I just reviewed the Proposed Committee Substitute (PCS) for HB 669. The bill deals with Assignment of Benefits and certain time periods. By the time this bill gets to committee and is voted on it may pass, fail, or be further amended. Therefore, this post may be out of date by the time it gets … Continue Reading
Appraisal in first-party property insurance claims is meant to resolve disagreements over the amount of loss. Appraisal is a contractual alternative dispute resolution process. But often the parties dispute involves some disagreement over the scope of the covered damages resulting from the loss. Insurance carriers often argue that disputes involving the scope of damages caused … Continue Reading
Last week, Corey Harris and I had the pleasure of speaking at the RMAPIA (Rocky Mountain Association of Public Insurance Adjusters) annual meeting. This organization consists of Public Adjusters who work in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. We covered many topics, including Colorado’s Homeowners Insurance Reform Act of 2013. This … Continue Reading
Tuesday, July 8, 2014, from 5:00-7:00pm at the Embassy Suites North, Orlando FL. FAPIA will bring you a comprehensive presentation addressing the issues that have a direct impact on the public adjuster industry, including a discussion regarding the upcoming 2015 Legislative Session. … Continue Reading
When politicians uphold their promises, we should applaud them. Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater was noted in my post last week, Public Adjuster Arrest, Umpire Ethics, and Good Faith Opinions–An Intriguing Story:… Continue Reading
If you live in an area of this country which is prone to hurricanes, you likely have a homeowner’s insurance policy which includes a separate deductible for a hurricane or windstorm event. A reoccurring question which plagues homeowners is: “When exactly does this deductible apply?”… Continue Reading
The Florida Legislature is hurtling towards the end of its 3-month Session. The budget has been finalized (for the most part) and it appears that this Friday will be the final day of Session. As a result, legislators are in overdrive considering bills that dramatically affect policyholders. I have compiled a list of bills that … Continue Reading
In my last blog post, I discussed how the Florida House of Representatives were preparing to vote on House Bill 129 – or the “Citizens Sinkhole Repair Bill.” As predicted, a final vote took place on April 11, 2014. The result? The Citizens Sinkhole Repair Bill cleared the House by an 85-25 vote.… Continue Reading
After yesterday’s legislative session in Tallahassee, it appears the Florida House of Representatives’ final vote on House Bill 129 – commonly referred to as the “Citizens Sinkhole Repair Bill” – may take place as soon as this Friday, April 11th. The proposed legislation seeks to change certain aspects of Florida’s sinkhole law, though only for … Continue Reading
On March 26, 2014 the Florida Senate unanimously passed a bill (Senate Bill 542) to encourage a private flood insurance market. The bill is at a time where there are concerns over the National Flood Insurance Program ("NFIP") changes that will be increasing premiums for policyholders in flood prone areas. The bill has been discussed … Continue Reading
Last month, the Florida Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously passed Senate Bill 708. If the bill becomes law, part of the language would curb Universal Property Insurance Company, and all insurance companies in the state, from alleging certain application misrepresentations. Currently, Florida residential property insurance companies have 90 days to perform underwriting on an insurance risk … Continue Reading
With all the heavy rains and flooding occurring recently this past week in Southeast Florida, I thought it fitting to discuss flood insurance. A few days ago, the Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee passed a bill that looks to provide Floridians with an option of obtaining flood insurance from private insurers. The motivation for … Continue Reading
It’s that time of year again. The countdown to the 2014 Legislative Session has begun. Although the Session does not officially begin until March 4, 2014, several insurance related bills have been filed already. In addition, the House and Senate insurance committees are meeting to discuss these bills and other issues of importance to insurance … Continue Reading
Last month, I was blessed to spend my birthday in Guatemala City serving some underprivileged children with a group called Children’s Hopechest. When I returned to my office, I was very happy to find an email from a colleague directing me to a a new State Assembly bill that has been introduced to provide a … Continue Reading
I have previously written about several Hurricane Sandy-inspired bills in New York and New Jersey, noting how they appear to have policyholder interests at the forefront of their terms. A little over a month ago, in Legislation Proposed In New Jersey To Eliminate Anti-Concurrent Cause Provisions From Insurance Policies, I wrote about a bill proposed … Continue Reading
On May 10, 2013, Governor Hickenlooper ended the ability of insurers to shorten the statute of limitations through provisions in contracts with their policyholders. The bill Governor Hickenlooper signed made changes to Colorado Revised Statute Section 10-4-110.8, now entitled Homeowner’s insurance–prohibited and required practices–estimates of replacement value–additional living expense coverage–copies of policies–personal property contents coverage–inventory … Continue Reading
Anti-concurrent cause provisions in insurance policies have been the topic of much discussion since Hurricane Sandy made landfall in the Northeast in the end of October 2012. Anti-concurrent cause provisions are favored by insurance carriers to support denials of coverage for Sandy losses. Recently, a New Jersey Assemblyman, Patrick Diegnan, proposed a bill (A4467) to … Continue Reading
The 2013 Florida Legislative Session ended last Friday, May 3rd. When Session began, I did not believe that property insurance would be a big issue given the number of bills that were passed in the previous 2 years – I was wrong. This Session turned out to be one of the most active Sessions with … Continue Reading
On April 15th in Tallahassee, Policyholders of Florida, FAIR, and Good Foundation Florida held a joint press conference with Representative Mike Fasano regarding two anti-consumer bills up for consideration in the state legislature.… Continue Reading
It is has been exactly one week since the tragic sinkhole event that took a man’s life on February 28, 2013. The national spotlight again shines on Florida’s sinkhole crisis. I want to first send my condolences to the victim’s family. I hope his family finds peace and much needed support. After a tragedy like … Continue Reading
As we approach March 5th and the official start of the 2013 Legislative Session, I want to highlight five bills that have already been filed. Please note that there are other bills that have been filed and numerous bills that will be filed in the future; visit www.policyholdersofflorida.com to stay abreast of events in Tallahassee.… Continue Reading
In response to policyholders’ experiences after Super-storm Sandy, New York lawmakers are considering legislation that would create a Homeowner’s Bill of Rights (A-2287), which would require insurers to provide property owners with an easy-to-understand disclosure detailing their coverage in the event of a catastrophic occurrence; how and when to file a claim; their rights if … Continue Reading
Knowing is half the battle…Do you know the specific amount of your hurricane deductible in your insurance policy? Do you know specifically if that hurricane deductible would apply to a Super-Storm Sandy claim? A Bill recently introduced this New York Legislative Session would specifically answer both these questions. It seems to simplify the amount and … Continue Reading
This past week, a New Jersey Assembly committee approved Bill No. 3642, which will require homeowners insurance companies to issue to policyholders consumer information brochures that contain a one-page summary of the homeowners policy.1… Continue Reading
