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Bill > H0451


FL H0451

FL H0451
Court Judgment Interest Rates and Insurance Reports and Practices


summary

Introduced
02/06/2025
In Committee
02/19/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
06/16/2025

Introduced Session

2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

An act relating to court judgment interest rates and insurance reports and practices; amending s. 55.03, F.S.; revising the calculation that the Chief Financial Officer performs to set the rate of interest payable on judgments or decrees; amending s. 624.315, F.S.; providing legislative findings; requiring the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services Commission to create specified reports on insurance-related entities and compensation of executive officers for insurers, licensees, and registrants; specifying requirements for such reports; requiring the office to publish the reports annually on its website and submit the reports annually to specified entities; requiring the office to use reliable and up-to-date methodology and software to create specified reports and review such and software for accuracy; specifying that certain data is not considered a trade secret and may be used for certain purposes; prohibiting insurers from withholding certain data from the office under certain circumstances; amending s. 627.062, F.S.; revising the factors the office must consider in determining whether an insurance rate is excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory; amending s. 627.70131, F.S.; hb451-00 requiring property insurers to send policyholders a written estimate of the amount of loss under certain circumstances; specifying certain requirements for insurers when creating and sending such estimates; prohibiting insureds and insurers from waiving such requirements; amending s. 627.7015, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the act and conforming a cross-reference; amending s. 627.70152, F.S.; revising the manner in which a property insurer must respond to a notice to initiate litigation; requiring a claimant and insurer to participate in mandatory mediation under certain circumstances; requiring the court to determine attorney fees in a specified manner for cases arising from a property insurance dispute; providing applicability; authorizing the office to impose penalties for violations of certain provisions; amending s. 627.70154, F.S.; requiring property insurers to disclose to policyholders the dollar amount of a credit or premium discount for a mandatory binding arbitration endorsement; reenacting ss. 627.151(1), 627.715(3)(b), and 627.7151(9)(b), F.S., relating to workers' compensation or employer's liability insurance filings, flood insurance, and sinkhole coverage insurance, respectively, to incorporate the amendment made to s. 627.062, F.S., in hb451-00 references thereto; providing an effective date.

AI Summary

This bill proposes several significant changes to Florida's insurance and legal regulations. It modifies the method for calculating court judgment interest rates by increasing the basis points added to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's discount rate from 400 to 800 points. The bill requires the Office of Insurance Regulation to create and publish two comprehensive annual reports: one detailing related entities for insurers, including their financial relationships, and another providing detailed information about executive officer compensation. The legislation also revises how insurance rates are evaluated, mandating that insurers provide more transparent and detailed written loss estimates to policyholders, with specific requirements for how these estimates are created and modified. Additionally, the bill introduces mandatory mediation for property insurance disputes and establishes a new framework for determining attorney fees based on the percentage of a claimant's original settlement demand that is ultimately awarded. The Office of Insurance Regulation is granted the authority to impose penalties for violations and must use reliable methodology when creating required reports. These changes aim to increase transparency, accountability, and fairness in Florida's insurance market and legal system, with a particular focus on protecting consumers and ensuring more comprehensive oversight of insurance practices.

Committee Categories

Business and Industry

Sponsors (1)

Last Action

Died in Insurance & Banking Subcommittee (on 06/16/2025)

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