Florida 2023 Regular Session

Florida House Bill H0429 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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1010 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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1414 A bill to be entitled 1
1515 An act relating to motor vehicle insurance; repealing 2
1616 ss. 627.730, 627.731, 627.7311, 627.732, 627.733, 3
1717 627.734, 627.736, 627.737, 627.739, 627.7401, 4
1818 627.7403, and 627.7405, F.S., relating to the Florida 5
1919 Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law; repealing s. 627.7407, 6
2020 F.S., relating to application of the Florida Motor 7
2121 Vehicle No-Fault Law; amending s. 316.2122, F.S.; 8
2222 conforming a provision to changes made by the act; 9
2323 amending s. 316.646, F.S.; revising a requirement for 10
2424 proof of security on a motor vehicle and the 11
2525 applicability of the requirement; amending s. 318.18, 12
2626 F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made by the 13
2727 act; amending s. 320.02, F.S.; revising the motor 14
2828 vehicle insurance coverages that an applicant must 15
2929 show to register certain vehicles with the Department 16
3030 of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; conforming a 17
3131 provision to changes made by the act; revising 18
3232 construction; amending s. 320.0609, F.S.; conforming a 19
3333 provision to changes made by the act; amending s. 20
3434 320.27, F.S.; defining the term "garage liability 21
3535 insurance"; revising garage liability insurance 22
3636 requirements for motor vehicle dealer license 23
3737 applicants; conforming a provision to changes made by 24
3838 the act; amending s. 320.771, F.S.; revising garage 25
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4747 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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5151 liability insurance requirements for recreational 26
5252 vehicle dealer license applicants; amending ss. 27
5353 322.251 and 322.34, F.S.; conforming provisions to 28
5454 changes made by the act; amending s. 324.011, F.S.; 29
5555 revising legislative intent; amending s. 324.021, 30
5656 F.S.; revising and providing definitions; revising 31
5757 minimum coverage requirements for proof of financial 32
5858 responsibility for specified motor vehicles; 33
5959 conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 34
6060 amending s. 324.022, F.S.; revising minimum liability 35
6161 coverage requirements for motor vehicle owners or 36
6262 operators; revising authorized methods for meeting 37
6363 such requirements; deleting a provision relating to an 38
6464 insurer's duty to defend certain claims; revising the 39
6565 vehicles that are excluded from the definition of the 40
6666 term "motor vehicle"; providing security requirements 41
6767 for certain excluded vehicles; conforming provisions 42
6868 to changes made by the act; amending s. 324.0221, 43
6969 F.S.; revising coverages that subject a policy to 44
7070 certain insurer reporting and notice requirements; 45
7171 conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 46
7272 creating s. 324.0222, F.S.; providing that driver 47
7373 license or motor vehicle registration suspensions for 48
7474 failure to maintain required security which are in 49
7575 effect before a specified date remain in full force 50
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8484 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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8888 and effect; providing that such suspended licenses or 51
8989 registrations may be reinstated as provided in a 52
9090 specified section; amending s. 324.023, F.S.; 53
9191 conforming cross-references; amending s. 324.031, 54
9292 F.S.; specifying a method of proving financial 55
9393 responsibility by owners or operators of motor 56
9494 vehicles other than for-hire passenger transportation 57
9595 vehicles; revising the amount of a certificate of 58
9696 deposit required to elect a certain method of proof of 59
9797 financial responsibility; revising liability coverage 60
9898 requirements for a person electing to use such method; 61
9999 amending s. 324.032, F.S.; revising financial 62
100100 responsibility requirements for owners or lessees of 63
101101 for-hire passenger transportation vehicles; amending 64
102102 s. 324.051, F.S.; making technical changes; specifying 65
103103 that motor vehicles include motorcycles for purposes 66
104104 of the section; amending ss. 324.071 and 324.091, 67
105105 F.S.; making technical changes; amending s. 324.151, 68
106106 F.S.; revising requirements for motor vehicle 69
107107 liability insurance policies relating to coverage, and 70
108108 exclusion from coverage, for certain drivers and 71
109109 vehicles; conforming provisions to changes made by the 72
110110 act; making technical changes; defining terms; 73
111111 amending s. 324.161, F.S.; revising requirements for a 74
112112 certificate of deposit that is required if a person 75
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121121 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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125125 elects a certain method of proving financial 76
126126 responsibility; amending s. 324.171, F.S.; revising 77
127127 the minimum net worth requirements to qualify certain 78
128128 persons as self-insurers; conforming provisions to 79
129129 changes made by the act; amending s. 324.251, F.S.; 80
130130 revising a short title and an effective date; amending 81
131131 s. 400.9905, F.S.; revising the definition of the term 82
132132 "clinic"; amending ss. 400.991 and 400.9935, F.S.; 83
133133 conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 84
134134 amending s. 409.901, F.S.; revising the definition of 85
135135 the term "third-party benefit"; amending s. 409 .910, 86
136136 F.S.; revising the definition of the term "medical 87
137137 coverage"; amending s. 456.057, F.S.; conforming a 88
138138 provision to changes made by the act; amending s. 89
139139 456.072, F.S.; revising specified grounds for 90
140140 discipline for certain health professions; defining 91
141141 the term "upcode"; amending s. 624.155, F.S.; 92
142142 providing an exception to the circumstances under 93
143143 which a person who is damaged may bring a civil action 94
144144 against an insurer; adding a cause of action against 95
145145 insurers in certain circumstances; providing that a 96
146146 person is not entitled to judgments under multiple bad 97
147147 faith remedies; creating s. 624.156, F.S.; providing 98
148148 that the section applies to bad faith failure to 99
149149 settle third-party claim actions against any insurer 100
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158158 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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162162 for a loss arising out of the ownership, maint enance, 101
163163 or use of a motor vehicle under specified 102
164164 circumstances; providing construction; providing that 103
165165 insurers have a duty of good faith; providing 104
166166 construction; defining the term "bad faith failure to 105
167167 settle"; requiring insurers to meet best practices 106
168168 standards; providing circumstances under which a 107
169169 notice is not effective; providing that the burden is 108
170170 on the party bringing the bad faith claim; specifying 109
171171 best practices standards for insurers upon receiving 110
172172 actual notice of certain incidents or losses; 111
173173 specifying certain requirements for insurer 112
174174 communications to an insured; requiring an insurer to 113
175175 initiate settlement negotiations under certain 114
176176 circumstances; specifying requirements for the insurer 115
177177 when multiple claims arise out of a single occurrence 116
178178 under certain conditions; providing construction; 117
179179 requiring an insurer to attempt to settle a claim on 118
180180 behalf of certain insureds under certain 119
181181 circumstances; providing for a defense to bad faith 120
182182 actions; providing that insureds have a duty to 121
183183 cooperate; requiring an insured to take certain 122
184184 reasonable actions necessary to settle covered claims; 123
185185 providing requirements for disclosures by insureds; 124
186186 requiring insurers to provide certain notice to 125
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195195 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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199199 insureds within a specified timeframe; providing that 126
200200 insurers may terminate certain defenses under certain 127
201201 circumstances; providing that a trier of fact may not 128
202202 attribute an insurer's failure to settle certain 129
203203 claims to specified causes under certain 130
204204 circumstances; specifying conditions precedent for 131
205205 claimants filing bad faith failure to settle third -132
206206 party claim actions; providing that an insurer is 133
207207 entitled to a reasonable opportunity to investigate 134
208208 and evaluate claims under certain circumstances; 135
209209 providing that insurers may not be held liable for the 136
210210 failure to accept a settlement offer within a certain 137
211211 timeframe if certain conditions are met; providing 138
212212 that an insurer is not required to automatically 139
213213 tender policy limits within a certain timeframe in 140
214214 every case; requiring the party bringing a bad faith 141
215215 failure to settle action to prove every element by the 142
216216 greater weight of the evidence; specifying burdens of 143
217217 proof for insurers relying on specified defenses; 144
218218 limiting damages under certain circumstances; 145
219219 providing construction; amending s. 626.9541, F.S.; 146
220220 conforming a provision to changes made by the act; 147
221221 revising certain prohibited acts related to specified 148
222222 insurance coverage payment requirements; amending s. 149
223223 626.989, F.S.; revising the definition of the term 150
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232232 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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234234
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236236 "fraudulent insurance act"; amending s. 627.06501, 151
237237 F.S.; revising coverages that may provide for a 152
238238 reduction in motor vehicle insurance policy premium 153
239239 charges under certain circumstances; amending s. 154
240240 627.0651, F.S.; specifying requirements for rate 155
241241 filings for motor vehicle liability policies that 156
242242 implement requirement s in effect on a specified date; 157
243243 requiring such filings to be approved through a 158
244244 certain process; amending s. 627.0652, F.S.; revising 159
245245 coverages that must provide a premium charge reduction 160
246246 under certain circumstances; amending s. 627.0653, 161
247247 F.S.; revising coverages that are subject to premium 162
248248 discounts for specified motor vehicle equipment; 163
249249 amending s. 627.4132, F.S.; revising coverages that 164
250250 are subject to a stacking prohibition; amending s. 165
251251 627.4137, F.S.; requiring that insurers disclose 166
252252 certain information at the request of a claimant's 167
253253 attorney; authorizing a claimant to file an action 168
254254 under certain circumstances; providing for the award 169
255255 of reasonable attorney fees and costs under certain 170
256256 circumstances; amending s. 627.7263, F.S.; revising 171
257257 coverages that are deemed primary, except under 172
258258 certain circumstances, for the lessor of a motor 173
259259 vehicle for lease or rent; revising a notice that is 174
260260 required if the lessee's coverage is to be primary; 175
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269269 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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273273 creating s. 627.7265, F.S.; specifying persons whom 176
274274 medical payments coverage must protect; specifying the 177
275275 minimum medical expense limits; specifying coverage 178
276276 options that an insurer is required and authorized to 179
277277 offer; providing construction relating to limits on 180
278278 certain other coverages; requiring insurers, upon 181
279279 receiving certain notice of an accident, to hold a 182
280280 specified reserve for certain purposes for a certain 183
281281 timeframe; providing that the reserve requirement does 184
282282 not require insurers to establish a claim reserve for 185
283283 accounting purposes; prohibiting an insurer providin g 186
284284 medical payments coverage benefits from seeking a lien 187
285285 on a certain recovery and bringing a certain cause of 188
286286 action; authorizing insurers to include policy 189
287287 provisions allowing for subrogation, under certain 190
288288 circumstances, for medical payments benefits pa id; 191
289289 providing construction; specifying a requirement for 192
290290 an insured for repayment of medical payments benefits 193
291291 under certain circumstances; prohibiting insurers from 194
292292 including policy provisions allowing for subrogation 195
293293 for death benefits paid; amending s. 627.727, F.S.; 196
294294 conforming provisions to changes made by the act; 197
295295 revising the legal liability of an uninsured motorist 198
296296 coverage insurer; amending s. 627.7275, F.S.; revising 199
297297 required coverages for a motor vehicle insurance 200
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306306 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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310310 policy; conforming provisions to changes made by the 201
311311 act; creating s. 627.72761, F.S.; requiring motor 202
312312 vehicle insurance policies to provide death benefits; 203
313313 specifying requirements for such benefits; specifying 204
314314 persons to whom such benefits may and may not be paid; 205
315315 creating s. 627.7278, F .S.; defining the term "minimum 206
316316 security requirements"; providing a prohibition, 207
317317 requirements, applicability, and construction relating 208
318318 to motor vehicle insurance policies as of a certain 209
319319 date; requiring insurers to allow certain insureds to 210
320320 make certain coverage changes, subject to certain 211
321321 conditions; requiring an insurer to provide, by a 212
322322 specified date, a specified notice to policyholders 213
323323 relating to requirements under the act; amending s. 214
324324 627.728, F.S.; conforming a provision to changes made 215
325325 by the act; amending s. 627.7295, F.S.; revising the 216
326326 definitions of the terms "policy" and "binder"; 217
327327 revising the coverages of a motor vehicle insurance 218
328328 policy for which a licensed general lines agent may 219
329329 charge a specified fee; conforming provisions to 220
330330 changes made by the act; amending s. 627.7415, F.S.; 221
331331 revising additional liability insurance requirements 222
332332 for commercial motor vehicles; amending s. 627.747, 223
333333 F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made by the 224
334334 act; amending s. 627.748, F.S.; revising insurance 225
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343343 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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347347 requirements for transportation network company 226
348348 drivers; conforming provisions to changes made by the 227
349349 act; conforming cross -references; amending s. 228
350350 627.7483, F.S.; conforming provisions to changes made 229
351351 by the act; amending s. 627.749, F.S.; conforming a 230
352352 provision to changes made by the act; amending s. 231
353353 627.8405, F.S.; revising coverages in a policy sold in 232
354354 combination with an accidental death and dismemberment 233
355355 policy which a premium finance company may not 234
356356 finance; revising rulemaking authority of the 235
357357 Financial Services Commission; amending ss. 627.915, 236
358358 628.909, 705.184, and 713.78, F.S.; conforming 237
359359 provisions to changes made by the act; amending s. 238
360360 817.234, F.S.; revising coverages that are the basis 239
361361 of specified prohibited false and fraudulent insurance 240
362362 claims; conforming provisions to changes made by the 241
363363 act; deleting provisions relating to prohibited 242
364364 changes in certain mental or physical reports; 243
365365 providing an appropriation; providing effective dates. 244
366366 245
367367 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 246
368368 247
369369 Section 1. Sections 627.730, 627.731, 627.7311, 627.732, 248
370370 627.733, 627.734, 627.736, 627.737, 627.739, 627.7401, 627.7403, 249
371371 and 627.7405, Florida Statutes, are repealed. 250
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380380 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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384384 Section 2. Section 627.7407, Florida Statutes, is 251
