Advocacy

Every once in a long while I’ll write about Flood insurance–subsequent, usually, to either a flood of great proportion or another government attempt to fund an existing or potential deficit.  This time, Harvey in Texas and Irma rapidly approaching from the Atlantic, provide impetus on both fronts. [Read more…]

There’s been much ado between public adjusters and insurers of late.  PA’s don’t like managed repair programs (MRP’s).  Insurance companies do like them–a lot–especially in Florida.

Sparring was ignited by an op-ed from the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (FAPIA) that was highly critical of MRP’s and which, in typical PA fashion, also bad-mouthed insurers. [Read more…]

Most of us know what happened to AOB reform bills during this year’s regular session.  Meaningful, helpful, changes were approved in the house.  However, fearing the senate might follow suit, two trial lawyers—Sen. Anitere Flores (R-Miami) and Sen. Gary Farmer (D-Ft. Lauderdale) teamed to shut down the companion bill by Senator Dorothy Hukill (R-Port Orange) and Senator Kathleen Passidomo (R-Naples).  No senate vote.  Not even a debate.

Oh well! [Read more…]

Someone’s been brewing the stew.  Since lawmakers came to town nearly 70 articles and/or editorials favorable to reforming Assignment of Benefits (AOB) have appeared in the mainstream.  Recently, others have popped up including radio ads, YouTube video’s and more.

And, they all blame the abuse on 3^rd party vendors and their trial attorneys. [Read more…]

While studying for his law degree Californian Kenneth Gottlieb (not to be confused with former Representative and current Circuit Judge Ken Gottlieb of Florida) often bragged to fellow students that he would put his diploma to a somewhat unusual purpose.  He would avoid the typical, reputedly lucrative fields: medical malpractice, contract law, Real Estate or administrative law.  He’d focus instead on the most profitable specialty of all.

His career, indeed his life plan, would be to commit insurance fraud–as diabolically and as often as he possibly could.

Shamelessly he opined to all who would listen that he could so abundantly profit stealing from insurers, and do so quickly enough, that the wealth he would amass before being apprehended would far exceed the meager penalties doled out for insurance fraud. [Read more…]

When it comes to legislative reforms of Assignment of Benefits (AOB), everyone attending the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Miami Insurance Summit noticed a brighter light at the end of a shortening tunnel.

Despite distractions of Workers Compensation and the potential repeal of No-Fault (PIP), AOB stole the Miami show; including noted reform endorsements from Chief Financial Officer, Jeff Atwater and Insurance Commissioner, David Altmaier and others.

Even unrelated panels and/or presentations morphed, to one degree or another, into an AOB discussion.  Including one noteworthy collection of media experts proving some in the mainstream have firmed their grip on the problem.  The Chamber’s newest video is a composite of a few TV expose’s revealing the need for reform.  Check it out. It’s a good one. [Read more…]

I heard a commercial on my car radio by John Morgan of Morgan & Morgan. I’m pretty sure I got it exactly right. Without a scintilla of equivocation, he affirmatively stated as fact… “Insurance companies are our enemy and they are your enemy.  Do not trust anything they do or say!”

While thinking he likely trusts insurance companies enough to pay premiums for the protection of his home and business, I also thought of the response those he insulted might render. I knew there would be none—it’s the lack of fear that there would be any consequence whatsoever that creates the necessary hutzpah to say such a thing on the open air. [Read more…]

This post is about the bad apples who employ every delay tactic they can, including lying to a court, to force settlements under Florida’s one-way attorney fee statute–avoiding actually having to “lawyer” a case to court. [Read more…]

You’ve read my past opinions on the reprimands judges have given to some Florida plaintiff’s attorneys.  In describing their bad behavior court documents contain phrases like “trifled with the justice system” and the words “perpetrated”, “fraud” or “deception” –all to describe trial attorneys and firms doing what they too often accuse insurers of doing; “acting in Bad Faith.”   

Nothing confirms bad faith by some plaintiff firms and their complicity with public adjusters more than the recent case of Auto Owners vs. Summit Townhomes—a Colorado suit involving one of Florida’s leading lawsuit mills, the Merlin Law Group.  (See Note #1 below) [Read more…]

While I write these words millions of homeowners are still mopping up after Hurricane Matthew. Some have lost their homes. Others their lives.  Concomitantly, after meticulously implementing their Cat Plans, Florida insurers, agents and emergency personnel of every breed worked, literally 24/7, to return property and persons to pre-storm condition.  (See Note #1 below)

Shameful that too many responders are of a different persuasion–Matthew is to them, what the civil war was to carpetbaggers—a disgraceful occasion to profit.

Always in the name of consumers! [Read more…]