News & Updates

Florida House of Representatives

Special Session Proposals Address Property Market Concerns

Special Session Proposals Address Property Market Concerns

The Florida House of Representatives and Senate have released their proposals for next week’s special session on property insurance reform.  The special session follows last month’s call from Governor Ron DeSantis for a special session dealing with the crisis in Florida’s residential property insurance market. Reinsurance Protection Although their proposals are subject to change when […]

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AOB Reform Still Alive as Session Enters Stretch Run

AOB Reform Still Alive as Session Enters Stretch Run

The Florida Legislature is in the final month of its annual 60-day regular session. This year’s session concludes May 3. For many who follow Florida’s residential property insurance market, the question this year is the same as in recent years— is this the year assignment of benefits (AOB) reform will pass? Floridians throughout the state […]

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Flood Disclosure Fix Shows Progress

Flood Disclosure Fix Shows Progress

Bills to fix a glitch in last year’s flood disclosure requirement have moved out of their first committees in the House and Senate, respectively.  The legislature adopted a requirement last year for homeowners’ insurers to include a disclosure on their policies stating that the policies do not cover flood.  However, the bill did not contain […]

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Session Might Bring Updated Trade Secret Process

Session Might Bring Updated Trade Secret Process

The insurance industry should stay tuned in the 2018 session for potential updates to Florida’s trade secret laws.  Insurers are familiar with Section 624.4213, which creates a process for protecting information submitted to the Office of Insurance Regulation or the Florida Department of Financial Services.  Although the current law has been helpful in creating a […]

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House and Senate Remain Apart on AOB Reform

House and Senate Remain Apart on AOB Reform

Just two weeks into the 2018 legislative session, the Florida House of Representatives and Senate continue to take distinct approaches to the “assignment of benefits” concerns affecting Floridians through increased insurance premiums.  The House passed a bill containing reforms directed at the root of the problem–  the one-way attorneys’ fee statute against insurers, which has […]

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PIP Repeal Effort Will be Among 2018 Highlights

PIP Repeal Effort Will be Among 2018 Highlights

For the auto insurance industry, the potential repeal of Florida’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP), or no-fault, system has become an annual debate.  The 2018 legislative session will be no different as both legislative chambers are set to take up the issue. The Florida House of Representatives has advanced a version of PIP repeal that does […]

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Direct Primary Care Bill Goes Before Full House

Direct Primary Care Bill Goes Before Full House

The Florida House of Representatives’ version of the direct primary care bill (HB 37) has passed all of its assigned committees and is on second reading.  The bill passed two committees unopposed and attracted only a single dissenting vote in a third. The bill would create a new section 624.27 within the Florida Insurance Code […]

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Insurance Consumer Advocate to Host Balance Billing Forum

Insurance Consumer Advocate to Host Balance Billing Forum

Insurance Consumer Advocate Sha’Ron James will host a forum on October 15, 2015, entitled “Finding a Balanced Approach to Unexpected Medical Expenses.”  The forum will bring consumers, medical professionals, insurers and other interested parties together to discuss the balance billing issue.  Ms. James recently told the Florida House of Representatives’ Banking & Insurance Subcommittee that […]

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Legislative Committees Take Up a Range of Bills

Legislative Committees Take Up a Range of Bills

Insurance committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate meet today to consider a range of bills.  The action begins in the House at 9:00, where the committee will hear HB 715 relating to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation as well as several other measures.  In the afternoon, the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee […]

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