385385 repealed. 252
386386 Section 3. Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section 253
387387 316.2122, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 254
388388 316.2122 Operation of a low -speed vehicle, mini truck, or 255
389389 low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle on certain roadways. — 256
390390 (2) The operation of a low -speed autonomous del ivery 257
391391 vehicle on any road is authorized with the following 258
392392 restrictions: 259
393393 (e) A low-speed autonomous delivery vehicle must be 260
394394 covered by a policy of automobile insurance which provides the 261
395395 coverage required by s. 627.749(2)(a)1. and, 2., and 3. The 262
396396 coverage requirements of this paragraph may be satisfied by 263
397397 automobile insurance maintained by the owner of a low -speed 264
398398 autonomous delivery vehicle, the owner of the teleoperation 265
399399 system, the remote human operator, or a combination thereof. 266
400400 Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 316.646, Florida 267
401401 Statutes, is amended to read: 268
402402 316.646 Security required; proof of security and display 269
403403 thereof.— 270
404404 (1) Any person required by s. 324.022 to maintain 271
405405 liability security for property damage, liability security, 272
406406 required by s. 324.023 to maintain liability security for bodily 273
407407 injury, or death, or required by s. 627.733 to maintain personal 274
408408 injury protection security on a motor vehicle shall have in his 275
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417417 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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421421 or her immediate possession at all times while operating a such 276
422422 motor vehicle proper proof of maintenance of the required 277
423423 security required under s. 324.021(7) . 278
424424 (a) Such proof must shall be in a uniform paper or 279
425425 electronic format, as prescribed by the department, a valid 280
426426 insurance policy, an insurance policy binder, a cert ificate of 281
427427 insurance, or such other proof as may be prescribed by the 282
428428 department. 283
429429 (b)1. The act of presenting to a law enforcement officer 284
430430 an electronic device displaying proof of insurance in an 285
431431 electronic format does not constitute consent for the offi cer to 286
432432 access any information on the device other than the displayed 287
433433 proof of insurance. 288
434434 2. The person who presents the device to the officer 289
435435 assumes the liability for any resulting damage to the device. 290
436436 Section 5. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 291
437437 318.18, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 292
438438 318.18 Amount of penalties. —The penalties required for a 293
439439 noncriminal disposition pursuant to s. 318.14 or a criminal 294
440440 offense listed in s. 318.17 are as follows: 295
441441 (2) Thirty dollars for all nonmoving traffic violations 296
442442 and: 297
443443 (b) For all violations of ss. 320.0605, 320.07(1), 298
444444 322.065, and 322.15(1). A Any person who is cited for a 299
445445 violation of s. 320.07(1) shall be charged a delinquent fee 300
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454454 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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458458 pursuant to s. 320.07(4). 301
459459 1. If a person who is cited for a v iolation of s. 320.0605 302
460460 or s. 320.07 can show proof of having a valid registration at 303
461461 the time of arrest, the clerk of the court may dismiss the case 304
462462 and may assess a dismissal fee of up to $10, from which the 305
463463 clerk shall remit $2.50 to the Department of R evenue for deposit 306
464464 into the General Revenue Fund. A person who finds it impossible 307
465465 or impractical to obtain a valid registration certificate must 308
466466 submit an affidavit detailing the reasons for the impossibility 309
467467 or impracticality. The reasons may include, bu t are not limited 310
468468 to, the fact that the vehicle was sold, stolen, or destroyed; 311
469469 that the state in which the vehicle is registered does not issue 312
470470 a certificate of registration; or that the vehicle is owned by 313
471471 another person. 314
472472 2. If a person who is cited fo r a violation of s. 322.03, 315
473473 s. 322.065, or s. 322.15 can show a driver license issued to him 316
474474 or her and valid at the time of arrest, the clerk of the court 317
475475 may dismiss the case and may assess a dismissal fee of up to 318
476476 $10, from which the clerk shall remit $ 2.50 to the Department of 319
477477 Revenue for deposit into the General Revenue Fund. 320
478478 3. If a person who is cited for a violation of s. 316.646 321
479479 can show proof of security as required by s. 324.021(7) s. 322
480480 627.733, issued to the person and valid at the time of arres t, 323
481481 the clerk of the court may dismiss the case and may assess a 324
482482 dismissal fee of up to $10, from which the clerk shall remit 325
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491491 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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495495 $2.50 to the Department of Revenue for deposit into the General 326
496496 Revenue Fund. A person who finds it impossible or impractical to 327
497497 obtain proof of security must submit an affidavit detailing the 328
498498 reasons for the impracticality. The reasons may include, but are 329
499499 not limited to, the fact that the vehicle has since been sold, 330
500500 stolen, or destroyed ; that the owner or registrant of the 331
501501 vehicle is not required by s. 627.733 to maintain personal 332
502502 injury protection insurance; or that the vehicle is owned by 333
503503 another person. 334
504504 Section 6. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (5) of 335
505505 section 320.02, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 336
506506 320.02 Registration required; application for 337
507507 registration; forms. — 338
508508 (5)(a) Proof that bodily injury liability coverage and 339
509509 property damage liability coverage personal injury protection 340
510510 benefits have been purchased if required under s. 324.022, s. 341
511511 324.032, or s. 627.742 s. 627.733, that property damage 342
512512 liability coverage has been purchased as required under s. 343
513513 324.022, that bodily injury liability or death coverage has been 344
514514 purchased if required under s. 324.023, and that combined bodily 345
515515 liability insurance and proper ty damage liability insurance have 346
516516 been purchased if required under s. 627.7415 must shall be 347
517517 provided in the manner prescribed by law by the applicant at the 348
518518 time of application for registration of any motor vehicle that 349
519519 is subject to such requirements. T he issuing agent may not shall 350
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528528 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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532532 refuse to issue registration if such proof of purchase is not 351
533533 provided. Insurers shall furnish uniform proof -of-purchase cards 352
534534 in a paper or electronic format in a form prescribed by the 353
535535 department and include the name of the insured's insurance 354
536536 company, the coverage identification number, and the make, year, 355
537537 and vehicle identification number of the vehicle insured. The 356
538538 card must contain a statement notifying the applicant of the 357
539539 penalty specified under s. 316.646(4). The card or insurance 358
540540 policy, insurance policy binder, or certificate of insurance or 359
541541 a photocopy of any of these; an affidavit containing the name of 360
542542 the insured's insurance company, the insured's policy number, 361
543543 and the make and year of the vehicle insured; or su ch other 362
544544 proof as may be prescribed by the department constitutes shall 363
545545 constitute sufficient proof of purchase. If an affidavit is 364
546546 provided as proof, it must be in substantially the following 365
547547 form: 366
548548 367
549549 Under penalty of perjury, I ...(Name of insured)... do h ereby 368
550550 certify that I have ...( bodily injury liability and Personal 369
551551 Injury Protection, property damage liability , and, if required, 370
552552 Bodily Injury Liability )... insurance currently in effect with 371
553553 ...(Name of insurance company)... under ...(policy number)... 372
554554 covering ...(make, year, and vehicle identification number of 373
555555 vehicle).... ...(Signature of Insured)... 374
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565565 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
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569569 Such affidavit must include the following warning: 376
570570 377
571571 WARNING: GIVING FALSE INFORMATION IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A VEHICLE 378
572572 REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE IS A CRIMIN AL OFFENSE UNDER FLORIDA 379
573573 LAW. ANYONE GIVING FALSE INFORMATION ON THIS AFFIDAVIT IS 380
574574 SUBJECT TO PROSECUTION. 381
575575 382
576576 If an application is made through a licensed motor vehicle 383
577577 dealer as required under s. 319.23, the original or a photocopy 384
578578 photostatic copy of such card, insurance policy, insurance 385
579579 policy binder, or certificate of insurance or the original 386
580580 affidavit from the insured must shall be forwarded by the dealer 387
581581 to the tax collector of the county or the Department of Highway 388
582582 Safety and Motor Vehicles for proc essing. By executing the 389
583583 aforesaid affidavit, a no licensed motor vehicle dealer is not 390
584584 will be liable in damages for any inadequacy, insufficiency, or 391
585585 falsification of any statement contained therein. A card must 392
586586 also indicate the existence of any bodily injury liability 393
587587 insurance voluntarily purchased. 394
588588 (d) The verifying of proof of personal injury protection 395
589589 insurance, proof of property damage liability insurance, proof 396
590590 of combined bodily liability insurance and property damage 397
591591 liability insurance, or proof of financial responsibility 398
592592 insurance and the issuance or failure to issue the motor vehicle 399
593593 registration under the provisions of this chapter may not be 400
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602602 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
603603
604604
605605
606606 construed in any court as a warranty of the reliability or 401
607607 accuracy of the evidence of such proof or as meaning that the 402
608608 provisions of any insurance policy furnished as proof of 403
609609 financial responsibility comply with state law . Neither the 404
610610 department nor any tax collector is liable in damages for any 405
611611 inadequacy, insufficiency, falsification, or unauthor ized 406
612612 modification of any item of the proof of personal injury 407
613613 protection insurance, proof of property damage liability 408
614614 insurance, proof of combined bodily liability insurance and 409
615615 property damage liability insurance, or proof of financial 410
616616 responsibility before insurance prior to, during, or subsequent 411
617617 to the verification of the proof. The issuance of a motor 412
618618 vehicle registration does not constitute prima facie evidence or 413
619619 a presumption of insurance coverage. 414
620620 Section 7. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of section 415
621621 320.0609, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 416
622622 320.0609 Transfer and exchange of registration license 417
623623 plates; transfer fee. — 418
624624 (1) 419
625625 (b) The transfer of a license plate from a vehicle 420
626626 disposed of to a newly acquired vehicle does not constitute a 421
627627 new registration. The application for transfer must shall be 422
628628 accepted without requiring proof of personal injury protection 423
629629 or liability insurance. 424
630630 Section 8. Subsection (3) of section 320.27, Florida 425
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639639 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
640640
641641
642642
643643 Statutes, is amended, and paragraph (g) is added to subsection 426
644644 (1) of that section, to read: 427
645645 320.27 Motor vehicle dealers. — 428
646646 (1) DEFINITIONS.—The following words, terms, and phrases 429
647647 when used in this section have the meanings respectively 430
648648 ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context 431
649649 clearly indicates a different meaning: 432
650650 (g) "Garage liability insurance" means, beginning July 1, 433
651651 2024, combined single -limit liability coverage, including 434
652652 property damage and bodily injury liability coverage, in the 435
653653 amount of at least $60,000. 436
654654 (3) APPLICATION AND FEE.—The application for the license 437
655655 application must shall be in such form as may be prescribed by 438
656656 the department and is shall be subject to such rules with 439
657657 respect thereto as may be so prescribed by the department it. 440
658658 Such application must shall be verified by oath or affirmation 441
659659 and must shall contain a full statement of the name and birth 442
660660 date of the person or persons applying for the license therefor; 443
661661 the name of the firm or copartnership, with the names and places 444
662662 of residence of all members thereof, if such applicant is a firm 445
663663 or copartnership; the names and places of residence of the 446
664664 principal officers, if the applicant is a body corporate or 447
665665 other artificial body; the name of the state under whose laws 448
666666 the corporation is organized; the pres ent and former place or 449
667667 places of residence of the applicant; and the prior business in 450
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676676 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
677677
678678
679679
680680 which the applicant has been engaged and its the location 451
681681 thereof. The Such application must shall describe the exact 452
682682 location of the place of business and must shall state whether 453
683683 the place of business is owned by the applicant and when 454
684684 acquired, or, if leased, a true copy of the lease must shall be 455
685685 attached to the application. The applicant shall certify that 456
686686 the location provides an adequately equipped office and is not a 457
687687 residence; that the location affords sufficient unoccupied space 458
688688 upon and within which adequately to store all motor vehicles 459
689689 offered and displayed for sale; and that the location is a 460
690690 suitable place where the applicant can in good faith carry on 461
691691 such business and keep and maintain books, records, and files 462
692692 necessary to conduct such business, which must shall be 463
693693 available at all reasonable hours to inspection by the 464
694694 department or any of its inspectors or other employees. The 465
695695 applicant shall certify t hat the business of a motor vehicle 466
696696 dealer is the principal business that will which shall be 467
697697 conducted at that location. The application must shall contain a 468
698698 statement that the applicant is either franchised by a 469
699699 manufacturer of motor vehicles, in which c ase the name of each 470
700700 motor vehicle that the applicant is franchised to sell must 471
701701 shall be included, or an independent (nonfranchised) motor 472
702702 vehicle dealer. The application must shall contain other 473
703703 relevant information as may be required by the department . The 474
704704 applicant shall furnish , including evidence, in a form approved 475
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713713 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
714714
715715
716716
717717 by the department, that the applicant is insured under a garage 476
718718 liability insurance policy or a general liability insurance 477
719719 policy coupled with a business automobile policy having the 478
720720 coverages and limits of garage liability insurance coverage in 479
721721 accordance with paragraph (1)(g) , which shall include, at a 480
722722 minimum, $25,000 combined single -limit liability coverage 481
723723 including bodily injury and property damage protection and 482
724724 $10,000 personal inj ury protection. However, a salvage motor 483
725725 vehicle dealer as defined in subparagraph (1)(c)5. is exempt 484
726726 from the requirements for garage liability insurance and 485
727727 personal injury protection insurance on those vehicles that 486
728728 cannot be legally operated on roads, highways, or streets in 487
