Florida’s decade long attempt to reform the state’s automobile no-fault insurance law has finally paid off. Gov. Rick Scott, flanked by rows of law enforcement officials and state officials, signed into law HB119, a measure that was a centerpiece of his successful 2010 run for governor. Sponsored by Rep. Jim Boyd (R-Manatee), the new law is a comprehensive re-write of the state’s automobile personal injury protection insurance law. READ MORE in the "Insurance Journal" Add Comment U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called on Thursday for a federal law to ban talking on a cell phone or texting while driving any type of vehicle on any road in the country. Tough federal legislation is the only way to deal with what he called a “national epidemic,” he said at a distracted-driving summit in San Antonio, Texas, that drew doctors, advocates and government officials. LaHood said it is important for the police to have “the opportunity to write tickets when people are foolishly thinking they can drive safely or use a cell phone and text and drive.” LaHood has previously criticized behind-the-wheel use of cell phones and other devices, but calling for a federal law prohibiting the practice takes his effort to a new level. READ MORE in the "Insurance Journal" Florida officials said they have arrested a licensed massage therapist, a physician’s assistant and 14 massage clinic patients on charges of insurance fraud and grand theft as part of an undercover sting. Officials said Judith Gonzalez, 39, owner of Flamingo Health Corp. in Miami, allegedly billed insurance companies nearly $250,000 in fraudulent insurance claims and coached patients on how to commit personal injury protection (PIP) fraud. The investigation determined that Gonzalez directed undercover officers posing as patients to sign blank treatment forms and coached them on how to answer questions from their insurance company. READ MORE.... U.S. auto safety regulators on Thursday announced a proposal that would require brake override systems on all new passenger cars and trucks, likely by the 2015 model year. The U.S. Department of Transportation safety regulation arm in a 98-page proposal said costs to auto manufacturers are expected to be “close to zero” because most automakers already install brake override systems that can stop a vehicle if the accelerator pedal gets stuck open. Read More........ The St. Joseph Peninsula is picture-perfect Florida: 17 miles of sugar sand beach interrupted by a few clusters of homes, each with a million-dollar view of the Gulf of Mexico. But according to state officials, the peninsula on Florida’s Panhandle cradles the state’s most rapidly eroding beach — and replenishing the sand is costing state and local taxpayers millions of dollars. read more Hospitalization for underage drinking is common in the United States, and it comes with a price tag — the estimated total cost for these hospitalizations is about $755 million per year. A Mayo Clinic study also found geographic and demographic differences in the incidence of alcohol-related hospital admissions. The findings were published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. READ MORE Florida Workers’ Compensation Rate Hike Irks Businesses January 16, 2012 Florida small businesses seeing their second workers’ compensation rate increase in as many years are calling on the state to reduce the increase because they fear it will harm the economy. A small business group is asking that the increase … Gov. Rick Scott wants lawmakers to fix an auto insurance issue that is costing Floridians millions of dollars but have eluded resolution for more than a decade. The issue facing the largest number of Floridians is the rising cost of personal injury protection or PIP coverage that licensed drivers must buy. In some neighborhoods in the Tampa Bay area and South Florida the coverage can add several hundred dollars annually to auto insurance premiums, a cost that’s almost entirely the result of rampant fraud. Construction is a risky business. One-half of all construction firms in business today will be out of business six years from now, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. An economic downturn, labor difficulties, material shortages, equipment problems, and a host of many other problems can cause a contractor's business to fail -- leaving projects at a standstill. For surety bond information check here. It’s true: The young are often underinsured, while retirees may be overinsured Most of us should “outgrow’’ our need for life insurance as we approach retirement. Research has shown that young couples are usually underinsured, while couples in their 50s and older are overinsured. One of the better uses for a life insurance policy that is no longer needed as life insurance is as a substitute for long-term-care insurance — while the money is not available until the person needing long-term care dies, a life insurance death benefit can help replace assets lost while caring for the spouse in long- term care. It can also be used to replace some of an inheritance that has been lost to long-term-care expenses. |   J.W. Edens & Co. | Brevard County
|
RSS Feed