Capitol to Courthouse Headliners: Tuesday, September 14

Sep 14, 2010

 

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Interim leader named at insurer after CEO jailed in Florida

The board of insurance company Horace Mann Educators Corp. said Monday it has named an interim chief executive after learning CEO Louis Lower pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and has begun serving a 60-day jail sentence in Florida.

 

Blog:  Regulators cast spotlight on Florida’s property insurance crisis           

State insurance regulators will hold a public symposium next month in the Orlando area about how to improve the state’s stormy property insurance industry.

 

Correction:  Star Casualty Insurance Co.’s Ratings Affirmed

Correction: Insurance Journal regrets an error in the original headline of this story, posted on Sept. 13, 2010, that incorrectly stated Star Casualty’s ratings were downgraded. Star Casualty’s ratings were affirmed.

 

Judge hints Florida suit against health care law may go to trial

A federal judge in Pensacola, Fla., indicated today that he will likely allow a Florida lawsuit challenging the new federal health care reform law to go to trial, the Pensacola News Journal reports.

 

Bid dispute may delay Florida’s prescription drug monitoring plan

Florida’s prescription drug monitoring plan likely will not launch by the Dec. 1 deadline set in the law because of a protest filed by a company that lost the bid to set up the electronic database.

 

Humana hiring 180 in Tampa Bay area

Insurance giant Humana is hiring about 180 people in the Tampa Bay area as it ramps up for the January opening of a new insurance program.

 

Poor economy, better outreach means more kids enrolled in Florida’s KidCare

Fifteen months after Gov. Charlie Crist signed a law making it easier for low-income families to get health insurance for their children, more people are doing just that.

 

Blog:  Florida Senator LeMieux helps break GOP hold on small business bill

Florida Sen. George LeMieux was one of two Republicans to break with their party today to clear a bill that would create a $30 billion government fund to free up lending for small businesses.

 

Florida budget panel revising long-range outlook

A joint House-Senate panel is considering the adoption of a revised long-range outlook that would cut Florida’s estimate budget gap by more than half to $2.5 billion for next year.

 

Florida GOP to decide soon if it will sue Charlie Crist

Thrasher raises some questions about Crist’s use of party funds

The Republican Party of Florida could decide by the end of the week when to release a report on the use of party funds under its former chairman and whether to embark on a lawsuit against Gov. Charlie Crist, state party Chairman John Thrasher said.

 

Bauer finds 29 problem Florida banks 

Bauer Financial’s report rated 29 South Florida-chartered banks “problematic” or worse in Q2, indicating Florida’s role as the nation’s leading punching bag for banks won’t let up soon.

 

Feds to Bank of Miami:  Raise money

Federal regulators have given the Bank of Miami until the end of the month to raise capital.

 

Blog:  Greer trial pushed to next year

The trial of former Republican Party of Florida chairman Jim Greer on six felony charges of theft, organized fraud and money laundering had been scheduled to begin on Oct. 18 – the first day of early voting.

 

U.S. Justice Dept. awards Florida $3.16M

The Sunshine State was awarded $3.16 million by the Justice Department that will be used to improve the quality, completeness and accessibility of records under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

 

Blog:  Florida jobs stimulus misses hiring goals

When Gov. Charlie Crist announced the Florida Back to Work program late last year, he said the jobs package would pay $200 million in wages to 10,000 workers. As the program draws to a close at the end of the month, the numbers fall far short of those goals.

 

Crist may drop defense of Florida gay adoption ban

In a move that could boost gay couples’ rights, Gov. Charlie Crist said Tuesday that he’ll consider ending a legal battle over same-sex adoptions.

 

Latin America leaders convene in Miami

El Salvador President Mauricio Funes is calling for unity across the Americas in combatting problems like narcotrafficking and in solidifying democratic governance.

 

St. Pete Beach remains ground zero for Amendment 4

Robert Fleeting had a simple plan when his company, Coral Reef Partners LLC, bought a condemned six-story waterfront hotel in St. Pete Beach in 2004: Tear it down and spend $60 million to build a resort community featuring twin 12-story towers with 248 units.

 

Florida Sports Hall of Fame opens

The Florida Sports Hall of Fame officially opened Tuesday at the Lake Myrtle Sports Complex in Auburndale.

 

Possible National Flood Insurance Program Extension To December Not Enough, Industry Representative Warns 

A short-term National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) extension to December is problematic because Congress’ schedule toward the end of the year is uncertain and another lapse could result, an agent association representative said.

 

Allstate rate request pending in Mississippi

Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Co. has until Sept. 23 to submit documents to support its requested 44 percent rate increase in Mississippi.

 

Texas judge insured by State Farm steps down in company’s overcharge appeal case

The seven-year saga over State Farm Insurance and how much it owes its customers for alleged overcharges was prolonged again Monday as a state judge was forced to step down from the case because he is a State Farm customer.

 

Georgia-Based AssuranceAmerica Names New CFO

AssuranceAmerica Corporation announced today that Sheree Williams has joined AssuranceAmerica Corporation as its Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer effective September 13, 2010.

 

First American Title Insurance launches Mortgage Services division

First American Title Insurance Company has launched its new Mortgage Services division, which is designed to address the title, settlement and valuation needs of residential originators with national retail platforms.

 

Analysis:  Property/casualty reserve releases a concern

The U.S. property/casualty insurance industry’s reserves currently are slightly redundant, but expected continued reserve releases are a concern, A.M. Best Co. Inc. said in a Tuesday report.

 

Reinsurers face taxing time on premiums

The insurance industry is facing political and regulatory tension between the US and Europe that threatens to make life more difficult for companies doing business in the US – and more costly for US consumers.

 

 

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