729729 this state. Franchise dealers must submit a garage liability 488
730730 insurance policy, and all other dealers must submit a garage 489
731731 liability insurance policy or a general liability insurance 490
732732 policy coupled with a business automobile policy. Such policy 491
733733 must shall be for the license period, and evidence of a new or 492
734734 continued policy must shall be delivered to the department at 493
735735 the beginning of each license period. A licensee shall deliver 494
736736 to the department, in the manner prescribed by the depar tment, 495
737737 within 10 calendar days after any renewal or continuation of or 496
738738 change in such policy or within 10 calendar days after any 497
739739 issuance of a new policy, a copy of the renewed, continued, 498
740740 changed, or new policy. Upon making an initial application, the 499
741741 applicant shall pay to the department a fee of $300 in addition 500
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750750 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
751751
752752
753753
754754 to any other fees required by law. Applicants may choose to 501
755755 extend the licensure period for 1 additional year for a total of 502
756756 2 years. An initial applicant shall pay to the department a fee 503
757757 of $300 for the first year and $75 for the second year, in 504
758758 addition to any other fees required by law. An applicant for 505
759759 renewal shall pay to the department $75 for a 1 -year renewal or 506
760760 $150 for a 2-year renewal, in addition to any other fees 507
761761 required by law. Upo n making an application for a change of 508
762762 location, the applicant person shall pay a fee of $50 in 509
763763 addition to any other fees now required by law. The department 510
764764 shall, in the case of every application for initial licensure, 511
765765 verify whether certain facts set forth in the application are 512
766766 true. Each applicant, general partner in the case of a 513
767767 partnership, or corporate officer and director in the case of a 514
768768 corporate applicant shall, must file a set of fingerprints with 515
769769 the department for the purpose of determinin g any prior criminal 516
770770 record or any outstanding warrants. The department shall submit 517
771771 the fingerprints to the Department of Law Enforcement for state 518
772772 processing and forwarding to the Federal Bureau of Investigation 519
773773 for federal processing. The actual cost of state and federal 520
774774 processing must shall be borne by the applicant and is in 521
775775 addition to the fee for licensure. The department may issue a 522
776776 license to an applicant pending the results of the fingerprint 523
777777 investigation, which license is fully revocable if the 524
778778 department subsequently determines that any facts set forth in 525
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787787 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
788788
789789
790790
791791 the application are not true or correctly represented. 526
792792 Section 9. Paragraph (j) of subsection (3) of section 527
793793 320.771, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 528
794794 320.771 License required of re creational vehicle dealers. — 529
795795 (3) APPLICATION.—The application for such license shall be 530
796796 in the form prescribed by the department and subject to such 531
797797 rules as may be prescribed by it. The application shall be 532
798798 verified by oath or affirmation and shall contain: 533
799799 (j) Evidence that the applicant is insured under a garage 534
800800 liability insurance policy in accordance with s. 320.27(1)(g) , 535
801801 which shall include, at a minimum, $25,000 combined single -limit 536
802802 liability coverage, including bodily injury and property da mage 537
803803 protection, and $10,000 personal injury protection, if the 538
804804 applicant is to be licensed as a dealer in, or intends to sell, 539
805805 recreational vehicles. Such policy must be for the license 540
806806 period. Within 10 calendar days after any renewal or 541
807807 continuation of or material change in such policy or issuance of 542
808808 a new policy, the licensee shall deliver to the department, in a 543
809809 manner prescribed by the department, a copy of such renewed, 544
810810 continued, changed, or new policy. However, a garage liability 545
811811 policy is not required for the licensure of a mobile home dealer 546
812812 who sells only park trailers. 547
813813 548
814814 The department shall, if it deems necessary, cause an 549
815815 investigation to be made to ascertain if the facts set forth in 550
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824824 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
825825
826826
827827
828828 the application are true and shall not issue a license to th e 551
829829 applicant until it is satisfied that the facts set forth in the 552
830830 application are true. 553
831831 Section 10. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 322.251, 554
832832 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 555
833833 322.251 Notice of cancellation, suspension, revocation, or 556
834834 disqualification of license. — 557
835835 (1) All orders of cancellation, suspension, revocation, or 558
836836 disqualification issued under the provisions of this chapter, 559
837837 chapter 318, or chapter 324 must, or ss. 627.732-627.734 shall 560
838838 be given either by personal delivery thereof to the licensee 561
839839 whose license is being canceled, suspended, revoked, or 562
840840 disqualified or by deposit in the United States mail in an 563
841841 envelope, first class, postage prepaid, addressed to the 564
842842 licensee at his or her last known mailing address furnished to 565
843843 the department. Such mailing by the department constitutes 566
844844 notification, and any failure by the person to receive the 567
845845 mailed order will not affect or stay the effective date or term 568
846846 of the cancellation, suspension, revocation, or disqualification 569
847847 of the licensee's driving privilege. 570
848848 (2) The giving of notice and an order of cancellation, 571
849849 suspension, revocation, or disqualification by mail is complete 572
850850 upon expiration of 20 days after deposit in the United States 573
851851 mail for all notices except those issued under chapte r 324 or 574
852852 ss. 627.732–627.734, which are complete 15 days after deposit in 575
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861861 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
862862
863863
864864
865865 the United States mail. Proof of the giving of notice and an 576
866866 order of cancellation, suspension, revocation, or 577
867867 disqualification in either manner must shall be made by entry in 578
868868 the records of the department that such notice was given. The 579
869869 entry is admissible in the courts of this state and constitutes 580
870870 sufficient proof that such notice was given. 581
871871 Section 11. Paragraph (a) of subsection (8) of section 582
872872 322.34, Florida Statutes, is ame nded to read: 583
873873 322.34 Driving while license suspended, revoked, canceled, 584
874874 or disqualified.— 585
875875 (8)(a) Upon the arrest of a person for the offense of 586
876876 driving while the person's driver license or driving privilege 587
877877 is suspended or revoked, the arresting offic er shall determine: 588
878878 1. Whether the person's driver license is suspended or 589
879879 revoked, or the person is under suspension or revocation 590
880880 equivalent status. 591
881881 2. Whether the person's driver license has remained 592
882882 suspended or revoked, or the person has been unde r suspension or 593
883883 revocation equivalent status, since a conviction for the offense 594
884884 of driving with a suspended or revoked license. 595
885885 3. Whether the suspension, revocation, or suspension or 596
886886 revocation equivalent status was made under s. 316.646 or s. 597
887887 627.733, relating to failure to maintain required security, or 598
888888 under s. 322.264, relating to habitual traffic offenders. 599
889889 4. Whether the driver is the registered owner or co -owner 600
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898898 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
899899
900900
901901
902902 of the vehicle. 601
903903 Section 12. Section 324.011, Florida Statutes, is amended 602
904904 to read: 603
905905 324.011 Legislative intent; purpose of chapter.— 604
906906 (1) It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter: 605
907907 (a) Ensure that the privilege of owning or operating a 606
908908 motor vehicle in this state is exercised to recognize the 607
909909 existing privilege to o wn or operate a motor vehicle on the 608
910910 public streets and highways of this state when such vehicles are 609
911911 used with due consideration for the safety of others and their 610
912912 property., and to 611
913913 (b) Promote safety. and 612
914914 (c) Provide financial security requirements f or such 613
915915 owners and or operators whose responsibility it is to recompense 614
916916 others for injury to person or property caused by the operation 615
917917 of a motor vehicle. 616
918918 (2) The purpose of this chapter is to require that every 617
919919 owner or operator of a motor vehicle req uired to be registered 618
920920 in this state establish, maintain, Therefore, it is required 619
921921 herein that the operator of a motor vehicle involved in a crash 620
922922 or convicted of certain traffic offenses meeting the operative 621
923923 provisions of s. 324.051(2) shall respond for such damages and 622
924924 show proof of financial ability to respond for damages arising 623
925925 out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle in 624
926926 future accidents as a requisite to owning or operating a motor 625
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935935 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
936936
937937
938938
939939 vehicle in this state his or her future exercise of such 626
940940 privileges. 627
941941 Section 13. Subsections (1) and (7) and paragraph (c) of 628
942942 subsection (9) of section 324.021, Florida Statutes, are 629
943943 amended, and subsection (12) is added to that section, to read: 630
944944 324.021 Definitions; minimum insurance required. —The 631
945945 following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall, for 632
946946 the purpose of this chapter, have the meanings respectively 633
947947 ascribed to them in this section, except in those instances 634
948948 where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: 635
949949 (1) MOTOR VEHICLE.—Every self-propelled vehicle that is 636
950950 designed and required to be licensed for use upon a highway, 637
951951 including trailers and semitrailers designed for use with such 638
952952 vehicles, except traction engines, road rollers, farm tractors, 639
953953 power shovels, and wel l drillers, and every vehicle that is 640
954954 propelled by electric power obtained from overhead wires but not 641
955955 operated upon rails, but not including any personal delivery 642
956956 device or mobile carrier as defined in s. 316.003, bicycle, 643
957957 electric bicycle, or moped. However, the term "motor vehicle" 644
958958 does not include a motor vehicle as defined in s. 627.732(3) 645
959959 when the owner of such vehicle has complied with the 646
960960 requirements of ss. 627.730 -627.7405, inclusive, unless the 647
961961 provisions of s. 324.051 apply; and, in such case, t he 648
962962 applicable proof of insurance provisions of s. 320.02 apply. 649
963963 (7) PROOF OF FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. —Beginning July 1, 650
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972972 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
973973
974974
975975
976976 2024, That proof of ability to respond in damages for liability 651
977977 on account of crashes arising out of the ownership, maintenance, 652
978978 or use of a motor vehicle: 653
979979 (a) With respect to a motor vehicle other than a 654
980980 commercial motor vehicle, nonpublic sector bus, or for -hire 655
981981 passenger transportation vehicle, in the amounts specified in s. 656
982982 324.022(1). in the amount of $10,000 because of bodily in jury 657
983983 to, or death of, one person in any one crash; 658
984984 (b) Subject to such limits for one person, in the amount 659
985985 of $20,000 because of bodily injury to, or death of, two or more 660
986986 persons in any one crash; 661
987987 (c) In the amount of $10,000 because of injury to, or 662
988988 destruction of, property of others in any one crash; and 663
989989 (b)(d) With respect to commercial motor vehicles and 664
990990 nonpublic sector buses , in the amounts specified in s. 627.7415 665
991991 ss. 627.7415 and 627.742, respectively . 666
992992 (c) With respect to nonpublic sector buses, in the amounts 667
993993 specified in s. 627.742. 668
994994 (d) With respect to for -hire passenger transportation 669
995995 vehicles, in the amounts specified in s. 324.032. 670
996996 (9) OWNER; OWNER/LESSOR. — 671
997997 (c) Application.— 672
998998 1. The limits on liability in subparagraphs (b)2. and 3. 673
999999 do not apply to an owner of motor vehicles that are used for 674
10001000 commercial activity in the owner's ordinary course of business, 675
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10091009 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
10101010
10111011
10121012
10131013 other than a rental company that rents or leases motor vehicles. 676
10141014 For purposes of this paragraph, the term "rental company" 677
10151015 includes only an entity that is engaged in the business of 678
10161016 renting or leasing motor vehicles to the general public and that 679
10171017 rents or leases a majority of its motor vehicles to persons with 680
10181018 no direct or indirect affiliation with the rental company. The 681
10191019 term "rental company" also includes: 682
10201020 a. A related rental or leasing company that is a 683
10211021 subsidiary of the same parent company as that of the renting or 684
10221022 leasing company that rented or leased the vehicle. 685
10231023 b. The holder of a motor vehicle title or an equity 686
10241024 interest in a motor vehicle title if the title or equity 687
10251025 interest is held pursuant to or to facilitate an asset -backed 688
10261026 securitization of a fleet of motor vehicles used solely in the 689
10271027 business of renting or leasing motor vehicles to the general 690
10281028 public and under the dominion and control of a rental company, 691
10291029 as described in this subparagraph, in the operation of such 692
10301030 rental company's business. 693
10311031 2. Furthermore, with respect to commercial motor vehicles 694
10321032 as defined in s. 207.002 or s. 320.01(25) s. 627.732, the limits 695
10331033 on liability in subparagraphs (b)2. and 3. do not apply if, at 696
10341034 the time of the incident, the commercial motor vehicle is being 697
10351035 used in the transportation of materials found to be hazardous 698
10361036 for the purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation 699
10371037 Authorization Act of 1994, as amended, 49 U.S.C. ss. 5101 et 700
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10461046 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
10471047
10481048
10491049
10501050 seq., and that is required pursuant to such act to carry 701
10511051 placards warning others of the hazardous cargo, unless at the 702
10521052 time of lease or rental either: 703
10531053 a. The lessee indicates in writing that the vehicle will 704
10541054 not be used to transport materials found to be hazardous for the 705
10551055 purposes of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Authorization 706
10561056 Act of 1994, as amended, 49 U.S.C. ss. 5101 et seq.; or 707
10571057 b. The lessee or other operator of the commercial motor 708
10581058 vehicle has in effect insurance with limits of at least $5 709
10591059 million $5,000,000 combined property damage and bodily injury 710
10601060 liability. 711
10611061 3.a. A motor vehicle dealer, or a motor vehicle dealer's 712
10621062 leasing or rental affiliate, that provides a temporary 713
10631063 replacement vehicle at no charge or at a reasonable daily charge 714
10641064 to a service customer whose vehicle is being held for repair, 715
10651065 service, or adjustment by the motor vehicle dealer is immune 716
10661066 from any cause of action and is not liable, vicariously or 717
10671067 directly, under gener al law solely by reason of being the owner 718
10681068 of the temporary replacement vehicle for harm to persons or 719
10691069 property that arises out of the use, or operation, of the 720
10701070 temporary replacement vehicle by any person during the period 721
10711071 the temporary replacement vehicle has been entrusted to the 722
