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Insurance

Citizens Assessment Revision in Hands of Senate

Citizens Assessment Revision in Hands of Senate

The Florida House of Representatives has advanced HB 1127 by a vote of 89-25, sending it to the Senate for consideration.  This is the bill that would decrease the reliance of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation on regular assessments, shifting instead to more of an emergency assessment-based approach.  This is a rare bill in which Citizens, […]

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Citizens Survey Reflects Market Concerns

Citizens Survey Reflects Market Concerns

Citizens Property Insurance Corporation recently sent a survey to companies authorized to write property insurance in Florida seeking their input regarding impediments to depopulation.  Citizens’ policy count has increased dramatically in recent months, and interest in so-called take-out has been limited.  The reconstituted depopulation committee of Citizens met last week to consider the results.  The […]

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Workers’ Compensation Excess Profits Repeal Passes House

Workers’ Compensation Excess Profits Repeal Passes House

The Florida House of Representatives has passed a bill (HB 4169) that would repeal Florida’s excess profits law for workers’ compensation insurance.  The Senate should consider this favorable proposal, but unfortunately no companion bill exists. The excess profits law requires workers’ compensation insurers to refund their “excess” profits earned over a three-year period if they […]

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The Foreseeable Consequences of SB 1372

The Foreseeable Consequences of SB 1372

A proposal to reduce the size of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF) remains under consideration in the Florida Senate in the form of SB 1372.  A similar proposal exists in the House of Representatives but has not advanced thus far in the 2012 legislative session. This proposal, which has been termed the FHCF “right-sizing” […]

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Florida Tourism Hits Record Level

Florida Tourism Hits Record Level

Last night I read an article published by News Service of Florida, whose timely articles and analysis I always enjoy.  I mostly pay attention to their articles on insurance-related issues, legislative events, Florida politics and similar issues relating to being a member of a capital-based law firm serving regulated industries.  However, this article caught my […]

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Surplus Lines Insurers Might Gain Right to Write Citizens Policies

Surplus Lines Insurers Might Gain Right to Write Citizens Policies

The Florida House of Representatives has advanced its version of the proposal allowing surplus lines insurers to take policies from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, leaving the issue in the hands of the Senate.  By a vote of 66-48, the House passed HB 245 allowing surplus lines insurers meeting certain requirements to enter into Consent Orders […]

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McCarty Urges PIP Reform

McCarty Urges PIP Reform

Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty called for the Florida legislature to reform this state’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) auto insurance laws at a media availability this afternoon.  According to Commissioner McCarty, if the legislature does not act PIP rates will continue to rise to unsustainable levels, which ultimately would force repeal of the law. PIP reform […]

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Medical Malpractice Protection for ER Doctors Advances

Medical Malpractice Protection for ER Doctors Advances

The House Judiciary committee has favorably reported HB 385 by an 11-2 vote.  The proposal would grant sovereign immunity protection to emergency physicians.  Current law provides that claims under sovereign immunity protection are limited to $200,000 per person and $300,000 per incident. The bill finds that ensuring access to emergency medical services is an important […]

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PIP Bill Clears House Civil Justice Subcommittee

PIP Bill Clears House Civil Justice Subcommittee

The House version of a plan to reform Florida’s personal injury protection laws has cleared the House of Representatives’ Civil Justic Subcommittee by a 10-5 vote.  The next scheduled stop for the bill is the Economic Affairs Committee. The House proposal (HB 119) is a 109-page bill making a number of changes designed to curb […]

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Bad Faith Reform Stalls

Bad Faith Reform Stalls

The effort to reform Florida’s “bad faith” law hit a roadblock in the House of Representative that might signal its demise for this year.  The House Civil Justice Subcommittee narrowly defeated HB 427 by an 8-7 vote.  The bill would extend the provisions of Section 624.155, Florida Statutes, to common law bad faith claims in […]

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