News & Resources

In our last post, we talked about the law changes affecting insurance discounts for hurricane-proofed homes throughout Florida. Initially, following the devastating 2005 hurricane season, the Legislature required double discounts for hurricane mitigation efforts in order to minimize both the damage to homes and the claims cost to insurance companies. The rationale for many of this year’s laws was to protect customers and their insurers from financial harm as well as to protect the health and safety of customers. Critics and homeowners are wondering if in practice the emphasis was more on insurers than on customers.

In the wake of Hurricane Wilma, Florida lawmakers required homeowners insurance companies to double the discounts allowed for hurricane-safe structures for the next plan year. The primary goal was to encourage homeowners to make improvements to their property in order to minimize damage from future storms. Insurers figured the discounts granted would cost less than paying billions of dollars in hurricane claims.

Florida residents affected by Hurricane Wilma have until October 24 to file claims related to the storm. Hurricane Wilma was the fourth Category 5 hurricane of the 2005 season. What Katrina started that year, Wilma finished off. In Florida, more than 1 million insurance claims resulted in insurance payouts of over $9 billion. Total damage from Wilma was estimated at $29.1 billion.

A Palm Beach County judge was faced with a terrible choice this week. A man who, according to police, had broken his father’s legs, wanted to go home. He didn’t want to miss Halloween, which was just a few days away, he said. He was clearly confused, and his actions showed he couldn’t control his emotions — but everyone there knew he wasn’t mentally ill. This man has a brain injury, and the judge knew that insurance companies and the state of Florida have failed people with a disability like his.

Florida residents got some good news this week, right in the middle of hurricane season, when fears of flood damage and insurance claims are high in the state. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a one-year reauthorization of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Because the Senate had approved the renewal earlier, the measure now goes to President Obama for his signature.

In Florida and more than 30 other states, health insurance companies will stop writing policies for children this week. The move comes as provisions of the new health care law take effect.

The National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) has proposed a model law that would strengthen protections of terminally ill and elderly patients. The law relates to another law proposed by the group earlier this year. Model laws are not guaranteed to be introduced in state legislatures. For Florida to enact these proposals, each model law must be championed by a state senator or state representative who will then see it through the legislative process.

In our last post, we talked about the San Bruno gas explosion and the costs of repairs. Florida homeowners are no strangers to disasters, but we believe it’s worthwhile to talk about the insurance implications of the San Bruno accident.

In the wake of the San Bruno, California pipeline explosion last week, the utility set aside about $100 million to help the victims. Whether they distribute that money depends largely on the results of the investigation into what caused the blast. If the company is not at fault, the people who were injured, the people who lost their homes, and the people who lost their loved ones will likely not see any of that money. Instead, they will rely on their insurance carriers. And industry insiders from Florida to Washington State will be following the story.

The term “bad faith insurance” describes situations in which an insurance company refuses to pay claims that are covered under the policy. One example is a car insurance company that says they will not pay damages related to a car crash caused by a driver they cover.