10721072 motor vehicle dealer's service customer if there is no 723
10731073 negligence or criminal wrongdoing on the part of the motor 724
10741074 vehicle owner, or its leasing or rental affiliate. 725
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10831083 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
10841084
10851085
10861086
10871087 b. For purposes of this section, and notwithstanding any 726
10881088 other provision of general law, a motor vehicle dealer, or a 727
10891089 motor vehicle dealer's leasing or rental affiliate, that gives 728
10901090 possession, control, or use of a temporary replacement vehicle 729
10911091 to a motor vehicle dealer's service customer may not be adjudged 730
10921092 liable in a civil proceeding absent negligence or criminal 731
10931093 wrongdoing on the part of the motor vehicle dealer, or the motor 732
10941094 vehicle dealer's leasing or rental affiliate, if the motor 733
10951095 vehicle dealer or the motor vehicle dealer's leasing or rental 734
10961096 affiliate executes a written rental or use agreement and obtains 735
10971097 from the person receiving the temporary replacement vehicle a 736
10981098 copy of the person's driver license and insurance information 737
10991099 reflecting at least the minimum motor vehicle insurance coverage 738
11001100 required in the state . Any subsequent determination that the 739
11011101 driver license or insurance information provided to the motor 740
11021102 vehicle dealer, or the motor vehicle dealer's leasing or rental 741
11031103 affiliate, was in any way false, fraudulent, misleading, 742
11041104 nonexistent, canceled, not in eff ect, or invalid does not alter 743
11051105 or diminish the protections provided by this section, unless the 744
11061106 motor vehicle dealer, or the motor vehicle dealer's leasing or 745
11071107 rental affiliate, had actual knowledge thereof at the time 746
11081108 possession of the temporary replacemen t vehicle was provided. 747
11091109 c. For purposes of this subparagraph, the term "service 748
11101110 customer" does not include an agent or a principal of a motor 749
11111111 vehicle dealer or a motor vehicle dealer's leasing or rental 750
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11201120 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
11211121
11221122
11231123
11241124 affiliate, and does not include an employee of a mo tor vehicle 751
11251125 dealer or a motor vehicle dealer's leasing or rental affiliate 752
11261126 unless the employee was provided a temporary replacement 753
11271127 vehicle: 754
11281128 (I) While the employee's personal vehicle was being held 755
11291129 for repair, service, or adjustment by the motor vehicle dealer; 756
11301130 (II) In the same manner as other customers who are 757
11311131 provided a temporary replacement vehicle while the customer's 758
11321132 vehicle is being held for repair, service, or adjustment; and 759
11331133 (III) The employee was not acting within the course and 760
11341134 scope of his or her employment. 761
11351135 (12) FOR-HIRE PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE. —Every for-762
11361136 hire vehicle as defined in s. 320.01(15) which is offered or 763
11371137 used to provide transportation for persons, including taxicabs, 764
11381138 limousines, and jitneys. 765
11391139 Section 14. Section 324 .022, Florida Statutes, is amended 766
11401140 to read: 767
11411141 324.022 Financial responsibility requirements for property 768
11421142 damage.— 769
11431143 (1)(a) Beginning July 1, 2024, every owner or operator of 770
11441144 a motor vehicle required to be registered in this state shall 771
11451145 establish and continuously maintain the ability to respond in 772
11461146 damages for liability on account of accidents arising out of the 773
11471147 use of the motor vehicle in the amount of : 774
11481148 1. Twenty-five thousand dollars for bodily injury to, or 775
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11571157 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
11581158
11591159
11601160
11611161 the death of, one person in any one crash and, subject to such 776
11621162 limits for one person, in the amount of $50,000 for bodily 777
11631163 injury to, or the death of, two or more persons in any one 778
11641164 crash; and 779
11651165 2. Ten thousand dollars for $10,000 because of damage to, 780
11661166 or destruction of, property of others in any one cr ash. 781
11671167 (b) The requirements of paragraph (a) this section may be 782
11681168 met by one of the methods established in s. 324.031; by self -783
11691169 insuring as authorized by s. 768.28(16); or by maintaining a 784
11701170 motor vehicle liability insurance policy that an insurance 785
11711171 policy providing coverage for property damage liability in the 786
11721172 amount of at least $10,000 because of damage to, or destruction 787
11731173 of, property of others in any one accident arising out of the 788
11741174 use of the motor vehicle. The requirements of this section may 789
11751175 also be met by having a policy which provides combined property 790
11761176 damage liability and bodily injury liability coverage for any 791
11771177 one crash arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a 792
11781178 motor vehicle and that conforms to the requirements of s. 793
11791179 324.151 in the amount of at least $60,000 for every owner or 794
11801180 operator subject to the financial responsibility required in 795
11811181 paragraph (a) $30,000 for combined property damage liability and 796
11821182 bodily injury liability for any one crash arising out of the use 797
11831183 of the motor vehicle. The policy, with respect to coverage for 798
11841184 property damage liability, must meet the applicable requirements 799
11851185 of s. 324.151, subject to the usual policy exclusions that have 800
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11941194 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
11951195
11961196
11971197
11981198 been approved in policy forms by the Office of Insurance 801
11991199 Regulation. No insurer shall hav e any duty to defend uncovered 802
12001200 claims irrespective of their joinder with covered claims . 803
12011201 (2) As used in this section, the term: 804
12021202 (a) "Motor vehicle" means any self -propelled vehicle that 805
12031203 has four or more wheels and that is of a type designed and 806
12041204 required to be licensed for use on the highways of this state, 807
12051205 and any trailer or semitrailer designed for use with such 808
12061206 vehicle. The term does not include the following: 809
12071207 1. A mobile home as defined in s. 320.01(2)(a) . 810
12081208 2. A motor vehicle that is used in mass transit and 811
12091209 designed to transport more than five passengers, exclusive of 812
12101210 the operator of the motor vehicle, and that is owned by a 813
12111211 municipality, transit authority, or political subdivision of the 814
12121212 state. 815
12131213 3. A school bus as defined in s. 1006.25 , which must 816
12141214 maintain security as required under s. 316.615 . 817
12151215 4. A commercial motor vehicle as defined in s. 207.002 or 818
12161216 s. 320.01(25), which must maintain security as required under 819
12171217 ss. 324.031 and 627.7415. 820
12181218 5. A nonpublic sector bus, which must maintain security as 821
12191219 required under ss. 324.031 and 627.742. 822
12201220 6.4. A vehicle providing for-hire passenger transportation 823
12211221 vehicle, which must that is subject to the provisions of s. 824
12221222 324.031. A taxicab shall maintain security as required under s. 825
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12311231 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
12321232
12331233
12341234
12351235 324.032 s. 324.032(1). 826
12361236 7.5. A personal delivery device as defined in s. 316.003 , 827
12371237 which must maintain security as required under s. 316.2071(4) . 828
12381238 (b) "Owner" means the person who holds legal title to a 829
12391239 motor vehicle or the debtor or lessee who has the right to 830
12401240 possession of a moto r vehicle that is the subject of a security 831
12411241 agreement or lease with an option to purchase. 832
12421242 (3) Each nonresident owner or registrant of a motor 833
12431243 vehicle that, whether operated or not, has been physically 834
12441244 present within this state for more than 90 days duri ng the 835
12451245 preceding 365 days shall maintain security as required by 836
12461246 subsection (1). The security must be that is in effect 837
12471247 continuously throughout the period the motor vehicle remains 838
12481248 within this state. 839
12491249 (4) An The owner or registrant of a motor vehicle who is 840
12501250 exempt from the requirements of this section if she or he is a 841
12511251 member of the United States Armed Forces and is called to or on 842
12521252 active duty outside the United States in an emergency situation 843
12531253 is exempt from this section while he or she . The exemption 844
12541254 provided by this subsection applies only as long as the member 845
12551255 of the Armed Forces is on such active duty . This exemption 846
12561256 outside the United States and applies only while the vehicle 847
12571257 covered by the security is not operated by any person. Upon 848
12581258 receipt of a written request by the insured to whom the 849
12591259 exemption provided in this subsection applies, the insurer shall 850
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12681268 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
12691269
12701270
12711271
12721272 cancel the coverages and return any unearned premium or suspend 851
12731273 the security required by this sect ion. Notwithstanding s. 852
12741274 324.0221(2) s. 324.0221(3), the department may not suspend the 853
12751275 registration or operator's license of an any owner or registrant 854
12761276 of a motor vehicle during the time she or he qualifies for the 855
12771277 an exemption under this subsection. An Any owner or registrant 856
12781278 of a motor vehicle who qualifies for the an exemption under this 857
12791279 subsection shall immediately notify the department before prior 858
12801280 to and at the end of the expiration of the exemption. 859
12811281 Section 15. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 324.0221, 860
12821282 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 861
12831283 324.0221 Reports by insurers to the department; suspension 862
12841284 of driver license and vehicle registrations; reinstatement. — 863
12851285 (1)(a) Each insurer that has issued a policy providing 864
12861286 personal injury protection c overage or property damage liability 865
12871287 coverage shall report the cancellation or nonrenewal thereof to 866
12881288 the department within 10 days after the processing date or 867
12891289 effective date of each cancellation or nonrenewal. Upon the 868
12901290 issuance of a policy providing personal injury protection 869
12911291 coverage or property damage liability coverage to a named 870
12921292 insured not previously insured by the insurer during that 871
12931293 calendar year, the insurer shall report the issuance of the new 872
12941294 policy to the department within 10 days. The report must shall 873
12951295 be in the form and format and contain any information required 874
12961296 by the department and must be provided in a format that is 875
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13051305 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
13061306
13071307
13081308
13091309 compatible with the data processing capabilities of the 876
13101310 department. Failure by an insurer to file proper reports with 877
13111311 the department as required by this subsection constitutes a 878
13121312 violation of the Florida Insurance Code. These records may shall 879
13131313 be used by the department only for enforcement and regulatory 880
13141314 purposes, including the generation by the department of data 881
13151315 regarding compliance by owners of motor vehicles with the 882
13161316 requirements for financial responsibility coverage. 883
13171317 (b) With respect to an insurance policy providing personal 884
13181318 injury protection coverage or property damage liability 885
13191319 coverage, each insurer shall notify the name d insured, or the 886
13201320 first-named insured in the case of a commercial fleet policy, in 887
13211321 writing that any cancellation or nonrenewal of the policy will 888
13221322 be reported by the insurer to the department. The notice must 889
13231323 also inform the named insured that failure to ma intain bodily 890
13241324 injury liability personal injury protection coverage and 891
13251325 property damage liability coverage on a motor vehicle when 892
13261326 required by law may result in the loss of registration and 893
13271327 driving privileges in this state and inform the named insured of 894
13281328 the amount of the reinstatement fees required by this section. 895
13291329 This notice is for informational purposes only, and an insurer 896
13301330 is not civilly liable for failing to provide this notice. 897
13311331 (2) The department shall suspend, after due notice and an 898
13321332 opportunity to be heard, the registration and driver license of 899
13331333 any owner or registrant of a motor vehicle for with respect to 900
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13421342 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
13431343
13441344
13451345
13461346 which security is required under s. 324.022, s. 324.023, s. 901
13471347 324.032, s. 627.7415, or s. 627.742 ss. 324.022 and 627.733 902
13481348 upon: 903
13491349 (a) The department's records showing that the owner or 904
13501350 registrant of such motor vehicle does did not have the in full 905
13511351 force and effect when required security in full force and effect 906
13521352 that complies with the requirements of ss. 324.022 and 627.733 ; 907
13531353 or 908
13541354 (b) Notification by the insurer to the department, in a 909
13551355 form approved by the department, of cancellation or termination 910
13561356 of the required security. 911
13571357 Section 16. Section 324.0222, Florida Statutes, is created 912
13581358 to read: 913
13591359 324.0222 Application of driver license and registration 914
13601360 suspensions for failure to maintain security; reinstatement. —All 915
13611361 suspensions of driver licenses or motor vehicle registrations 916
13621362 for failure to maintain security as required by law in effect 917
13631363 before July 1, 2024, remain in full force and effect after July 918
13641364 1, 2024. A driver may reinstate a suspended driver license or 919
13651365 registration as provided under s. 324.0221. 920
13661366 Section 17. Section 324.023, Florida Statutes, is amended 921
13671367 to read: 922
13681368 324.023 Financial responsibility for bodily injury or 923
13691369 death.—In addition to any other financial responsibility 924
13701370 required by law, every owner or operator of a motor vehicle that 925
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13791379 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
13801380
13811381
13821382
13831383 is required to be registered in this state, or that is located 926
13841384 within this state, and who, regardless of adjudication of guilt, 927
13851385 has been found guilty of or ent ered a plea of guilty or nolo 928
13861386 contendere to a charge of driving under the influence under s. 929
13871387 316.193 after October 1, 2007, shall, by one of the methods 930
13881388 established in s. 324.031(1)(a) or (b) s. 324.031(1) or (2) , 931
13891389 establish and maintain the ability to resp ond in damages for 932
13901390 liability on account of accidents arising out of the use of a 933
13911391 motor vehicle in the amount of $100,000 because of bodily injury 934
13921392 to, or death of, one person in any one crash and, subject to 935
13931393 such limits for one person, in the amount of $300 ,000 because of 936
13941394 bodily injury to, or death of, two or more persons in any one 937
13951395 crash and in the amount of $50,000 because of property damage in 938
13961396 any one crash. If the owner or operator chooses to establish and 939
13971397 maintain such ability by furnishing a certificat e of deposit 940
13981398 pursuant to s. 324.031(1)(b) s. 324.031(2), such certificate of 941
13991399 deposit must be at least $350,000. Such higher limits must be 942
14001400 carried for a minimum period of 3 years. If the owner or 943
14011401 operator has not been convicted of driving under the influen ce 944
14021402 or a felony traffic offense for a period of 3 years from the 945
14031403 date of reinstatement of driving privileges for a violation of 946
14041404 s. 316.193, the owner or operator is shall be exempt from this 947
14051405 section. 948
14061406 Section 18. Section 324.031, Florida Statutes, is ame nded 949
14071407 to read: 950
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14161416 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
