Citizens Insurance Rate Hike Approved For 2017
September 17, 2016
The majority of homeowners with Citizens Property Insurance should expect to see a rate increase next year, after the Office of Insurance Regulation on Friday approved most of the changes requested by the state-backed insurer.
The new rates will go into effect on Feb. 1, 2017. Citizens requested the increase primarily to cover a surge in water-damage claims.
“The 2017 rates reflect the growing challenge of rising water loss claims and the disturbing increased costs associated with assignment of benefits,” Citizens President & CEO Barry Gilway said in a press release. “Unless the legislature takes action, our policyholders can expect these increases for years to come.”
Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier adjusted down the request on homeowners’ multi-peril accounts from 6.8 percent to 6.4 percent, but regulators approved the rest of Citizens’ requests without change. Under the rates approved Friday, homeowners’ wind-only insurance in coastal areas will increase an average 8.2 percent and mobile homeowners’ multi-peril accounts will go up by 5.7 percent. The actual premium change for individual policyholders depends on a number of factors, including the amount of coverage and the location of the property.
A homeowner with multi-peril coverage in Miami faces an average hike of 9.9 percent while the same coverage in Orlando on average will decrease by 3.6 percent. Citizens projects that, of its 492,775 personal and commercial policies in place as of Sept. 9, about 100,000 will see rate reductions next year. Regulators also ordered further review of the rates of Monroe County, which includes the Florida Keys.
“This review is in addition to a separate initiative underway to evaluate building code standards in Monroe County and their effect on rates,” the release from the Office of Insurance Regulation stated. “The office will require an additional rate filing by Citizens for its policyholders in Monroe County if the results of either or both of these efforts support such a filing.”
The review comes after officials and residents in Monroe County sought a delay on wind-storm policies. Republican Sen. Anitere Flores, who has pushed legislation that would scale back the size of Citizens, called the rate hike a “slap in the face” of consumers.
“Not only are law abiding policyholders being punished for those abusing the system, they are being forced to comply with an increase that is not even across the board throughout the state,” Flores, R-Miami, said in a press release.
by The News Service of Florida
Medical Marijuana Ready To Hit The Market
July 21, 2016
Medical marijuana could be available to a select group of Florida patients as early as next week, after health officials gave the go-ahead for the state’s first pot dispensary to begin distributing products.
The Northwest Florida operation, known as “Trulieve,” is one of six dispensing organizations licensed by the state Department of Health to grow, process and distribute pot that purportedly does not get users high but is believed to alleviate life-threatening seizures.
Wednesday’s authorization for Trulieve to begin selling products was the first issued by the Department of Health.
The low-THC cannabis, first authorized in 2014, will be available to patients with chronic muscle spasms, cancer or severe forms of epilepsy.
Although Trulieve is the first to get its products to market, the operation may not be too busy once it opens its doors next week, at least for a while.
Only 15 doctors have signed up to order the low-THC products, and no patients are yet registered on a statewide database of Floridians who are eligible for the treatment. Dispensaries can only sell the pot products to patients or their representatives who are registered on the database.
Doctors were supposed to be able to begin ordering the non-euphoric products more than a year ago, but the process has been tangled up in legal challenges.
“We are happy to announce that we have passed all inspections — from growing and processing to dispensing — and are the very first medical cannabis provider in the state to receive these formal authorizations. And we are most excited to get this much anticipated medicine to the patients of Florida,” Trulieve CEO Kim Rivers said in a statement issued Wednesday
The operation will open its Tallahassee dispensing facility next week, when it will also begin delivering to patients statewide, according to a press release.
“Our new law worked. Promise made, promise kept,” Sen. Rob Bradley, a Fleming Island Republican who was instrumental in passage of the 2014 law, said Wednesday on Twitter.
Concerned that challenges over a limited number of licenses could further delay startup of the pot operations, the Legislature this year passed a law ensuring that winning nurseries could keep their licenses, even if judges decided that losing applicants should have been selected by health officials. And the law allows for three more dispensing organizations once more than 250,000 patients are registered to receive the marijuana treatment.
The 2016 law also allows the dispensing organizations to grow full-strength pot, which will be available to terminally ill patients. Trulieve expects to begin selling the full-strength marijuana in early August, the company said Wednesday.
More than two dozen applicants vied for the highly-sought after licenses, and challenges for additional licenses are still ongoing.
Health officials estimate that about 250,000 patients could be eligible for the low-THC treatment, but just a fraction of those are expected to seek the pot products. State Office of Compassionate Use Director Christian Bax testified last week that health officials do not have projections for how many patients might be eligible for full-strength marijuana, but that number is expected to be much smaller.
Marijuana operators, however, have their eyes on a more lucrative market — up to $3.5 billion in annual sales, according to one estimate by state economists — that could open up in Florida after the November election.
