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Talk of the bay: Two insurers learn from other's lessons
By Times staff
Published August 18, 2007
After what happened to Florida Farm Bureau and State Farm, maybe it makes sense that AMEX Assurance and IDS Property Casualty, two small property insurers in Florida, decided Friday to withdraw their rate filings. AMEX and IDS had sought 49.1 percent rate hikes for their homeowners' policies, after estimating a 26 percent decrease in March. Smart move to back off, considering regulators last month denied Farm Bureau's 30 percent rate hike and said State Farm's 7 percent decrease wasn't enough. First Floridian, Travelers and Cypress have also had rate requests denied. AMEX and IDS have until Sept. 30 to submit a new filing. Lobbyists target Crist's green plans
Gov. Charlie Crist's attempts to "green" the Sunshine state are "all economic pain for no environmental gain," according to a national conservative group chaired by former U.S. Rep. Dick Armey. Crist has embraced "the Nancy Pelosi global warming agenda" and pandered "to environmentalists and the liberal media on the issue of global warming," Armey wrote in a statement Friday. Armey's FreedomWorks, a conservative lobbying group, urged conservatives to sign an Internet petition opposing Crist's attempts to push the state to use more renewable power and reduce emissions from vehicles. FreedomWorks praised state House speaker Marco Rubio for his resistance to Crist's plans, calling him a "brave lawmaker." Gas Watch The price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas in the Tampa Bay area:
Friday: $2.650
Thursday: $2.653
Month ago: $2.926
Year ago: $2.933
Record: $3.095*
* Record set May 24
Source: AAA/Oil Price Information Service To find the cheapest gas where you live, visit money.tampabay.com
[Last modified August 17, 2007, 22:42:18]
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