14171417
14181418
14191419
14201420 324.031 Manner of proving financial responsibility. — 951
14211421 (1) The owner or operator of a taxicab, limousine, jitney, 952
14221422 or any other for-hire passenger transportation vehicle may prove 953
14231423 financial responsibility by providing satisfactory evidence of 954
14241424 holding a motor vehicle liability policy as defined in s. 955
14251425 324.021(8) or s. 324.151, which policy is issued by an insurance 956
14261426 carrier which is a member of the Florida Insurance Guaranty 957
14271427 Association. The operator or owner of a motor vehicle other than 958
14281428 a for-hire passenger transportation vehicle any other vehicle 959
14291429 may prove his or her financial responsibility by: 960
14301430 (a)(1) Furnishing satisfactory evidence of holding a motor 961
14311431 vehicle liability policy as defined in ss. 324.021(8) and 962
14321432 324.151 which provides liabili ty coverage for the motor vehicle 963
14331433 being operated; 964
14341434 (b)(2) Furnishing a certificate of self -insurance showing 965
14351435 a deposit of cash in accordance with s. 324.161; or 966
14361436 (c)(3) Furnishing a certificate of self -insurance issued 967
14371437 by the department in accordance wit h s. 324.171. 968
14381438 (2) Beginning July 1, 2024, any person, including any 969
14391439 firm, partnership, association, corporation, or other person, 970
14401440 other than a natural person, electing to use the method of proof 971
14411441 specified in paragraph (1)(b) subsection (2) shall do both of 972
14421442 the following: 973
14431443 (a) Furnish a certificate of deposit equal to the number 974
14441444 of vehicles owned times $60,000 $30,000, up to a maximum of 975
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14531453 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
14541454
14551455
14561456
14571457 $240,000. $120,000; 976
14581458 (b) In addition, any such person, other than a natural 977
14591459 person, shall Maintain insurance providing coverage that meets 978
14601460 the requirements of s. 324.151 and has in excess of limits of: 979
14611461 1. At least $125,000 for bodily injury to, or the death 980
14621462 of, one person in any one crash and, subject to such limits for 981
14631463 one person, in the amount of $250,000 for bodily i njury to, or 982
14641464 the death of, two or more persons in any one crash; and $50,000 983
14651465 for damage to, or destruction of, property of others in any one 984
14661466 crash; or 985
14671467 2. At least $300,000 for combined bodily injury liability 986
14681468 and property damage liability for any one cra sh 987
14691469 $10,000/20,000/10,000 or $30,000 combined single limits, and 988
14701470 such excess insurance shall provide minimum limits of 989
14711471 $125,000/250,000/50,000 or $300,000 combined single limits. 990
14721472 These increased limits shall not affect the requirements for 991
14731473 proving financial responsibility under s. 324.032(1) . 992
14741474 Section 19. Section 324.032, Florida Statutes, is amended 993
14751475 to read: 994
14761476 324.032 Manner of proving Financial responsibility for; 995
14771477 for-hire passenger transportation vehicles. —Notwithstanding the 996
14781478 provisions of s. 324.031: 997
14791479 (1) An owner or a lessee of a for -hire passenger 998
14801480 transportation vehicle that is required to be registered in this 999
14811481 state shall establish and continuously maintain the ability to 1000
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14901490 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
14911491
14921492
14931493
14941494 respond in damages for liability on account of accidents arising 1001
14951495 out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of the for -hire 1002
14961496 passenger transportation vehicle, in the amount of: 1003
14971497 (a) One hundred twenty-five thousand dollars for bodily 1004
14981498 injury to, or the death of, one person in any one crash and, 1005
14991499 subject to such limits for one person, in the amount of $250,000 1006
15001500 for bodily injury to, or the death of, two or more persons in 1007
15011501 any one crash; and A person who is either the owner or a lessee 1008
15021502 required to maintain insurance under s. 627.733(1)(b) and who 1009
15031503 operates one or more taxicabs, limousines, jitneys, or any other 1010
15041504 for-hire passenger transportation vehicles may prove financial 1011
15051505 responsibility by furnishing satisfactory evidence of holding a 1012
15061506 motor vehicle liability policy, but with minimum limits of 1013
15071507 $125,000/250,000/50,000. 1014
15081508 (b) Fifty thousand dollars for damage to, or destruction 1015
15091509 of, property of others in any one crash A person who is either 1016
15101510 the owner or a lessee required to maintain insurance under s. 1017
15111511 324.021(9)(b) and who operates limousines, jitneys, or any other 1018
15121512 for-hire passenger vehicles, other than taxicabs, may prove 1019
15131513 financial responsibility by furnishing satisfactory evidence of 1020
15141514 holding a motor vehicle liability policy as defined in s. 1021
15151515 324.031. 1022
15161516 (2) Except as provided in subsection (3), the requirements 1023
15171517 of this section must be met by th e owner or lessee providing 1024
15181518 satisfactory evidence of holding a motor vehicle liability 1025
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15271527 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
15281528
15291529
15301530
15311531 policy conforming to the requirements of s. 324.151 which is 1026
15321532 issued by an insurance carrier that is a member of the Florida 1027
15331533 Insurance Guaranty Association. 1028
15341534 (3)(2) An owner or a lessee who is required to maintain 1029
15351535 insurance under s. 324.021(9)(b) and who operates at least 300 1030
15361536 taxicabs, limousines, jitneys, or any other for-hire passenger 1031
15371537 transportation vehicles may provide financial responsibility by 1032
15381538 complying with the provisions of s. 324.171, which must such 1033
15391539 compliance to be demonstrated by maintaining at its principal 1034
15401540 place of business an audited financial statement, prepared in 1035
15411541 accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and 1036
15421542 providing to the department a certification issued by a 1037
15431543 certified public accountant that the applicant's net worth is at 1038
15441544 least equal to the requirements of s. 324.171 as determined by 1039
15451545 the Office of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services 1040
15461546 Commission, including claims liabilities in an amount certified 1041
15471547 as adequate by a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society. 1042
15481548 1043
15491549 Upon request by the department, the applicant shall must provide 1044
15501550 the department at the applicant's principal place of business in 1045
15511551 this state access to the applicant's underlying financial 1046
15521552 information and financial statements t hat provide the basis of 1047
15531553 the certified public accountant's certification. The applicant 1048
15541554 shall reimburse the requesting department for all reasonable 1049
15551555 costs incurred by it in reviewing the supporting information. 1050
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15641564 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
15651565
15661566
15671567
15681568 The maximum amount of self -insurance permissible under this 1051
15691569 subsection is $300,000 and must be stated on a per -occurrence 1052
15701570 basis, and the applicant shall maintain adequate excess 1053
15711571 insurance issued by an authorized or eligible insurer licensed 1054
15721572 or approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation. All risks 1055
15731573 self-insured shall remain with the owner or lessee providing it, 1056
15741574 and the risks are not transferable to any other person, unless a 1057
15751575 policy complying with subsections (1) and (2) subsection (1) is 1058
15761576 obtained. 1059
15771577 Section 20. Subsection (2) of section 324.051, Florida 1060
15781578 Statutes, is amended, and subsection (4) is added to that 1061
15791579 section, to read: 1062
15801580 324.051 Reports of crashes; suspensions of licenses and 1063
15811581 registrations.— 1064
15821582 (2)(a) Thirty days after receipt of notice of any accident 1065
15831583 described in paragraph (1)(a) involvi ng a motor vehicle within 1066
15841584 this state, the department shall suspend, after due notice and 1067
15851585 opportunity to be heard, the license of each operator and all 1068
15861586 registrations of the owner of the vehicles operated by such 1069
15871587 operator whether or not involved in such cras h and, in the case 1070
15881588 of a nonresident owner or operator, shall suspend such 1071
15891589 nonresident's operating privilege in this state, unless such 1072
15901590 operator or owner shall, prior to the expiration of such 30 1073
15911591 days, be found by the department to be exempt from the operat ion 1074
15921592 of this chapter, based upon evidence satisfactory to the 1075
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16011601 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
16021602
16031603
16041604
16051605 department that: 1076
16061606 1. The motor vehicle was legally parked at the time of 1077
16071607 such crash. 1078
16081608 2. The motor vehicle was owned by the United States 1079
16091609 Government, this state, or any political subdivision of this 1080
16101610 state or any municipality therein. 1081
16111611 3. Such operator or owner has secured a duly acknowledged 1082
16121612 written agreement providing for release from liability by all 1083
16131613 parties injured as the result of said crash and has complied 1084
16141614 with one of the provisions of s. 324.031. 1085
16151615 4. Such operator or owner has deposited with the 1086
16161616 department security to conform with s. 324.061 when applicable 1087
16171617 and has complied with one of the provisions of s. 324.031. 1088
16181618 5. One year has elapsed since such owner or operator was 1089
16191619 suspended pursuant to subsection (3), the owner or operator has 1090
16201620 complied with one of the provisions of s. 324.031, and no bill 1091
16211621 of complaint of which the department has notice has been filed 1092
16221622 in a court of competent jurisdiction. 1093
16231623 (b) This subsection does shall not apply: 1094
16241624 1. To such operator or owner if such operator or owner had 1095
16251625 in effect at the time of such crash or traffic conviction a 1096
16261626 motor vehicle an automobile liability policy with respect to all 1097
16271627 of the registered motor vehicles owned by such operator or 1098
16281628 owner. 1099
16291629 2. To such operator, if not the owner of such motor 1100
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16381638 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
16391639
16401640
16411641
16421642 vehicle, if there was in effect at the time of such crash or 1101
16431643 traffic conviction a motor vehicle an automobile liability 1102
16441644 policy or bond with respect to his or her operation of motor 1103
16451645 vehicles not owned by h im or her. 1104
16461646 3. To such operator or owner if the liability of such 1105
16471647 operator or owner for damages resulting from such crash is, in 1106
16481648 the judgment of the department, covered by any other form of 1107
16491649 liability insurance or bond. 1108
16501650 4. To any person who has obtained from the department a 1109
16511651 certificate of self-insurance, in accordance with s. 324.171, or 1110
16521652 to any person operating a motor vehicle for such self -insurer. 1111
16531653 1112
16541654 No such policy or bond shall be effective under this subsection 1113
16551655 unless it contains limits of not less tha n those specified in s. 1114
16561656 324.021(7). 1115
16571657 (4) As used in this section, the term "motor vehicle" 1116
16581658 includes a motorcycle as defined in s. 320.01(26). 1117
16591659 Section 21. Section 324.071, Florida Statutes, is amended 1118
16601660 to read: 1119
16611661 324.071 Reinstatement; renewal of licens e; reinstatement 1120
16621662 fee.—An Any operator or owner whose license or registration has 1121
16631663 been suspended pursuant to s. 324.051(2), s. 324.072, s. 1122
16641664 324.081, or s. 324.121 may effect its reinstatement upon 1123
16651665 compliance with the provisions of s. 324.051(2)(a)3. or 4., o r 1124
16661666 s. 324.081(2) and (3), as the case may be, and with one of the 1125
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16751675 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
16761676
16771677
16781678
16791679 provisions of s. 324.031 and upon payment to the department of a 1126
16801680 nonrefundable reinstatement fee of $15. Only one such fee may 1127
16811681 shall be paid by any one person regardless irrespective of the 1128
16821682 number of licenses and registrations to be then reinstated or 1129
16831683 issued to such person. All Such fees must shall be deposited to 1130
16841684 a department trust fund. If When the reinstatement of any 1131
16851685 license or registration is effected by compliance with s. 1132
16861686 324.051(2)(a)3. or 4., the department may shall not renew the 1133
16871687 license or registration within a period of 3 years after from 1134
16881688 such reinstatement, nor may shall any other license or 1135
16891689 registration be issued in the name of such person, unless the 1136
16901690 operator continues is continuing to comply with one of the 1137
16911691 provisions of s. 324.031. 1138
16921692 Section 22. Subsection (1) of section 324.091, Florida 1139
16931693 Statutes, is amended to read: 1140
16941694 324.091 Notice to department; notice to insurer. — 1141
16951695 (1) Each owner and operator involved in a crash or 1142
16961696 conviction case within the purview of this chapter shall furnish 1143
16971697 evidence of automobile liability insurance or motor vehicle 1144
16981698 liability insurance within 14 days after the date of the mailing 1145
16991699 of notice of crash by the department in the form and manner as 1146
17001700 it may designate. Upon receipt of evidence that a an automobile 1147
17011701 liability policy or motor vehicle liability policy was in effect 1148
17021702 at the time of the crash or conviction case, the department 1149
17031703 shall forward to the insurer such information for verification 1150
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17121712 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
17131713
17141714
17151715
17161716 in a method as determined by the department. The insurer shall 1151
17171717 respond to the department within 20 days after the notice as to 1152
17181718 whether or not such information is valid. If the department 1153
17191719 determines that a an automobile liability policy or motor 1154
17201720 vehicle liability policy was not in effect and did not provide 1155
17211721 coverage for both the owner and the operator, it must shall take 1156
17221722 action as it is authorized to do under this chapter. 1157
17231723 Section 23. Section 324.151, Florida Statutes, is amended 1158
17241724 to read: 1159
17251725 324.151 Motor vehicle liability policies; required 1160
17261726 provisions.— 1161
17271727 (1) A motor vehicle liability policy that serves as to be 1162
17281728 proof of financial responsibility under s. 324.031(1)(a) must s. 1163
17291729 324.031(1) shall be issued to owners or operators of motor 1164
17301730 vehicles under the following provisions: 1165
17311731 (a) A motor vehicle An owner's liability insurance policy 1166
17321732 issued to an owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered 1167
17331733 in this state must designate by explicit description or by 1168
17341734 appropriate reference all motor vehicles for with respect to 1169
17351735 which coverage is thereby granted . The policy, must insure the 1170
17361736 person or persons owner named therein, and, unless except for a 1171
17371737 named driver excluded under s. 627.747, must insure any resident 1172
17381738 relative of a named insured other person as operator using such 1173
17391739 motor vehicle or motor vehicles with the express or implied 1174
17401740 permission of such owner against loss from the liability imposed 1175
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17491749 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
17501750
17511751
17521752
17531753 by law for damage arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or 1176
17541754 use of any such motor vehicle or motor vehicles within the 1177
17551755 United States or the Dominion of Canada, subject to limits, 1178
17561756 exclusive of interest and costs with respect to each such motor 1179
17571757 vehicle as is provided for under s. 324.021(7) . The policy must 1180
17581758 also insure any person operating an insured motor vehicle with 1181
