Florida Senator Mike Fasano, State Representative Rick Kriseman Join Others At Media Conference to Highlight Opposition to Omnibus Property Insurance Reform Bills SB 408 and HB 803
Mar 22, 2011
This morning, March 22, 2011, Florida Senator Mike Fasano and State Representative Rick Kriseman, along with the Merlin Law Group, held a media conference in Tallahassee to express “outrage” at recent insurance legislation, which they characterized as “giveaways to the insurance industry.”
Of greatest specific concern, Representative Kriseman said, is the omnibus property insurance reform package, SB 408 and its House counterpart, HB 803.
According to Representative Kriseman, the actual cash value/replacement cost value provisions in the bills would allow insurance companies to pay claims directly to mortgage holders and choose contractors against a policyholders’ will. He also said that SB 1330 would deregulate Florida’s insurance industry.
Representative Kriseman ended with the statement that Florida is “for sale,” and that the insurance industry “has the money to buy it.”
A State Farm policyholder was on hand at this morning’s event to relate that, after finding a sinkhole on his property, he filed a sinkhole claim. Subsequently, State Farm attempted to repair the damage by grouting under the home, along with other processes, which resulted in the collapse of his well, thereby forcing his family into temporary housing. The policyholder claimed that, two years later, State Farm attempted to determine why the repairs failed, which now has delayed his claim for the past five years. The policyholder used this example to illustrate why he opposes HB 803 and SB 408.
Senator Fasano stated that the insurance bills being currently proposed are the most consumer-unfriendly he has ever seen. He also claimed the property insurance legislation will negatively impact Florida’s unemployment rate.
Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Colodny Fass.
To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an email to bellis@cftlaw.com.