Bill > H0655

Introduced Session

An act relating to pet insurance and wellness programs; amending s. 624.604, F.S.; revising the definition of the term "property insurance" to include a pet insurance option; amending s. 626.9541, F.S.; providing that certain practices relating to pet wellness programs are unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices; creating s. 627.71545, F.S.; providing a short title; providing purpose; providing applicability; providing construction; providing definitions; requiring pet insurers that use such defined terms in their pet insurance policies to use and include the statutory definitions in their policies; requiring pet insurers to also make such definitions available on their websites or their program administrators' websites; requiring pet insurers to make certain disclosures to pet insurance applicants and policyholders; requiring pet insurers to provide a summary of their bases or formulas for determination of claim payments under a pet insurance policy on their websites or their program administrators' websites; requiring pet insurers to disclose certain requirements for required medical examinations of a pet by a veterinarian; requiring pet insurers to create a document with a hb655 -00-erLegislature summary of certain disclosures, to post such document on their websites or their program administrators' websites, and, upon issuance or delivery of a policy to a policyholder, to provide such document to the policyholder; requiring additional written disclosures; providing that certain required disclosures are in addition to disclosures required by the Florida Insurance Code or the Financial Services Commission rules; authorizing pet insurance applicants and policyholders to examine and return insurance policies and riders under certain circumstances; requiring that premiums be refunded under certain circumstances; requiring that pet insurance policies and riders have a specified notice printed on or attached to the first page; authorizing pet insurers to issue policies that exclude coverage on the basis of preexisting conditions with appropriate written disclosure to the applicant or policyholder; providing that the pet insurer has a specified burden of proof with regard to such exclusions; authorizing pet insurers to issue new policies that impose a waiting period of up to a specified period of time for specified illnesses, diseases, or conditions; prohibiting pet insurers from issuing policies imposing a waiting period for accidents; requiring pet hb655 -00-erLegislature insurers who issue a policy that imposes a waiting period to include a provision allowing for waiver of the waiting period upon completion of a medical examination of the covered pet by a veterinarian; authorizing pet insurers to require an examination to be conducted by a veterinarian after the purchase of the policy; providing requirements and authorizations relating to such examination; prohibiting a pet insurer from requiring a medical examination of the covered pet to renew a policy; requiring that certain benefits comply with certain provisions of the Florida Insurance Code; prohibiting insurance applicants' eligibility from being based on participation or lack of participation in wellness programs; requiring pet insurers to ensure that their agents are trained on specified topics; providing rulemaking authority; providing an effective date.

Committee Categories

Kaylee Tuck (R)*,  Robin Bartleman (D),  Mike Redondo (R),  Mitch Rosenwald (D),  Susan L. Valdés (R), 

Chapter No. 2025-11 (on 04/22/2025)

Official Document