17591759 the express or implied permission of a named insured against 1182
17601760 loss from the liability imposed by law for damage arising out of 1183
17611761 the use of any vehicle, unless that person was excluded under s. 1184
17621762 627.747. However, the ins urer may include provisions in its 1185
17631763 policy excluding liability coverage for a motor vehicle not 1186
17641764 designated as an insured vehicle on the policy if such motor 1187
17651765 vehicle does not qualify as a newly acquired vehicle or as a 1188
17661766 temporary substitute vehicle and was ow ned by the insured or was 1189
17671767 furnished for an insured's regular use for more than 30 1190
17681768 consecutive days before the event giving rise to the claim. 1191
17691769 Insurers may make available, with respect to property damage 1192
17701770 liability coverage, a deductible amount not to exceed $500. In 1193
17711771 the event of a property damage loss covered by a policy 1194
17721772 containing a property damage deductible provision, the insurer 1195
17731773 shall pay to the third -party claimant the amount of any property 1196
17741774 damage liability settlement or judgment, subject to policy 1197
17751775 limits, as if no deductible existed. 1198
17761776 (b) A motor vehicle liability insurance policy issued to a 1199
17771777 person who does not own a An operator's motor vehicle must 1200
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17861786 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
17871787
17881788
17891789
17901790 liability policy of insurance shall insure the person or persons 1201
17911791 named therein against loss from the l iability imposed upon him 1202
17921792 or her by law for damages arising out of the use by the person 1203
17931793 of any motor vehicle not owned by him or her , with the same 1204
17941794 territorial limits and subject to the same limits of liability 1205
17951795 as referred to above with respect to an owne r's policy of 1206
17961796 liability insurance. 1207
17971797 (c) All such motor vehicle liability policies must provide 1208
17981798 liability coverage with limits, exclusive of interest and costs, 1209
17991799 greater than or equal to the limits specified under s. 1210
18001800 324.021(7) for accidents occurring withi n the United States and 1211
18011801 Canada. The policies must shall state the name and address of 1212
18021802 the named insured, the coverage afforded by the policy, the 1213
18031803 premium charged therefor, the policy period, and the limits of 1214
18041804 liability, and must shall contain an agreement or be endorsed 1215
18051805 that insurance is provided in accordance with the coverage 1216
18061806 defined in this chapter as respects bodily injury and death or 1217
18071807 property damage or both and is subject to all provisions of this 1218
18081808 chapter. The Said policies must shall also contain a provision 1219
18091809 that the satisfaction by an insured of a judgment for such 1220
18101810 injury or damage may shall not be a condition precedent to the 1221
18111811 right or duty of the insurance carrier to make payment on 1222
18121812 account of such injury or damage, and must shall also contain a 1223
18131813 provision that bankruptcy or insolvency of the insured or of the 1224
18141814 insured's estate does shall not relieve the insurance carrier of 1225
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18231823 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
18241824
18251825
18261826
18271827 any of its obligations under the said policy. 1226
18281828 (2) The provisions of This section is shall not be 1227
18291829 applicable to any motor vehicle automobile liability policy 1228
18301830 unless and until it is furnished as proof of financial 1229
18311831 responsibility for the future pursuant to s. 324.031, and then 1230
18321832 applies only from and after the date the said policy is so 1231
18331833 furnished. 1232
18341834 (3) As used in this section, the term: 1233
18351835 (a) "Newly acquired vehicle" means a vehicle owned by a 1234
18361836 named insured or resident relative of the named insured which 1235
18371837 was acquired no more than 30 days before an accident. 1236
18381838 (b) "Resident relative" means a person related to a named 1237
18391839 insured by any degree by blood, marriage, or adoption, including 1238
18401840 a ward or foster child, who makes his or her home in the same 1239
18411841 family unit or residence as the named insured, regardless of 1240
18421842 whether he or she temporarily lives elsewhere. 1241
18431843 (c) "Temporary substi tute vehicle" means any motor vehicle 1242
18441844 that is not owned by the named insured and that is temporarily 1243
18451845 used with the permission of the owner as a substitute for the 1244
18461846 owned motor vehicle designated on the policy when the owned 1245
18471847 vehicle is withdrawn from normal use because of breakdown, 1246
18481848 repair, servicing, loss, or destruction. 1247
18491849 Section 24. Section 324.161, Florida Statutes, is amended 1248
18501850 to read: 1249
18511851 324.161 Proof of financial responsibility; deposit. —If a 1250
18521852
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18601860 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
18611861
18621862
18631863
18641864 person elects to prove his or her financial responsibility under 1251
18651865 the method of proof specified in s. 324.031(1)(b), he or she 1252
18661866 annually must obtain and submit to the department proof of a 1253
18671867 certificate of deposit in the amount required under s. 1254
18681868 324.031(2) from a financial institution insured by the Federal 1255
18691869 Deposit Insurance Corporation or the National Credit Union 1256
18701870 Administration Annually, before any certificate of insurance may 1257
18711871 be issued to a person, including any firm, partnership, 1258
18721872 association, corporation, or other person, other than a natural 1259
18731873 person, proof of a cer tificate of deposit of $30,000 issued and 1260
18741874 held by a financial institution must be submitted to the 1261
18751875 department. A power of attorney will be issued to and held by 1262
18761876 the department and may be executed upon a judgment issued 1263
18771877 against such person making the deposi t, for damages for because 1264
18781878 of bodily injury to or death of any person or for damages for 1265
18791879 because of injury to or destruction of property resulting from 1266
18801880 the use or operation of any motor vehicle occurring after such 1267
18811881 deposit was made. Money so deposited is shall not be subject to 1268
18821882 attachment or execution unless such attachment or execution 1269
18831883 arises shall arise out of a lawsuit suit for such damages as 1270
18841884 aforesaid. 1271
18851885 Section 25. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 324.171, 1272
18861886 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 1273
18871887 324.171 Self-insurer.— 1274
18881888 (1) A Any person may qualify as a self -insurer by 1275
18891889
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18971897 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
18981898
18991899
19001900
19011901 obtaining a certificate of self -insurance from the department . 1276
19021902 which may, in its discretion and Upon application of such a 1277
19031903 person, the department may issue a said certificate of self-1278
19041904 insurance to an applicant who satisfies when such person has 1279
19051905 satisfied the requirements of this section . Effective July 1, 1280
19061906 2024 to qualify as a self -insurer under this section : 1281
19071907 (a) A private individual with private passenger vehicles 1282
19081908 shall possess a net unencumbered worth of at least $100,000 1283
19091909 $40,000. 1284
19101910 (b) A person, including any firm, partnership, 1285
19111911 association, corporation, or other person, other than a natural 1286
19121912 person, shall: 1287
19131913 1. Possess a net unencumbered worth of at least $100,000 1288
19141914 $40,000 for the first motor vehicle and $50,000 $20,000 for each 1289
19151915 additional motor vehicle; or 1290
19161916 2. Maintain sufficient net worth, in an amount determined 1291
19171917 by the department, to be financially responsible for potential 1292
19181918 losses. The department annually shall determine the minimum net 1293
19191919 worth sufficient to satisfy this subparagraph as determined 1294
19201920 annually by the department, pursuant to rules adopted 1295
19211921 promulgated by the department, with the assistance of the Office 1296
19221922 of Insurance Regulation of the Financial Services C ommission, to 1297
19231923 be financially responsible for potential losses . The rules must 1298
19241924 consider any shall take into consideration excess insurance 1299
19251925 carried by the applicant. The department's determination must 1300
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19341934 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
19351935
19361936
19371937
19381938 shall be based upon reasonable actuarial principles cons idering 1301
19391939 the frequency, severity, and loss development of claims incurred 1302
19401940 by casualty insurers writing coverage on the type of motor 1303
19411941 vehicles for which a certificate of self -insurance is desired. 1304
19421942 (c) The owner of a commercial motor vehicle, as defined in 1305
19431943 s. 207.002 or s. 320.01(25) s. 320.01, may qualify as a self -1306
19441944 insurer subject to the standards provided for in subparagraph 1307
19451945 (b)2. 1308
19461946 (2) The self-insurance certificate must shall provide 1309
19471947 limits of liability insurance in the amounts specified under s. 1310
19481948 324.021(7) or s. 627.7415 and shall provide personal injury 1311
19491949 protection coverage under s. 627.733(3)(b) . 1312
19501950 Section 26. Section 324.251, Florida Statutes, is amended 1313
19511951 to read: 1314
19521952 324.251 Short title. —This chapter may be cited as the 1315
19531953 "Financial Responsibility Law of 2023 1955" and is shall become 1316
19541954 effective at 12:01 a.m., July 1, 2024 October 1, 1955. 1317
19551955 Section 27. Subsection (4) of section 400.9905, Florida 1318
19561956 Statutes, is amended to read: 1319
19571957 400.9905 Definitions. — 1320
19581958 (4)(a) "Clinic" means an entity where health care se rvices 1321
19591959 are provided to individuals and which tenders charges for 1322
19601960 reimbursement for such services, including a mobile clinic and a 1323
19611961 portable equipment provider. As used in this part, the term does 1324
19621962 not include and the licensure requirements of this part do no t 1325
19631963
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19711971 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
19721972
19731973
19741974
19751975 apply to: 1326
19761976 1.(a) Entities licensed or registered by the state under 1327
19771977 chapter 395; entities licensed or registered by the state and 1328
19781978 providing only health care services within the scope of services 1329
19791979 authorized under their respective licenses under ss. 383.3 0-1330
19801980 383.332, chapter 390, chapter 394, chapter 397, this chapter 1331
19811981 except part X, chapter 429, chapter 463, chapter 465, chapter 1332
19821982 466, chapter 478, chapter 484, or chapter 651; end -stage renal 1333
19831983 disease providers authorized under 42 C.F.R. part 494; providers 1334
19841984 certified and providing only health care services within the 1335
19851985 scope of services authorized under their respective 1336
19861986 certifications under 42 C.F.R. part 485, subpart B, subpart H, 1337
19871987 or subpart J; providers certified and providing only health care 1338
19881988 services within the scope of services authorized under their 1339
19891989 respective certifications under 42 C.F.R. part 486, subpart C; 1340
19901990 providers certified and providing only health care services 1341
19911991 within the scope of services authorized under their respective 1342
19921992 certifications under 42 C.F .R. part 491, subpart A; providers 1343
19931993 certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 1344
19941994 under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and 1345
19951995 the federal rules adopted thereunder; or any entity that 1346
19961996 provides neonatal or pediatric hospital -based health care 1347
19971997 services or other health care services by licensed practitioners 1348
19981998 solely within a hospital licensed under chapter 395. 1349
19991999 2.(b) Entities that own, directly or indirectly, entities 1350
20002000
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20042004
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20082008 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
20092009
20102010
20112011
20122012 licensed or registered by the state pursuant to chapter 395; 1351
20132013 entities that own, directly or indirectly, entities licensed or 1352
20142014 registered by the state and providing only health care services 1353
20152015 within the scope of services authorized pursuant to their 1354
20162016 respective licenses under ss. 383.30 -383.332, chapter 390, 1355
20172017 chapter 394, chapter 397, this chapter except part X, chapter 1356
20182018 429, chapter 463, chapter 465, chapter 466, chapter 478, chapter 1357
20192019 484, or chapter 651; end -stage renal disease providers 1358
20202020 authorized under 42 C.F.R. part 494; providers certified and 1359
20212021 providing only health care services within the scope of services 1360
20222022 authorized under their respective certifications under 42 C.F.R. 1361
20232023 part 485, subpart B, subpart H, or subpart J; providers 1362
20242024 certified and providing only health care services within the 1363
20252025 scope of services authorized under their respective 1364
20262026 certifications under 42 C.F.R. part 486, subpart C; providers 1365
20272027 certified and providing only health care services within the 1366
20282028 scope of services authorized under their respective 1367
20292029 certifications under 42 C.F.R. part 491, subpart A; provi ders 1368
20302030 certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 1369
20312031 under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and 1370
20322032 the federal rules adopted thereunder; or any entity that 1371
20332033 provides neonatal or pediatric hospital -based health care 1372
20342034 services by licensed practitioners solely within a hospital 1373
20352035 licensed under chapter 395. 1374
20362036 3.(c) Entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, by 1375
20372037
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20452045 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
20462046
20472047
20482048
20492049 an entity licensed or registered by the state pursuant to 1376
20502050 chapter 395; entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, by 1377
20512051 an entity licensed or registered by the state and providing only 1378
20522052 health care services within the scope of services authorized 1379
20532053 pursuant to their respective licenses under ss. 383.30 -383.332, 1380
20542054 chapter 390, chapter 394, chapter 397, this chapter except par t 1381
20552055 X, chapter 429, chapter 463, chapter 465, chapter 466, chapter 1382
20562056 478, chapter 484, or chapter 651; end -stage renal disease 1383
20572057 providers authorized under 42 C.F.R. part 494; providers 1384
20582058 certified and providing only health care services within the 1385
20592059 scope of services authorized under their respective 1386
20602060 certifications under 42 C.F.R. part 485, subpart B, subpart H, 1387
20612061 or subpart J; providers certified and providing only health care 1388
20622062 services within the scope of services authorized under their 1389
20632063 respective certifications unde r 42 C.F.R. part 486, subpart C; 1390
20642064 providers certified and providing only health care services 1391
20652065 within the scope of services authorized under their respective 1392
20662066 certifications under 42 C.F.R. part 491, subpart A; providers 1393
20672067 certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services 1394
20682068 under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and 1395
20692069 the federal rules adopted thereunder; or any entity that 1396
20702070 provides neonatal or pediatric hospital -based health care 1397
20712071 services by licensed practitioners solely within a hos pital 1398
20722072 under chapter 395. 1399
20732073 4.(d) Entities that are under common ownership, directly 1400
20742074
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20822082 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
20832083
20842084
20852085
20862086 or indirectly, with an entity licensed or registered by the 1401
20872087 state pursuant to chapter 395; entities that are under common 1402
20882088 ownership, directly or indirectly, with an entity licensed or 1403
