Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has yet to submit his recommendation on where workers’ compensation premium rates should congregate for July 1’s mid-year filings, but some companies are jumping the gun with rate increases far lower than some observers expected.

The nation’s largest mortgage insurer has rejected $334 million in claims since early 2008, contending the loan documents contained false or flimsy information.

Protective Life Corp. CEO John Johns has been with the Birmingham-based life insurance firm since 1993.

State regulators’ push to keep property insurance rates low has created a hostile environment for insurers. And with this year’s hurricane season just around the corner, that could spell disaster if a large storm hits the Sunshine State.