Florida Senate Passes Property Insurance Reform Bill
A bill backed by the Florida insurance industry and other stakeholders aimed at addressing the state’s insurance market woes was passed in the Senate chamber this week but faces an uncertain future as the companion bill in the Florida House greatly differs from the Senate proposal.
Senate Bill 76, sponsored by Florida Senate Banking & Insurance Committee Chair Jim Boyd, also an insurance broker, was passed 27-13 by the full Senate Wednesday.
“We want to make certain that Floridians have access to property insurance that is both reliable and affordable. Right now we have a situation in our state where homeowners are paying more for their property insurance, and yet insurance companies are suffering massive losses,” said Boyd. “One of the biggest drivers of rate increases is the extraordinary number of roofing claims in Florida. This bill provides a needed update to roofing policies to both protect homeowners and prevent the abuse of claims by predatory attorneys and contractors.”