20892089 registered by the state and providing only health care services 1404
20902090 within the scope of services authorized pursuant to their 1405
20912091 respective licenses under ss. 383.30 -383.332, chapter 390, 1406
20922092 chapter 394, chapter 397, this chapter except part X, chapter 1407
20932093 429, chapter 463, chapter 465, chapter 466, chapter 478, chapter 1408
20942094 484, or chapter 651; end -stage renal disease providers 1409
20952095 authorized under 42 C.F.R. part 494; providers certified and 1410
20962096 providing only health care services within the scope of services 1411
20972097 authorized under their respective certifications under 42 C.F.R. 1412
20982098 part 485, subpart B, subpart H, or subpart J; providers 1413
20992099 certified and providing only health care services within the 1414
21002100 scope of services authorized under their respective 1415
21012101 certifications under 42 C.F.R. pa rt 486, subpart C; providers 1416
21022102 certified and providing only health care services within the 1417
21032103 scope of services authorized under their respective 1418
21042104 certifications under 42 C.F.R. part 491, subpart A; providers 1419
21052105 certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid S ervices 1420
21062106 under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments and 1421
21072107 the federal rules adopted thereunder; or any entity that 1422
21082108 provides neonatal or pediatric hospital -based health care 1423
21092109 services by licensed practitioners solely within a hospital 1424
21102110 licensed under chapter 395. 1425
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21192119 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
21202120
21212121
21222122
21232123 5.(e) An entity that is exempt from federal taxation under 1426
21242124 26 U.S.C. s. 501(c)(3) or (4), an employee stock ownership plan 1427
21252125 under 26 U.S.C. s. 409 that has a board of trustees at least 1428
21262126 two-thirds of which are Florida -licensed health care 1429
21272127 practitioners and provides only physical therapy services under 1430
21282128 physician orders, any community college or university clinic, 1431
21292129 and any entity owned or operated by the federal or state 1432
21302130 government, including agencies, subdivisions, or municipalities 1433
21312131 thereof. 1434
21322132 6.(f) A sole proprietorship, group practice, partnership, 1435
21332133 or corporation that provides health care services by physicians 1436
21342134 covered by s. 627.419, that is directly supervised by one or 1437
21352135 more of such physicians, and that is wholly owned by one or more 1438
21362136 of those physicians or by a physician and the spouse, parent, 1439
21372137 child, or sibling of that physician. 1440
21382138 7.(g) A sole proprietorship, group practice, partnership, 1441
21392139 or corporation that provides health care services by licensed 1442
21402140 health care practitioners under chapter 457, chapter 458, 1443
21412141 chapter 459, chapter 460, chapter 461, chapter 462, chapter 463, 1444
21422142 chapter 466, chapter 467, chapter 480, chapter 484, chapter 486, 1445
21432143 chapter 490, chapter 491, or part I, part III, part X, part 1446
21442144 XIII, or part XIV of chapter 468, or s. 464.012, and that is 1447
21452145 wholly owned by one or more licensed health care practitioners, 1448
21462146 or the licensed health care practitioners set forth in this 1449
21472147 subparagraph paragraph and the spouse, parent, child, or sibling 1450
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21562156 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
21572157
21582158
21592159
21602160 of a licensed health care practitioner if one of the owners who 1451
21612161 is a licensed health care practitioner is supervising the 1452
21622162 business activities and is legal ly responsible for the entity's 1453
21632163 compliance with all federal and state laws. However, a health 1454
21642164 care practitioner may not supervise services beyond the scope of 1455
21652165 the practitioner's license, except that, for the purposes of 1456
21662166 this part, a clinic owned by a licen see in s. 456.053(3)(b) 1457
21672167 which provides only services authorized pursuant to s. 1458
21682168 456.053(3)(b) may be supervised by a licensee specified in s. 1459
21692169 456.053(3)(b). 1460
21702170 8.(h) Clinical facilities affiliated with an accredited 1461
21712171 medical school at which training is provid ed for medical 1462
21722172 students, residents, or fellows. 1463
21732173 9.(i) Entities that provide only oncology or radiation 1464
21742174 therapy services by physicians licensed under chapter 458 or 1465
21752175 chapter 459 or entities that provide oncology or radiation 1466
21762176 therapy services by physicians licensed under chapter 458 or 1467
21772177 chapter 459 which are owned by a corporation whose shares are 1468
21782178 publicly traded on a recognized stock exchange. 1469
21792179 10.(j) Clinical facilities affiliated with a college of 1470
21802180 chiropractic accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Edu cation 1471
21812181 at which training is provided for chiropractic students. 1472
21822182 11.(k) Entities that provide licensed practitioners to 1473
21832183 staff emergency departments or to deliver anesthesia services in 1474
21842184 facilities licensed under chapter 395 and that derive at least 1475
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21932193 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
21942194
21952195
21962196
21972197 90 percent of their gross annual revenues from the provision of 1476
21982198 such services. Entities claiming an exemption from licensure 1477
21992199 under this subparagraph paragraph must provide documentation 1478
22002200 demonstrating compliance. 1479
22012201 12.(l) Orthotic, prosthetic, pediatric cardiology , or 1480
22022202 perinatology clinical facilities or anesthesia clinical 1481
22032203 facilities that are not otherwise exempt under subparagraph 1. 1482
22042204 or subparagraph 11. paragraph (a) or paragraph (k) and that are 1483
22052205 a publicly traded corporation or are wholly owned, directly or 1484
22062206 indirectly, by a publicly traded corporation. As used in this 1485
22072207 subparagraph paragraph, a publicly traded corporation is a 1486
22082208 corporation that issues securities traded on an exchange 1487
22092209 registered with the United States Securities and Exchange 1488
22102210 Commission as a national securities exchange. 1489
22112211 13.(m) Entities that are owned by a corporation that has 1490
22122212 $250 million or more in total annual sales of health care 1491
22132213 services provided by licensed health care practitioners where 1492
22142214 one or more of the persons responsible for the operation s of the 1493
22152215 entity is a health care practitioner who is licensed in this 1494
22162216 state and who is responsible for supervising the business 1495
22172217 activities of the entity and is responsible for the entity's 1496
22182218 compliance with state law for purposes of this part. 1497
22192219 14.(n) Entities that employ 50 or more licensed health 1498
22202220 care practitioners licensed under chapter 458 or chapter 459 1499
22212221 where the billing for medical services is under a single tax 1500
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22302230 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
22312231
22322232
22332233
22342234 identification number. The application for exemption under this 1501
22352235 subsection must include shall contain information that includes: 1502
22362236 the name, residence, and business address and telephone phone 1503
22372237 number of the entity that owns the practice; a complete list of 1504
22382238 the names and contact information of all the officers and 1505
22392239 directors of the corporation; the name, residence address, 1506
22402240 business address, and medical license number of each licensed 1507
22412241 Florida health care practitioner employed by the entity; the 1508
22422242 corporate tax identification number of the entity seeking an 1509
22432243 exemption; a listing of health care services to be provided by 1510
22442244 the entity at the health care clinics owned or operated by the 1511
22452245 entity; and a certified statement prepared by an independent 1512
22462246 certified public accountant which states that the entity and the 1513
22472247 health care clinics owned or operated by the entity have not 1514
22482248 received payment for health care services under medical payments 1515
22492249 personal injury protection insurance coverage for the preceding 1516
22502250 year. If the agency determines that an entity that which is 1517
22512251 exempt under this subsection has received payments for me dical 1518
22522252 services under medical payments personal injury protection 1519
22532253 insurance coverage, the agency may deny or revoke the exemption 1520
22542254 from licensure under this subsection. 1521
22552255 15.(o) Entities that are, directly or indirectly, under 1522
22562256 the common ownership of or that are subject to common control by 1523
22572257 a mutual insurance holding company, as defined in s. 628.703, 1524
22582258 with an entity issued a certificate of authority under chapter 1525
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22672267 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
22682268
22692269
22702270
22712271 624 or chapter 641 which has $1 billion or more in total annual 1526
22722272 sales in this state. 1527
22732273 16.(p) Entities that are owned by an entity that is a 1528
22742274 behavioral health care service provider in at least five other 1529
22752275 states; that, together with its affiliates, have $90 million or 1530
22762276 more in total annual revenues associated with the provision of 1531
22772277 behavioral health care services; and wherein one or more of the 1532
22782278 persons responsible for the operations of the entity is a health 1533
22792279 care practitioner who is licensed in this state, who is 1534
22802280 responsible for supervising the business activities of the 1535
22812281 entity, and who is responsible for the entity's compliance with 1536
22822282 state law for purposes of this part. 1537
22832283 17.(q) Medicaid providers. 1538
22842284 (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) this subsection, an 1539
22852285 entity is shall be deemed a clinic and must be licensed under 1540
22862286 this part in order to receive medical payments coverage 1541
22872287 reimbursement under s. 627.7265 unless the entity is: 1542
22882288 1. Wholly owned by a physician licensed under chapter 458 1543
22892289 or chapter 459 or by the physician and the spouse, parent, 1544
22902290 child, or sibling of the physician; 1545
22912291 2. Wholly owned by a dentist li censed under chapter 466 or 1546
22922292 by the dentist and the spouse, parent, child, or sibling of the 1547
22932293 dentist; 1548
22942294 3. Wholly owned by a chiropractic physician licensed under 1549
22952295 chapter 460 or by the chiropractic physician and the spouse, 1550
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23042304 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
23052305
23062306
23072307
23082308 parent, child, or sibling of the chiropractic physician; 1551
23092309 4. A hospital or an ambulatory surgical center licensed 1552
23102310 under chapter 395; 1553
23112311 5. An entity that wholly owns or is wholly owned, directly 1554
23122312 or indirectly, by a hospital or hospitals licensed under chapter 1555
23132313 395; 1556
23142314 6. A clinical facility affiliated with an accredited 1557
23152315 medical school at which training is provided for medical 1558
23162316 students, residents, or fellows; 1559
23172317 7. Certified under 42 C.F.R. part 485, subpart H; or 1560
23182318 8. Owned by a publicly traded corporation, either directly 1561
23192319 or indirectly through its subsidiaries, which has $250 million 1562
23202320 or more in total annual sales of health care services provided 1563
23212321 by licensed health care practitioners, if one or more of the 1564
23222322 persons responsible for the operations of the entity are health 1565
23232323 care practitioners who a re licensed in this state and who are 1566
23242324 responsible for supervising the business activities of the 1567
23252325 entity and the entity's compliance with state law for purposes 1568
23262326 of this subsection the Florida Motor Vehicle No -Fault Law, ss. 1569
23272327 627.730-627.7405, unless exempted under s. 627.736(5)(h) . 1570
23282328 Section 28. Subsection (5) of section 400.991, Florida 1571
23292329 Statutes, is amended to read: 1572
23302330 400.991 License requirements; background screenings; 1573
23312331 prohibitions.— 1574
23322332 (5) All agency forms for licensure application or 1575
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23412341 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
23422342
23432343
23442344
23452345 exemption from licen sure under this part must contain the 1576
23462346 following statement: 1577
23472347 1578
23482348 INSURANCE FRAUD NOTICE. —A person commits a fraudulent 1579
23492349 insurance act, as defined in s. 626.989, Florida 1580
23502350 Statutes, if the person who knowingly submits a false, 1581
23512351 misleading, or fraudulent application or other 1582
23522352 document when applying for licensure as a health care 1583
23532353 clinic, seeking an exemption from licensure as a 1584
23542354 health care clinic, or demonstrating compliance with 1585
23552355 part X of chapter 400, Fl orida Statutes, with the 1586
23562356 intent to use the license, exemption from licensure, 1587
23572357 or demonstration of compliance to provide services or 1588
23582358 seek reimbursement under a motor vehicle liability 1589
23592359 insurance policy's medical payments coverage the 1590
23602360 Florida Motor Vehicle No -Fault Law, commits a 1591
23612361 fraudulent insurance act, as defined in s. 626.989, 1592
23622362 Florida Statutes. A person who presents a claim for 1593
23632363 benefits under medical payments coverage personal 1594
23642364 injury protection benefits knowing that the payee 1595
23652365 knowingly submitted such healt h care clinic 1596
23662366 application or document commits insurance fraud, as 1597
23672367 defined in s. 817.234, Florida Statutes. 1598
23682368 Section 29. Paragraph (g) of subsection (1) of section 1599
23692369 400.9935, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1600
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23782378 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
23792379
23802380
23812381
23822382 400.9935 Clinic responsibilities. — 1601
23832383 (1) Each clinic shall appoint a medical director or clinic 1602
23842384 director who shall agree in writing to accept legal 1603
23852385 responsibility for the following activities on behalf of the 1604
23862386 clinic. The medical director or the clinic director shall: 1605
23872387 (g) Conduct systematic rev iews of clinic billings to 1606
23882388 ensure that the billings are not fraudulent or unlawful. Upon 1607
23892389 discovery of an unlawful charge, the medical director or clinic 1608
23902390 director shall take immediate corrective action. If the clinic 1609
23912391 performs only the technical component of magnetic resonance 1610
23922392 imaging, static radiographs, computed tomography, or positron 1611
23932393 emission tomography, and provides the professional 1612
23942394 interpretation of such services, in a fixed facility that is 1613
23952395 accredited by a national accrediting organization that is 1614
23962396 approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for 1615
23972397 magnetic resonance imaging and advanced diagnostic imaging 1616
23982398 services and if, in the preceding quarter, the percentage of 1617
23992399 scans performed by that clinic which was billed to motor vehicle 1618
24002400 all personal injury protection insurance carriers under medical 1619
24012401 payments coverage was less than 15 percent, the chief financial 1620
24022402 officer of the clinic may, in a written acknowledgment provided 1621
24032403 to the agency, assume the responsibility for the conduct of the 1622
24042404 systematic reviews of clinic billings to ensure that the 1623
24052405 billings are not fraudulent or unlawful. 1624
24062406 Section 30. Subsection (28) of section 409.901, Florida 1625
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24152415 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
24162416
24172417
24182418
24192419 Statutes, is amended to read: 1626
24202420 409.901 Definitions; ss. 409.901 -409.920.—As used in ss. 1627
24212421 409.901-409.920, except as otherwise specifically provided, the 1628
24222422 term: 1629
24232423 (28) "Third-party benefit" means any benefit that is or 1630
24242424 may be available at any time through contract, court award, 1631
24252425 judgment, settlement, agreement, or any arrangement between a 1632
