Florida Insurance Council - Covering Florida Since 1962
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel After spending only 20 minutes on workers’ comp, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee passed the comp reform bill on April 3, 2017 with a vote of 7-1. Sen. Gainer, a Republican car dealer from the Panhandle, was the only “no” vote. The short period of time spent on…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel A bill intended to shield injured worker information from claimant’s attorneys to prevent attorney solicitation passed its first Senate committee on April 3, 2017. The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved a delete everything amendment before passing SB 1008. The delete everything amendment kept the original intent of the…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel On April 3, 2017, the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved the omnibus adjuster licensing and regulation bill, SB 922 after adopting a delete everything amendment to conform the Senate bill to the House bill. Thus, the House and Senate bills are now the same. The Senate bill has…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved an AOB bill on April 3, 2017 with a 6-2 vote. Sens. Mayfield and Gainer cast the two “no” votes. The bill approved by the committee, SB 1218, was not the bill supported by the industry or the Office of Insurance Regulation.…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 580 relating to licensing of pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) and PBMs updating the MAC pricing information passed its first Senate Committee on April 3, 2017 without amendment. It has two committees left. The bill requires pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to obtain a certificate of authority (COA) from the…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee passed the substantive DFS fraud bill, SB 1012, and a public records bill relating to the DFS fraud bill, SB 1014, on April 3, 2017. Both bills have two committees left. The committee adopted a delete everything amendment to both bills before…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel SB 1032 allows insurers to give insureds, prospective insureds, or others more advertising or promotional items with a higher value than allowed under current law. Under current law, insurers or agents can offer and make gifts of merchandise up to $25 per gift for advertising purposes without violating…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee approved SB 1316 on April 3, 2017 with one amendment to essentially conform the Senate bill with the House bill. The bill allows auto insurers to opt out of auto preinsurance inspections. To opt out, the insurer must file a manual rule with…
By: Sam Miller, FIC Consultant The complete staff analysis of the Senate bill is available from this link: Staff analysis The revised Senate bill text is available from this link: CS/SB 530 The complete staff analysis of the House bill is available from this link PDF The revised House bill text is available from this…
By: Katrina Callaway, FIC General Counsel Without debate, on March 30, 2017, the House passed the homeowners’ policy transfer bill by a vote of 113-0. The Senate companion bill, which is similar, is in its last committee. Both House and Senate bills allow – under certain circumstances – the transfer of a personal lines…