Policyholders of Florida Protest Insurance Legislation--Do Florida Politicians Care?
Tuesday afternoon, I joined 250 fellow Floridians in the bright sunshine protesting against extraordinary rate hikes allowed by Florida’s most recent insurance legislation. Here is a picture of me with Florida Representative Richard Corcoran at the protest:
There has been quite a bit of media attention regarding the protest over Florida’s recent insurance legislation:
Florida Senator Mike Fasano had some very enlightening comments about our politicians' lack of concern for their policyholder constituents:
Is there no common sense left in Tallahassee? Why would they even imagine or even consider suggesting these types of rate increases when people, look at them here. There are senior citizens, working families who can barely take care of the bills they have today. They're going to lose their homes
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That bill was signed into law by our Governor. It has barely gone into effect and we already see the consequences the people of this area will pay.
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There are very few people in Tallahassee looking out for the little people.
Sean Shaw helped organize the event. He noted in Property Insurance Bill is presented to the Governor that these new insurance laws will harm policyholder interests:
I would argue that the majority of changes contained in SB 408 are anti-consumer -- the sinkhole and claims payment provisions in particular.
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Lastly, although this bill is bad, the Legislative Session could have been a lot worse for insurance consumers of Florida. Thankfully, there were a lot of groups representing consumers in Tallahassee and the concerted effort to halt other anti-consumer legislation was successful. Hopefully, we can maintain the momentum.
While Shaw has maintained momentum through this protest, some politicians still parrot the insurance industry's propaganda that these laws were needed to curb fraud. State Representative Robert Schenck, a Republican representing the 44th district, voted for the original House bill. He explained his rationale doing so--"So if you guys want to know why we have so much trouble with sinkhole coverage in Hernando County, that's why. It's the rampant fraud."
Robert Schenck’s explanation is fraudulent, and he should apologize to his constituents for calling them insurance cheats. In Newspaper Questions Whether Politicians Favor the Insurance Industry Over Voters, I noted that politicians who are caught in bed with insurance industry lobbyists often resort to the “fraud” bogeyman as their excuse for voting for insurance industry interests to the detriment of their constituents:
I am amazed that after consumer advocates, including myself and Florida’s previous Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw, noted the lack of any concrete evidence that insurance fraud is forcing insurers to charge higher rates, lawmakers continue to parrot the insurance industry’s mantra. In essence, lawmakers are calling many of their own constituents who make insurance claims crooks, even though there is no evidence to suggest this is true.
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Do you think Representative John Legg’s unfortunate constituents who suffered a sinkhole loss would appreciate his intimating that they committed a fraud? Do you think Legg would want those unfortunate constituents to be made aware of his statement? Why should anybody make such a charge, a felony crime, against people with absolutely no proof? Many of these people have seen their largest investments-their homes-significantly damaged or effectively destroyed through no fault of their own. And, how does one create or fraudulently convince insurers of a sinkhole loss?
The truth is that there is a little, if any, evidence of insurance fraud. Premiums should have gone down because the laws Legg and other Legislators voted for took away benefits, and those Legislators changed the laws to make it much more difficult for their constituents to collect if they have a loss. As a result, all Floridians with legitimate losses will receive fewer benefits.
The truth will set you free.
Hey Chip!
You look good out there on that street corner!
Was wondering how you weathered the heat then remembered:
(a) you're a (rare) Florida NATIVE :) and
(b) you barely sweat during the Boston Marathon (ha ha).
I really admire Senator Mike Fasano's comment and on-target perception, to wit:
"..There are very few people in Tallahassee looking
out for the little people..."
That's been my life-long mantra, belief, aversion to various selfish, wealthy people who are so financially insulated that they don't have to worry about paying their ins. premiums (like many, many LITTLE PEOPLE WORRY ABOUT).
Yet, despite worrying though, some little people manage to pay their ins. premiums and, in turn, savor the "peace of mind" feelings that come with the knowledge of knowing that they're "covered" for a loss.
In their naivity though, they have no idea that the chance of their carrier doing the right thing and paying a valid claim following submission is very remote. In fact, many
poor little people have to resort to retaining counsel to collect their insurance premiums who then take their fee and costs "off the top." In turn, the insurance company then has to retain and pay counsel as well.
So, who really makes out here? The Attorneys? Well, yeah, but they don't work for free. The Court Reporters who cover and transcribe EUO transcripts? The experts (for both sides) retained for their "unbiased" opinions?
Well, one thing's for sure - THE ONES WHO DON'T MAKE OUT ARE USUALLY THE LITTLE PEOPLE.
SHIRLEY HEFLIN
believe they're also paying for "peace of mind" about being made whole by their ins. co. , and yet continue to trample upon the rights, interests and non-interests of the "little people" and keep getting richer using the "little people",
smile as their wealth increases and then obviously have no emotion about how all "this" affects the "poor little people" who can barely pay their ins. premiums, but do so to be "protected" in the wake of a loss (little do they know that 95% of the time they're not protected).
don't even want to get started (except for the fact that these practices are - obviously - not limited to Tallahassee!!).
Shirley,
Always good to hear from you.
One problem is that most hardworking Americans are at work and don't have the time to keep up with the full time insurance lobbyists in Tallahassee. Most don't have the time nor money to protest--they have to make a living. They generally expect that their elected representatives will look out for them.
While I am trying to do something about this, I have cases to work on, a law firm to run and don't have anything close to the economic power that insurance companies and their lobbyists have. But, we will continue to fight the good fight and hope that our message resonates with most elected politicians.
Retired,live on social security benifits,we both have cancer and can barely afford to eat, pay utilities and medical costs.We have NEVER taken or recieved anything we did not work for. I feel now that our elected officials have sold out to insurance companies and big business.The lobbists and big contribututes have direct access to and time with the politicians,and I can not even sent an email to one. let alone have the right to the same access as the people with money and gifts.Florida is NOT a retirement friendle state. It seems counter productive to create an environment that forces people out of florida.