Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Michael MolineOctober 10, 2017

Assignment of benefits reform was among the first topics tackled by the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee Tuesday as it began preparing for the 2018 Legislative Session. A panel of interested parties, invited to debate points of contention, appeared to agree that so-called AOB agreements ought to be in writing, and that a deadline should […]

Guest AuthorAugust 31, 2017

According to a study conducted by the risk assessment group Karen Clark & Co., if Hurricane Andrew hit today, it would cause nearly $50 billion of insured losses, compared to its $15.1 billion in 1992. Indeed, Florida enjoys a relatively stable insurance market with more companies writing more policies. However, there are concerns that new, untested […]

Staff ReportsMay 5, 2017

The Legislature stiffed the Florida Chamber of Commerce on one of its top priorities this year — abuse of assignment of benefits agreements, or AOBs. The Chamber isn’t hiding how it feels about that. “Florida’s hardworking families should remember this – the Florida Senate chose to side with anti-consumer special interests, instead of stepping up […]

Michael MolineMay 4, 2017

When Lee Jacobson heard that that an insurance omnibus bill had been pulled from the Rules Committee onto the Senate floor Wednesday, he hightailed it to Tallahassee. The Orlando insurance and personal-injury attorney, active in the Florida Justice Association, was watching his daughter play soccer at the time. “I ran home, threw two suits in […]

Michael MolineMay 2, 2017

With House and Senate leaders caught up with budget negotiations ahead of Friday’s deadline for adjournment, advocates for legislative fixes for assignment of benefits and workers’ compensation reform confronted this possibility: Their must-pass legislation might not pass. There’s a workers’ compensation bill on the Senate calendar, but it differs in significant respects from the version […]

Staff ReportsApril 26, 2017

Assignment of benefits reforms ardently sought by the insurance industry and business passed the Florida House Wednesday on a vote of 91-26. A spokeswoman for the Consumer Protection Coalition, a business-oriented lobby aligned with the Florida Chamber of Commerce, immediately praised the action. “The House’s action is a big step toward ending costly AOB abuse […]

Michael MolineApril 25, 2017

The House cleared its version of assignment of benefits reform for a final vote Tuesday, defeating an amendment that would have frozen property insurance rates and required a premiums rollback next summer. PCS/HB 1421 would tighten requirements for contractors to report claims to insurance companies and establish a graduated scale for determining whether contractors holding […]

Michael MolineApril 19, 2017

The House assignment of benefits fix cleared its last committee vote Wednesday, with co-sponsor James Grant conceding language addressing attorney fees and consumer choice in hiring contractors needs more work. “The Florida House is not going to tolerate inaction on it,” Grant said following the Commerce Committee’s 21-7 vote. “I think you’ll see pretty quick […]

Staff ReportsApril 10, 2017

Floridians for Government Accountability is launching a direct mail campaign targeting Sen. Anitere Flores over insurance premiums. The direct mail campaign comes about a week after the Wall Street Journal ran an editorial that indicated Flores, the chairwoman of the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee, would be to blame if insurance rates increased. “Paying too […]

Michael MolineApril 6, 2017

Advocates of assignment of benefits reform delivered 1,500 petition signatures to House Speaker Richard Corcoran’s office Thursday, renewing their campaign against what they consider dodgy lawsuits by unscrupulous contractors and attorneys. And no — they didn’t mean to imply anything untoward about the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. The advocates, operating under the Florida […]

Tag: assignment of benefits

Senate begins search for consensus on AOB reform

Christian Cámara: In Florida insurance market, all is not equal

Florida Chamber and allies unload on Senate for skipping AOB reform this year

Insurance bill sponsor insists it won’t become a train for AOB, PIP

Must-pass workers’ compensation, AOB reform languishing in Legislature

Florida House approves assignment of benefits reform legislation

House assignment of benefits reforms move closer to final vote

House assignment of benefits bill clears final committee, headed to floor

Floridians for Government Accountability launches mail campaign targeting Anitere Flores over AOB

AOB reformers, bearing petitions, insist no offense intended against House chair