Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorMarch 14, 2017

A state law that was originally intended to give individual policyholders special rights in disputes with their insurance companies is instead being used by some repair vendors and their lawyers to generate a self-serving windfall. The problem is serious and growing, and it’s driving insurance costs higher and higher. The so-called “one-way attorney fee” allows […]

Michael MolineMarch 6, 2017

The insurance industry already has a good idea how one of it’s top priorities for the 2017 Legislative Session seems likely to go. It found out when the House and Senate unveiled their plans for fixing the workers’ compensation system Friday. But there’s more than that to worry about as session opens Tuesday. The industry […]

Michael MolineFebruary 17, 2017

Legislation sought by regulators, insurance, and business interests to reform assignment of benefits agreements finally dropped Friday — and the first thing it would do is bar attorney fee awards to contractors who use those contracts to sue insurers. “Nothwithstanding any other law, as to suits based on claims arising under property insurance policies, attorney […]

Michael MolineFebruary 16, 2017

Who is Mary Beth Wilson? That question buzzed around the lobbying shops on or near Tallahassee’s Adams Street after a blog post by a widely respected lobbyist accused a lobbyist for Demotech Inc. of posing as that “concerned citizen” to praise the ratings agency during a conference call. The post said “most industry professionals” believe […]

Staff ReportsFebruary 15, 2017

The prospect that a national rating firm might downgrade Florida insurance companies because of rising costs linked to assignment of benefits agreements has lit a fire under advocates of reforming those contracts. “This issue is having a real effect on the pocketbooks of working Floridians and it’s time we take steps to clean up the […]

Michael MolineFebruary 13, 2017

As the Legislature debates restricting attorney fees in insurance litigation involving assignment-of-benefits agreements, a tort-reform group has identified a way to circumvent that fix. Attorneys could convince policyholders to file suit in their own name. A report, “Restoring Balance in Insurance Litigation,” released Monday by the Florida Justice Reform Institute, discusses that possibility in the […]

Michael MolineFebruary 7, 2017

Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier laid out his office’s solution to the insurance assignment-of-benefits problem to Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet Tuesday, and it includes limiting contractors’ ability to recover attorney fees in litigation against insurance companies. Florida’s one-way attorney fee statute is intended to shield policyholders against legal bills if they want to sue their insurers for failure […]

Michael MolineJanuary 10, 2017

Home repair contractors lashed out against calls for a crackdown on assignment of benefits agreements during testimony before a key Senate committee Tuesday, insisting such contracts protect homeowners and reputable remediation businesses. They argued instead for increased regulation of their industry, to put fly-by-night contractors out of business. “Would you please regulate us?” said Dave […]

Staff ReportsDecember 22, 2016

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater on Thursday announced the arrest of a Miami man on charges that he posed as a licensed public adjuster to defraud Citizens Property Insurance Corp. of nearly $100,000 in inflated insurance claims. Julian Garcia-Sellek faces multiple felony fraud and grand theft charges following an investigation by the Department of Financial […]

Michael MolineOctober 26, 2016

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has no plans to draft its own legislative fix for rising workers’ compensation rates, but that doesn’t mean regulators are ignoring the problem, Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier said Wednesday. “We expect to be actively involved in that conversation,” Altmaier told reporters as his office’s biannual industry conference wound down. […]

Tag: assignment of benefits
Gabrielle Russon

William Large: Florida must end assignment of benefits abuse, self-serving windfalls

Insurance companies have plenty to worry about as Legislative Session opens

Legislation introduced in Senate would tighten protections against AOBs

Lobbyist’s blog post gets tongues flapping among Tallahassee’s lobbyist set

Drive for assignment of benefits reform picks up steam

Report points to problems with AOBs, and a way around one proposed fix

Insurance Office going after one-way attorney fees in AOB fight

Contractors mount defense of assignment of benefits agreements

Jeff Atwater: Arrest made in $100,000 fraud against Citizens Insurance

David Altmaier promises active role in workers’ compensation debate