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Talk of the Bay

Record-setting tourism figures still disappoint

By TIMES STAFF
Published February 17, 2007

Record-setting tourism figures still disappoint

Preliminary numbers released Friday showed Florida attracted a record 84.6-million visitors in 2006. But tourism officials weren't exactly doing handstands. The 1.2-percent increase was well below previous years' growth and less than half of what Visit Florida, the state's tourism marketing agency, predicted going into 2006. Visit Florida chairman Donna Ross described the state's tourism market as "unstable," and CEO Bud Nocera said Florida needs higher growth to strengthen the economy. The agency, by the way, is leading a drive for the state to boost public spending on tourism marketing by $34.3-million.

Insurance overhaul yields first reward

Last week, St. Petersburg-based American Strategic Insurance Co. became the first property insurer in the state to file for lower rates based on the state's recently enacted insurance overhaul. Friday, it became the first to win approval by state regulators to do just that. ASI will lower rates by a statewide average of 11.4 percent for its nearly 205,000 policyholders, including about 20,000 in the Tampa Bay area. The new rates are effective March 1 for new customers and May 1 for renewals. Royal Palm and Security First have also filed for rate reductions of 20.7 percent and 22.3 percent, respectively. Regulators also said Friday that Tampa-based American Integrity Insurance has begun sending notices to about 90,000 policyholders of state-run Citizens Property Insurance with an offer of private market coverage at lower rates.

Judge signs off on Allstate suit deal

A federal court judge in Texas this week approved a nationwide class-action lawsuit settlement, first reached in June and reported in the Times, that will force Allstate Insurance Co. to change the way it uses credit reports in setting auto and homeowners insurance rates. The suit was filed in 2001 by seven policyholders, including a Plant City mother and daughter, on behalf of about 5-million African-American and Hispanic customers. They alleged they were discriminated against by being charged higher premiums based on Allstate's use of credit scoring. As part of the initial agreement, Allstate agreed to change the way it uses credit reports. Allstate denied any wrongdoing or liability, but agreed to pay up to $150 to those who qualify for a refund, and $11.7-million in attorney fees. "This is a ground-breaking settlement," said lead plaintiff's attorney Christa Collins of the Tampa law firm of James, Hoyer, Newcomer and Smiljanich.

[Last modified February 17, 2007, 11:01:06]