One of the laws recently passed by the Louisiana Legislature and signed into law by Governor John Bell Edwards is Senate Bill 106, which went into effect on August 1, 2023.
Mississippi is “Moving Slow as Molasses in January”
On August 17, 2018, the 49th anniversary of Hurricane Camille, the benchmark in Mississippi for devastation and survivability prior to the impact of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Mississippi Insurance Department (“MID”) filed its adoption of Rule 34.11 to amend the Mississippi Homeowner Insurance Policyholder Bill of Rights (“Policyholder Bill of Rights”) to include an Outline of Coverage and Comprehensive Policyholder Checklist.1
Continue Reading Mississippi is “Moving Slow as Molasses in January”
Update on Florida’s Homeowners Property Insurance Bill of Rights
Recently, Robin Westcott left her post as Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate, but even though Robin is gone, the Homeowners’ Policy & Claims Bill of Rights continues on. Robin Westcott left the ICA to start work as the vice president of governmental affairs for American Association of Insurance Services.
Continue Reading Update on Florida’s Homeowners Property Insurance Bill of Rights
Consumer Advocate Meetings Continue with the Mission to Help Floridans with Insurance Problems
Robin Westcott, Florida’s Consumer Advocate, led another meeting of the Homeowners’ Policy & Claims Bill of Rights Working Group – this time in Clearwater, Florida. Westcott’s office will proffer a draft for a statutory Bill of Rights for Homeowners and provide a detailed report outlining the concerns and suggestions of the Group.
Come to Clearwater: Public Meeting with Florida’s Consumer Advocate
If you are a homeowner in Florida or someone who helps homeowners with insurance claims in Florida, mark your calendar to attend a meeting with Florida’s Consumer Advocate, Robin Westcott, and the Homeowners’ Policy & Claim Bill of Rights Working Group. The meeting will be held at the Pinellas Realtors Organization, 4590 Ulmerton Road, Clearwater, on Monday, August 19, 2013, from 1:00pm- 6:30pm, and public comments will be welcome.
Continue Reading Come to Clearwater: Public Meeting with Florida’s Consumer Advocate
Florida’s DFS Mediation Program Needs Help
Floridians with residential property damage claims have a right to demand participation in the state mediation program if they have a dispute with their insurance company, but are disputes really getting resolved in these non-binding mediations? The Department of Consumer Services, a section of the Department of Financial Services, oversees this alternative dispute resolution process. This form of mediation is not to be confused with pre-trial mediation.
Thoughts on the Homeowners Bill of Rights Workgroup
Although I have a few other things going on (www.shawforflorida.com) I was able to watch most of the Homeowners’ Policy & Claims Bill of Rights Working Group sessions that were televised yesterday and today. As Ms. Westscott’s predecessor in the Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate, I was very interested in how this workgroup would play out. I have personal knowledge of how hard it is to pull something like this off. The politics of the invite list, the give and take regarding the agenda, and the task of moderating the discussion can be difficult to manage.
Continue Reading Thoughts on the Homeowners Bill of Rights Workgroup
Reporting Live from Tallahassee’s Policyholder’s Working Group
I just finished day one as a participating member of the Homeowners’ Policy and Claim Bill of Rights Working Group. Thursday will be the second and final day of in-person meetings by the Group. Robin Smith Westscott, Florida’s Consumer Advocate, hosted the working group with the help of organizer, Vickie Twogood.
Continue Reading Reporting Live from Tallahassee’s Policyholder’s Working Group
Mississippi Anticoncurrent Causation Language Is Dead
Mississippi State Senator David Baria admitted that his proposed legislative bill of rights for policyholders is “dead.” Mississippi S.B. 2196 would have eliminated anticoncurrent causation exclusionary language from property insurance policies. The Mississippi Senate Insurance Committee failed to act on the bill, thereby killing any attempt to enact a bill of rights.
Unlike other states,
Mississippi Needs A Strong Policyholder Bill Of Rights
Most people do not look at their insurance policy until loss or damage forces them to. And most will agree that trying to find confirmation of coverage is not as easy as expected. Typically, insurance policies are very long and the various coverage provisions and exclusions can be confusing and sometimes ambiguous.
This scenario became glaringly apparent