Florida Politics: Floridians for Lawsuit Reform backs legal climate reform bill

January 22nd, 2020|Daily News|

According to Florida Politics, "Floridians for Lawsuit Reform launched a website Tuesday to raise awareness on the need for lawsuit reform in the state. According to the nonprofit, the state’s legal climate would improve if fewer property insurance lawsuits were filed. Currently, about 50,000 such lawsuits are filed every year." Read more from Florida Politics here.

Tampa Bay Times: Florida CFO blames public adjusters, lawyers for Hurricane Michael insurance claim delays

November 1st, 2019|Daily News|

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis blamed public adjusters and lawyers for Hurricane Michael claim delays, proposing a law giving Floridians more time to break their contracts with adjusters. But while he acknowledged that insurance companies shoulder some of the blame for dragging out claims, he did not announce any proposals to hold insurance companies [...]

Property Casualty 360: New Florida AOB insurance law likely to slash attorney fees

June 11th, 2019|Daily News|

A new Florida law to curb alleged fraud by contractors could create collateral damage for lawyers by slashing attorney fees in insurance litigation — and all just in time for hurricane season. Before May 23, contractors could enjoy a one-way attorney fee privilege. It meant win or lose, they wouldn’t be liable for attorney fees [...]

Sunshine State News: AOB Abuse King Addresses His Army of Vendors, Vowing to Get Around the New Law

April 30th, 2019|Daily News|

The Johnny Appleseed of AOB lawsuits has no intention of going quietly -- or, at all. Even before the ink on the just-passed "assignment of benefits" (AOB) legislation had dried -- before Gov. Ron DeSantis had a chance to sign the bill into law -- Orlando attorney Harvey Cohen was trying to bleed every last [...]

Florida Politics: Senate panel greenlights one-way attorney fee bill

March 19th, 2019|Daily News|

The Senate’s one-way attorney fee bill cleared the Judiciary Committee Monday on a 5-1 vote after its sponsor offered an amendment intended to at least partially salve concerns by contractors and attorneys. Read more from Florida Politics here

Recent TV Coverage of AOB Abuse

February 20th, 2019|Daily News|

Below is a link to view recent TV coverage of AOB abuse by Bay News 9 reporter Allison Walker Torres. The three-part "In Focus'' piece includes interviews with David Altmaier, Barry Gilway and Reps. David Santiago and Ben Diamond. Please click here to view.

Sun-Sentinel: Bill aims to reduce home insurance costs by restricting attorneys’ fees

January 23rd, 2019|Daily News|

It’s time to prevent a handful of South Florida plaintiff’s attorneys from driving up home insurance premiums for everyone in Florida, three of Florida’s most powerful insurance officials told members of a key Senate committee Tuesday. Read more from the Sun-Sentinel here.

Florida Politics: ‘I think we’re there’ on AOB reform, House insurance chairwoman says

January 11th, 2019|Daily News|

Through two straight years of political stalemate over assignment of benefits reform, legislative leaders have declared it would take a crisis to deliver a bill to the Governor’s office. Finally, according to state Rep. Cyndi Stevenson, “I think we’re there.” Read more from Florida Politics here

Florida Politics: New Senate Insurance chairman sets sights on ‘one-way’ attorney fees

January 8th, 2019|Daily News|

The new chairman of the Senate Banking & Insurance Committee identified his primary legislative target Monday as the “one-way” attorney fee system, which critics in the insurance and wider business community blame for escalating premiums. Read more from Florida Politics here

News4Jax: Complaints about roofer highlight loophole in Florida insurance law

December 20th, 2018|Daily News|

An I-TEAM investigation is exposing problems with one of Florida’s most controversial property insurance practices, the assignment of benefits, or AOB. The law allows a homeowner to sign over insurance claim rights and benefits to a third party, such as a contractor being hired to do repairs. However, the state’s chief financial officer said a [...]