Florida legislature News

Could Appeal Decision in Florida Roof Case Lead to More Expert Witness Challenges?

Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. will have to go back to court to show how an insured’s roof expert was in error when he used questionable data and failed to inspect the claimed damage before a south Florida home …

Fla. Legislature Sends Bill Banning Windshield AOB to Governor

The Florida House of Representatives on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill that would prohibit assignments of benefits for windshield repairs, sending it to the governor for his signature. Senate Bill 1002, passed by a vote of 103 to 16, also …

Viewpoint: Licensing Mandate for Appraisers Will Increase Costs

In a recent motion to intervene in a petition filed with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. supports a state regulation requiring appraisers to be licensed adjusters. If enacted, this would have detrimental consequences for a …

Fla. Accountability Bill Bars Alterations to Adjusters’ Reports

As trial lawyers and news reports around the state continue to criticize Florida lawmakers for the far-reaching tort-reform passed last month, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee has approved a bill designed to bring more accountability for property insurers. By …

Plaintiffs Attorneys Rush to File Suits Before Tort-Reform Bill Signed into Law

The Florida Senate approved a take-no-prisoners tort-reform bill Thursday and it could be signed into law as soon as Friday. The bill, which extends limits on one-way attorney fees, assignments of benefits, and other provisions to most types of insurance …

Florida House Panel Approves Bill to End AOBs in Windshield Repair

Auto insurance and tort-reform groups are celebrating after a subcommittee of the Florida House Banking and Insurance Committee approved a bill that would ban assignment-of-benefits agreements for windshield repairs, a measure that proponents hope will stem a flood of litigation …

Fla. Tort Reform Bill Aims to Pick Up Where Lawmakers Left Off

Outside of insurance attorneys, plaintiffs’ lawyers and some doctors, few people in Florida may be familiar with what are known as letters of protection. But critics say the instruments, in which doctors agree to take a share of the judgment …

DeSantis Pitches More Tort Reform, Trial Lawyers Push Back

It’s now clear what the regular session of the Florida Legislature will focus on when lawmakers convene March 7: More litigation measures that would bring property insurance-type reforms to automobile, liability and other lines of insurance. The rough outlines of …

New Florida Law Makes Joint Settlement Offers ‘Legit’ but May Not Go Far Enough

In the celebration over the Florida Legislature’s sweeping insurance reforms approved last month, one statutory change has slipped under the radar a bit – one that insurance attorneys said will streamline the settlement process and could help reduce litigation. Among …

Viewpoint: Florida Begins New Era with Major Property Insurance Reforms

For the fourth time since 2019, the Florida Legislature has enacted property insurance reforms aimed towards stabilizing a beleaguered insurance market. The bill, S.B. 2-A, creates a reinsurance assistance program, establishes additional oversight for insurers with high volumes of hurricane …