Allstate stalls for now

Court to clarify if freeze immediate; insurer says state must wait

Insurance regulators want to start the arm-twisting of Allstate immediately, and on Monday asked a court if it could.

Allstate complies on release of papers

After years of defying court orders and racking up fines, Allstate has released about 150,000 pages of documents it had staunchly protected as proprietary.

FIC Report Questions Citizens’ Solvency

Florida ’s residual market insurer Citizens’ ability to pay claims if a once-in-100-years storm struck the state is doubtful, according to a study by an insurers association.

EDITORIAL: Public wins records fight with Allstate

Good news for consumers in the Florida insurance wars: An appeals court says state regulators can indeed freeze Allstate out of writing new policies in Florida as punishment for the company’s refusal to cooperate with a rate investigation.

Business Briefcase

State-backed Citizens Property Insurance is in jeopardy of not being able to pay all its claims if Florida’s Hurricane Catastrophe Fund can’t sell bonds, an insurance-industry advocacy group said Monday.

Some Island structures lose insurance discount

Thanks to a bureaucratic change, some Island property owners may face an increase in their flood insurance premiums.

Sen. Bill Nelson blasts FEMA for failing to deliver housing plan

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson blasted top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials on Monday for failing to deliver a plan, due nine months ago, for handling the housing needs of victims after a catastrophe.

Boca’s property insurance premium for 2008 drops

City officials in Boca Raton are trying to deal with price increases at virtually every turn.

High Net Worth Property Underwriter Moves into Florida Panhandle

Florida-based Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) plans to expand into the Florida Panhandle, according to Ross Buchmueller, president and chief executive officer, PURE Risk Management LLC .

Brown & Brown buys Big Sky Underwriters

Hull & Company Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Inc., added to its operations in the northwestern United States with the purchase of Big Sky Underwriters Inc.

Governor Crist Listens to Needs of Uninsured Individuals and Business Owners

Tours St. Petersburg urgent care center and emergency room to learn more about care for uninsured

Governor Charlie Crist today met with business owners and individuals struggling to afford health insurance coverage as part of a Tallahassee Tuesday informal discussion at the Governor’s Mansion.

Mack backs Medicaid payment bill

Without a moratorium renewal, federal rules will cut reimbursements to Lee Memorial

With time dwindling and fears mounting that a new government rule will pinch the flow of Medicaid money, Lee Memorial Health System officials on Monday praised Rep. Connie Mack for pressing Congress to intervene.

Tri-Rail service cut threatened

South Florida could lose out on transportation projects or Tri-Rail service, depending on who wins a legislative tug of war.

If Tri-Rail and the state Department of Transportation don’t come to a funding agreement before the legislative session ends next month, people like Lamada Means may spend a lot more time jammed on Interstate 95.

State Supreme Court questions charges filed against judge’s opinion

The Florida Supreme Court has asked a judicial panel to explain why it filed ethics charges, apparently for the first time in the state’s history, against a judge because of what he wrote in an opinion.

Toxic fears extend beyond Katrina trailers

When Shelly Higdon went camping in her new 27-foot trailer, she didn’t expect to get a headache and sore throat or lose her voice, or her 8-year-old son to get a nosebleed.

Red Cross Names New President and CEO

The American Red Cross today named Gail J. McGovern, a business executive and nonprofits fundraiser, as its president and chief executive officer.

Storm Damage Mitigation May Lead to Discounts for La. Homeowners

Insurance premium discounts are available in 2008 to homeowners in Louisiana who build or retrofit a structure to comply with the requirements of the State Uniform Construction Code, install damage mitigation improvements, or retrofit their property utilizing construction techniques demonstrated to reduce the amount of loss from a windstorm or hurricane.

Award in Katrina lawsuit reversed

A federal appeals court on Monday threw out a $1 million punitive damage award to a Mississippi couple who sued the nation’s largest insurance company over Hurricane Katrina damage.

N.Y. Jumps Assessments On Insurers 20 Percent

An insurer trade group today assailed the New York legislature for approving an increased assessment on carriers domiciled in the state that totals $40 million—or what the group says amounts to a 20 percent hike.