Two Florida bills would make it harder to sue insurance companies

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Republican lawmakers believe they have a solution to Florida’s insurance crisis as homeowners in Southwest Florida continue to see rates rise and policies canceled.
They want to make it almost impossible for you to sue your insurance company when they don’t properly settle your claim.
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Janet Snyder lives in Cape Coral and is retired. The roof on her home is less than a year old. Despite that, she was dropped by UPC, the latest insurance company to go under.
She was picked up by a new company that raised her rates so much that she’s been forced to get a roommate to make ends meet.
“I know things go up, but this is ridiculous,” Snyder said.
Her mortgage rate is unaffordable because of the rising insurance rates.
“I had to get a roommate in order to stay in this house,” she stressed.
Her new insurance company has ordered her soffit, ripped up during Ian, to be fixed by the month’s end, or she faces getting dropped yet again.
“They want to drop me if it’s not done by two weeks from now,” Snyder explained.
She wants to see lawmakers do more to address the problem.
“There is not going to be anybody in Florida if the governor doesn’t do anything about it,” she said.
Former President Trump blasted DeSantis Thursday on Truth Social, saying, “This is the worst insurance scam in the country.”
His comments come just as the state’s Republican lawmakers want to make it harder for people to sue insurance companies if they don’t properly handle a claim.
Attorney Michael Hornung said it’s crucial that the average policyholder has some recourse.
“The average citizen must have their day in court, especially when there has been a wrong done,” he said.
Hornung fears that SB 236 and HB 837 could make things even worse for consumers.
“It’s a bad precedent, and it’s a slippery slope,” Hornung said. “It’s going to make the playing field so uneven at this point in time.”
He urges residents to tell their lawmakers to reject preventing lawsuits against big insurance companies.
Copyright © 2023 Waterman Broadcasting of Florida, LLC
Copyright © 2023 Waterman Broadcasting of Florida, LLC
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