PIP Repeal Bill Passes Senate Committee
A Senate committee has advanced SB 1052 on a 5-3 vote. The bill is one of two proposals pending in the Senate that would replace Florida’s no-fault (PIP) auto insurance system with mandatory bodily injury coverage. The other Senate bill has not been heard in committee. Perhaps more importantly, the Florida House also has not taken up a PIP repeal bill so far this session.
The bill would replace PIP with required bodily injury coverage of 25/50 and a mandatory offer of $5,000 and $10,000 of medical payments coverage.
The bill does not include bad faith reform, which continues to create concerns among some lawmakers and observers. PIP repeal has some opposition in both directions. Some industry groups oppose it because the absence of bad faith reform likely will simply transfer problems with the PIP system to a different forum. A chiropractic group opposed the bill because it contends there’s no public sentiment in favor of repealing PIP, and doing so will only cause increases in auto and health insurance premiums.
The trial bar supported the bill, arguing that it should contain higher bodily injury limits.