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Premium Tax Reporting Moves to Electronic Format

Premium Tax Reporting Moves to Electronic Format

The Florida Department of Revenue is moving forward with rulemaking that will require insurers to submit premium tax returns electronically.  The new electronic system will be in place by the time returns are due in 2011, although insurers will be able to request waivers if they are unable to comply. The Department of Revenue has […]

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Senate Banking & Insurance Committee Contains Familiar Names

Senate Banking & Insurance Committee Contains Familiar Names

Senate President Mike Haridopolis has appointed members of the Senate to its various committees, including the Banking & Insurance committee.   Senator Garrett Richter, R-Naples, continues to serve as chairmain of the committee and Senator Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, remains the vice chair. Other members of the committee include J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales, Mike Bennett ,  R-Bradenton, Ellyn Bogdanoff , […]

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Insurer Report Card Rule on Hold

Insurer Report Card Rule on Hold

The insurer report card rule reportedly must go through the rulemaking process again if it is to move forward.  The rule originally was scheduled to be presented for final adoption at a November Cabinet meeting, but it was deferred until the December 7 meeting.  However, it was then withdrawn because the rulemaking process would have exceeding the […]

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Cabinet Races Decided; Governor’s Race Close

Cabinet Races Decided; Governor’s Race Close

At least three-fourths of the next Financial Services Commission is known, as the races for Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General and Commissioner of Agriculture went to the Republican candidates.  The fourth member of the Financial Services Commission– the Governor, remains to be determined although Republican Rick Scott continues to lead the tight race by a […]

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Workshop to Address Workers’ Comp Excess Profits Rule

Workshop to Address Workers’ Comp Excess Profits Rule

The Office of Insurance Regulation has announced a workshop for November 17, 2010, to discuss proposed changes to administrative rule 69O-189.007 relating to to workers’ compensation excess profits reporting.  The notable changes are not to the administrative rule itself, but to the OIR-B1-15 reporting form it incorporates by reference.  Revised instructions to the reporting form would […]

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OIR Hosts Property Insurance Symposium

OIR Hosts Property Insurance Symposium

At the end of the recent NAIC conference in Orlando, the Office of Insurance Regulation held a symposium on the state of Florida’s property insurance market.  The session recapped many of the known concerns about the current market, including the role of sinkholes, re-opened hurricane claims, and public adjusters in driving up insurers losses and […]

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Senate Committee Issues Brief on Public Adjusters

Senate Committee Issues Brief on Public Adjusters

The Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance has issued a brief on public adjusters as additional legislation is contemplated for the 2011 session.  The brief begins with a recap of the public adjuster reforms that were included in SB 2044, which passed both chambers of the legislature in the 2010 but was vetoed by Governor […]

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OIR Finds 7.8% Workers’ Compensation Rate Change Justified

OIR Finds 7.8% Workers’ Compensation Rate Change Justified

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has issued an Order on Rate Filing to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) arising from its recent 8.3% rate request.  The OIR did not find the full 8.3% to be justified, but does believe a 7.8% change is appropriate. NCCI selected an indemnity trend factor within the […]

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Commissioner McCarty Joins in NAIC Letter on PPACA

Commissioner McCarty Joins in NAIC Letter on PPACA

Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty and other state insurance commissioners recently wrote to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius regarding concerns with the medical loss ratio requirements arising from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  Under the PPACA, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) must develop uniform definitions […]

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OIR Approves Additional Citizens Rates

OIR Approves Additional Citizens Rates

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has released a second Order establishing rates for additional product lines at Citizens Property Insurance Corporation.   The Office of Insurance Regulation previously issued another order establishing Citizens’ homeowners insurance rates. The most recent Order sets Citizens’ dwelling fire rates at a 10.4% statewide average increase, which is slightly more […]

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