Kelly Hayes
A new pro-consumer law cracking down on insurance providers will go into effect as Floridians ring in the new year.
The bill, SB 292, was filed by Republican Sen. Doug Broxson, and passed unanimously in the Florida House and Senate back in March.
The new law requires insurers to provide customers a loss run statement at their request, or for personal lines of insurance, information on how to obtain a loss run statement. The insurer must give the loss run statement, one per year, within 15 days of the request, free of charge.
The law defines a loss run statement as a report containing the insured’s policy number, period of coverage, number of claims, paid losses on all claims and the date of each loss. The definition does not include supporting claim file documentation, like copies of claim files, investigation reports and evaluation statements.
The loss run statement provided must contain a claims history with the insurer for the preceding five years or, if the claims history is less than five years, a complete claims history with the insurer.
The law also states that once the document is provided to the insured, the insurance provider must notify the agent of record that the loss run statement was given.
Consumers can use the statements to shop for insurance, a tool that could help customers find better rates.
While insurers routinely provide loss run information to customers, prior to this law, the state had no existing statutory framework regarding when and how insurers must provide the information, according to the Florida Association of Insurance Agents.
The lack of provisions around the statement delivery meant that insurers could delay the process, possibly affecting consumers shopping for new policies.
After its passage, Florida joined 11 other states that have statutory requirements for insurers providing loss run statements.