Voters will decide whether Florida should legalize full-strength marijuana for a variety of medical ailments, including Parkinson’s disease, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS and post-traumatic stress disorder. In 2014, a similar proposal narrowly failed to get the 60 percent approval from voters required for passage of constitutional amendments in the state.
by Dara Kam, The News Service of Florida
Cantonment House Fire Under Investigation
April 21, 2016
An early morning house fire in Cantonment is under investigation by the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office. The fire was reported in a brick home about 2:35 a.m. in the 1200 block of Plata Canada Drive off Tate Road. All occupants were able to escape the home without injury. Photo by Jason Robbins. WEAR 3 for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Law To Provide Death Benefits For First Responders
April 19, 2016
A new law will help families of first responders who are enrolled in the Florida Retirement System and get killed in the line of duty.
The death-benefits bill was a priority of Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando.
“When people give their lives in the service of our state, the least we can do is make sure we help provide for the families they leave behind,” Gardiner said in a prepared statement.
The law covers first responders killed since July 1, 2013.
Gardiner pushed for the bill in large part because of Orange County Sheriff’s Deputy Jonathan “Scott” Pine, who in February 2014 was shot and killed while chasing a burglary suspect.
Pine, who had joined the sheriff’s office in 2011, was married and had three children. While enrolled in the retirement system’s 401(k)-style investment plan, Pine’s family was not eligible for survivor benefits beyond what was accrued during his three years of service, Gardiner noted.
“We do not want the spouses of Florida’s fallen heroes to struggle to meet the basic needs of their children,” Gardiner said in a prepared statement.
The measure, sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Margate, and Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-North Fort Myers, ensures that survivors of first responders killed in the line of duty who were members of the investment plan are eligible for the same benefits as those enrolled in the state’s traditional pension plan.
It also provides for the lifetime of a beneficiary the full monthly salary of any “special risk” class member who had been enrolled in the state retirement system.
Special-risk members include law-enforcement officers, firefighters, correctional officers, emergency-medical technicians, paramedics, probation officers and other employees whose jobs may put them at risk.
“With recent world events, it’s more important now than ever to honor our brave men and women who put the safety of others above their own,” Scott said in a prepared statement.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Deadline For Escambia Storm Debris Pickup Is Today
March 13, 2016
Escambia County and Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) crews will begin making their final passes through neighborhoods collecting storm generated debris this week. Residents in the unincorporated areas of Escambia County that have storm related debris are asked to move all debris to the right of way no later than Sunday, March 13.
When moving your debris curbside, please remember:
- All storm generated debris must be separated and be placed in the right-of-way. Residents should avoid placing debris near power poles, fire hydrants, water meters, mail boxes or other utilities. Crews are not allowed on private property so all debris must be in the right-of-way area, typically the area from a power pole to the curb.
- No demolition debris will be picked up, please consult with your insurance company and/or contractor for demolition debris removal.
- Do not place household garbage with storm debris.
- Storm generated debris must be sorted and placed curbside in the following categories:
- Construction– furniture, carpet, tile, steel, glass, brick, concrete, asphalt roofing material, pipe, gypsum wallboard, lumber or anything used in the construction, renovation, and demolition of a structure.
- Vegetative debris – Tree limbs, leaves, logs, pallets, and tree branches
- White goods – washers, dryers, refrigerators, ranges, microwaves, water heaters, freezers and small AC units.
- Electronics – TV’s, computers, monitors, fax machines, stereos, speakers, etc.
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) – Cleaning supplies, batteries, lawn chemicals, oils, oil-based paints and stains and pesticides.
Commercial Customers please contact your contracted waste services provider for disposal services. Commercial waste should not be placed on the right-of-way.
Residents of Century should continue to place their storm debris on the right of way for continued pickup. Vegetative debris should be separated from construction debris.
Motorcyclist Airlifted After Crash Near Bratt
March 3, 2016
One man was critically injured in a single motorcycle accident Thursday afternoon near Bratt.
The motorcyclist lost control on Highway 168 about a mile from Pine Barren Road. The driver and the motorcycle came to rest in a concrete culvert. The 37-year old male was airlifted by LifeFlight to a Pensacola area hospital.
The accident remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. Further details have not been released. The Walnut Hill and Century stations of Escambia Fire Rescambia and Atmore Ambulance also responded to the crash.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Highway 29 Morning Drivers Greeted By Giant Turbines
January 26, 2016
Morning drivers on Highway 29 through North Escambia were greeted by a couple of giant turbine pieces under escort by the Florida Highway Patrol. Details of the transport were not released in advance. Reader submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Glen Rooks Dunaway
December 3, 2015
Glen Dunaway, 95, of Molino, passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2015. He served in the Army during WWII and worked for the local paper mill as a forester for many years. He was a member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
He is preceded in death by his son, John; mother, Jahaza; father, Lee; brothers, Marvin and James; and sisters, Una and Hazel.
He is survived by his wife, Claire; daughter, Amy (Anthony) Adams; daughter-in-law, Susie Dunaway; grandchildren, Alyssa, Johnny, Aaron, and Aadan; sister, Jewel, and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family wishes to thank Century Health and Rehabilitation Center for their excellent and loving care of Glen.
Visitation will be held at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North on Saturday, December 5, 2015, at 1 p.m. followed by the memorial service at 2 p.m. with Reverend Jimmy Cook officiating.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
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