24262426 third party and any person or entity, including, without 1633
24272427 limitation, a Medicaid recipient, a provider, another third 1634
24282428 party, an insurer, or the agency, for any Medicaid -covered 1635
24292429 injury, illness, goods, or services, including costs of medical 1636
24302430 services related thereto, for bodily personal injury or for 1637
24312431 death of the recipient, but specifically excluding policies of 1638
24322432 life insurance policies on the recipient, unless available under 1639
24332433 terms of the policy to pay medical expenses before prior to 1640
24342434 death. The term includes, without limitation, colla teral, as 1641
24352435 defined in this section ;, health insurance;, any benefit under a 1642
24362436 health maintenance organization, a preferred provider 1643
24372437 arrangement, a prepaid health clinic, liability insurance, 1644
24382438 uninsured motorist insurance , or medical payments coverage; or 1645
24392439 personal injury protection coverage, medical benefits under 1646
24402440 workers' compensation ;, and any obligation under law or equity 1647
24412441 to provide medical support. 1648
24422442 Section 31. Paragraph (f) of subsection (11) of section 1649
24432443 409.910, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1650
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24522452 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
24532453
24542454
24552455
24562456 409.910 Responsibility for payments on behalf of Medicaid -1651
24572457 eligible persons when other parties are liable. — 1652
24582458 (11) The agency may, as a matter of right, in order to 1653
24592459 enforce its rights under this section, institute, intervene in, 1654
24602460 or join any legal or administ rative proceeding in its own name 1655
24612461 in one or more of the following capacities: individually, as 1656
24622462 subrogee of the recipient, as assignee of the recipient, or as 1657
24632463 lienholder of the collateral. 1658
24642464 (f) Notwithstanding any provision in this section to the 1659
24652465 contrary, in the event of an action in tort against a third 1660
24662466 party in which the recipient or his or her legal representative 1661
24672467 is a party which results in a judgment, award, or settlement 1662
24682468 from a third party, the amount recovered shall be distributed as 1663
24692469 follows: 1664
24702470 1. After attorney attorney's fees and taxable costs as 1665
24712471 defined by the Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, one -half of the 1666
24722472 remaining recovery shall be paid to the agency up to the total 1667
24732473 amount of medical assistance provided by Medicaid. 1668
24742474 2. The remaining amount of the recovery shall be paid to 1669
24752475 the recipient. 1670
24762476 3. For purposes of calculating the agency's recovery of 1671
24772477 medical assistance benefits paid, the fee for services of an 1672
24782478 attorney retained by the recipient or his or her legal 1673
24792479 representative shall be calculated at 25 percent of the 1674
24802480 judgment, award, or settlement. 1675
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24892489 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
24902490
24912491
24922492
24932493 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to 1676
24942494 the contrary, the agency shall be entitled to all medical 1677
24952495 coverage benefits up to the total amount of medical assistance 1678
24962496 provided by Medicaid. For purposes of this paragraph, the term 1679
24972497 "medical coverage" means any benefits under health insurance, a 1680
24982498 health maintenance organization, a preferred provider 1681
24992499 arrangement, or a prepaid health clinic, and the portion of 1682
25002500 benefits designated for medical paym ents under coverage for 1683
25012501 workers' compensation coverage, motor vehicle insurance 1684
25022502 coverage, personal injury protection, and casualty coverage. 1685
25032503 Section 32. Paragraph (k) of subsection (2) of section 1686
25042504 456.057, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1687
25052505 456.057 Ownership and control of patient records; report 1688
25062506 or copies of records to be furnished; disclosure of 1689
25072507 information.— 1690
25082508 (2) As used in this section, the terms "records owner," 1691
25092509 "health care practitioner," and "health care practitioner's 1692
25102510 employer" do not inclu de any of the following persons or 1693
25112511 entities; furthermore, the following persons or entities are not 1694
25122512 authorized to acquire or own medical records, but are authorized 1695
25132513 under the confidentiality and disclosure requirements of this 1696
25142514 section to maintain those doc uments required by the part or 1697
25152515 chapter under which they are licensed or regulated: 1698
25162516 (k) Persons or entities practicing under s. 627.736(7). 1699
25172517 Section 33. Paragraphs (ee) and (ff) of subsection (1) of 1700
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25262526 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
25272527
25282528
25292529
25302530 section 456.072, Florida Statutes, are amended to rea d: 1701
25312531 456.072 Grounds for discipline; penalties; enforcement. — 1702
25322532 (1) The following acts shall constitute grounds for which 1703
25332533 the disciplinary actions specified in subsection (2) may be 1704
25342534 taken: 1705
25352535 (ee) With respect to making a medical payments coverage 1706
25362536 personal injury protection claim under s. 627.7265 as required 1707
25372537 by s. 627.736, intentionally submitting a claim, statement, or 1708
25382538 bill that has been upcoded. As used in this paragraph, the term 1709
25392539 "upcode" means to submit a billing code that would result in a 1710
25402540 greater payment amount than would be paid using a billing code 1711
25412541 that accurately describes the services performed. The term does 1712
25422542 not include an otherwise lawful bill by a magnetic resonance 1713
25432543 imaging facility which globally combines both technical and 1714
25442544 professional components, if the amount of the global bill is not 1715
25452545 more than the components if billed separately; however, payment 1716
25462546 of such a bill constitutes payment in full for all components of 1717
25472547 such service "upcoded" as defined in s. 627.732 . 1718
25482548 (ff) With respect to making a medical payments coverage 1719
25492549 personal injury protection claim under s. 627.7265 as required 1720
25502550 by s. 627.736, intentionally submitting a claim, statement, or 1721
25512551 bill for payment of services that were not rendered. 1722
25522552 Section 34. Paragraph (b) of subsection (1) and subsection 1723
25532553 (8) of section 624.155, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 1724
25542554 624.155 Civil remedy. — 1725
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25632563 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
25642564
25652565
25662566
25672567 (1) Any person may bring a civil action against an insurer 1726
25682568 when such person is damaged: 1727
25692569 (b) By the commission of any of the following acts by the 1728
25702570 insurer: 1729
25712571 1. Except for a civil action for bad faith failure to 1730
25722572 settle a third-party claim subject to s. 624.156, not attempting 1731
25732573 in good faith to settle claims when, under all the 1732
25742574 circumstances, it could and should have done so, had it acted 1733
25752575 fairly and honestly toward its insured and with due regard for 1734
25762576 her or his interests; 1735
25772577 2. Making claims payments to insureds or beneficiaries not 1736
25782578 accompanied by a statement setting forth the coverage under 1737
25792579 which payments are being made; or 1738
25802580 3. Except as to liability c overages, failing to promptly 1739
25812581 settle claims, when the obligation to settle a claim has become 1740
25822582 reasonably clear, under one portion of the insurance policy 1741
25832583 coverage in order to influence settlements under other portions 1742
25842584 of the insurance policy coverage ; or 1743
25852585 4. When handling a first -party claim under a motor vehicle 1744
25862586 insurance policy, not attempting in good faith to settle such 1745
25872587 claim pursuant to subparagraph 1. when such failure is caused by 1746
25882588 a failure to communicate to an insured: 1747
25892589 a. The name, telephone numb er, e-mail address, and mailing 1748
25902590 address of the person adjusting the claim; 1749
25912591 b. Any issues that may impair the insured's coverage; 1750
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26002600 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
26012601
26022602
26032603
26042604 c. Information that might resolve the coverage issue in a 1751
26052605 prompt manner; 1752
26062606 d. Any basis for the insurer's rejection or nona cceptance 1753
26072607 of any settlement demand or offer; or 1754
26082608 e. Any needed extensions to respond to a time -limited 1755
26092609 settlement offer. 1756
26102610 1757
26112611 Notwithstanding the provisions of the above to the contrary, a 1758
26122612 person pursuing a remedy under this section need not prove that 1759
26132613 such act was committed or performed with such frequency as to 1760
26142614 indicate a general business practice. 1761
26152615 (8) The civil remedy specified in this section does not 1762
26162616 preempt any other remedy or cause of action provided for 1763
26172617 pursuant to any other statute or pursuant to th e common law of 1764
26182618 this state. A Any person is may obtain a judgment under either 1765
26192619 the common-law remedy of bad faith or this statutory remedy, but 1766
26202620 shall not be entitled to a judgment under multiple bad faith 1767
26212621 both remedies. This section shall not be construed to create a 1768
26222622 common-law cause of action. The damages recoverable pursuant to 1769
26232623 this section shall include those damages which are a reasonably 1770
26242624 foreseeable result of a specified violation of this section by 1771
26252625 the authorized insurer and may include an award or ju dgment in 1772
26262626 an amount that exceeds the policy limits. 1773
26272627 Section 35. Section 624.156, Florida Statutes, is created 1774
26282628 to read: 1775
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26372637 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
26382638
26392639
26402640
26412641 624.156 Actions against motor vehicle insurers for bad 1776
26422642 faith failure to settle third -party claims.— 1777
26432643 (1) SCOPE.—This section applies in all actions against any 1778
26442644 insurer for bad faith failure to settle a third -party claim for 1779
26452645 a loss arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a 1780
26462646 motor vehicle operated or principally garaged in this state at 1781
26472647 the time of an incident or a loss, re gardless of whether the 1782
26482648 insurer is authorized to do business in this state or issued a 1783
26492649 policy in this state. This section governs in any conflict with 1784
26502650 common law or any other statute. 1785
26512651 (2) DUTY OF GOOD FAITH. —In handling claims, an insurer has 1786
26522652 a duty to its insured to handle claims in good faith by 1787
26532653 complying with the best practices standards of subsection (4). 1788
26542654 An insurer's negligence does not constitute bad faith. However, 1789
26552655 negligence is relevant to whether an insurer acted in bad faith. 1790
26562656 (3) BAD FAITH FAILURE TO SETTLE.—The term "bad faith 1791
26572657 failure to settle" means an insurer's failure to meet its duty 1792
26582658 of good faith, as described in subsection (2), which is a 1793
26592659 proximate cause of the insurer not settling a third -party claim 1794
26602660 when, under all the circumstances, the insurer could and should 1795
26612661 have done so, had it acted fairly and honestly toward its 1796
26622662 insured and with due regard for the insured's interests. 1797
26632663 (4) BEST PRACTICES STANDARDS. —An insurer must meet the 1798
26642664 best practices standards of this subsection. The insure r's duty 1799
26652665 begins upon receiving actual notice of an incident or a loss 1800
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26742674 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
26752675
26762676
26772677
26782678 that could give rise to a covered liability claim and continues 1801
26792679 until the claim is resolved. Notice may be communicated to the 1802
26802680 insurer or an agent of the insurer by any means. However, i f 1803
26812681 actual notice is communicated by means other than through any 1804
26822682 manner permitted by the policy or other documents provided to 1805
26832683 the insured by the insurer, through the insurer's website, or 1806
26842684 through the e-mail address designated by the insurer under s. 1807
26852685 624.422, the notice is not effective under this subsection if 1808
26862686 that variation causes actual prejudice to the insurer's ability 1809
26872687 to settle the claim. The burden is on the party bringing the bad 1810
26882688 faith claim to prove that the insurer had actual notice of the 1811
26892689 incident or loss giving rise to the claim that resulted in an 1812
26902690 excess judgment and when such notice was received. After receipt 1813
26912691 of actual notice, an insurer: 1814
26922692 (a) Must assign a duly licensed and appointed insurance 1815
26932693 adjuster to investigate the extent of the insured 's probable 1816
26942694 exposure and diligently attempt to resolve any questions 1817
26952695 concerning the existence or extent of the insured's coverage. 1818
26962696 (b) Based on available information, must ethically 1819
26972697 evaluate every claim fairly, honestly, and with due regard for 1820
26982698 the interests of the insured; consider the extent of the 1821
26992699 claimant's recoverable damages; and consider the information in 1822
27002700 a reasonable and prudent manner. 1823
27012701 (c) Must request from the insured or claimant additional 1824
27022702 relevant information the insurer reasonably deems ne cessary to 1825
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27112711 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
27122712
27132713
27142714
27152715 evaluate whether to settle a claim. 1826
27162716 (d) Must conduct all oral and written communications with 1827
27172717 the insured with the utmost honesty and complete candor. 1828
27182718 (e) Must make reasonable efforts to explain to persons not 1829
27192719 represented by counsel matters requiring expertise beyond the 1830
27202720 level normally expected of a layperson with no training in 1831
27212721 insurance or claims-handling issues. 1832
27222722 (f) Must retain all written communications and note and 1833
27232723 retain a summary of all verbal communications in a reasonable 1834
27242724 manner for a period of not less than 5 years after the later of: 1835
27252725 1. The entry of a judgment against the insured in excess 1836
27262726 of policy limits becoming final; or 1837
27272727 2. The conclusion of the extracontractual claim, if any, 1838
27282728 including any related appeals. 1839
27292729 (g) Must provide the insured, upon request, with all 1840
27302730 communications related to the insurer's handling of the claim 1841
27312731 which are not privileged as to the insured. 1842
27322732 (h) Must provide, at the insurer's expense, reasonable 1843
27332733 accommodations necessary to communicate effectively with an 1844
27342734 insured covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act. 1845
27352735 (i) In handling third -party claims, must communicate to an 1846
27362736 insured all of the following: 1847
27372737 1. The identity of any other person or entity the insurer 1848
27382738 has reason to believe may be liable. 1849
27392739 2. The insurer's evaluation of the claim. 1850
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27482748 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
27492749
27502750
27512751
27522752 3. The likelihood and possible extent of an excess 1851
27532753 judgment. 1852
27542754 4. Steps the insured can take to avoid exposure to an 1853
27552755 excess judgment, including the right to secure personal counsel 1854
27562756 at the insured's expense. 1855
27572757 5. The insured's duty to cooperate with the insurer, 1856
27582758 including any specific requests required because of a settlement 1857
27592759 opportunity or by the insurer for the insured's cooperation 1858
27602760 under subsection (5), the purpose of the required cooperation, 1859
27612761 and the consequences of refusing to cooperate. 1860
27622762 6. Any settlement demands or offers. 1861
27632763 (j) If, after the expiration of the safe -harbor periods in 1862
27642764 subsection (8), the facts available to the insurer indicate that 1863
27652765 the insured's liability is likely to exceed the policy limits, 1864
27662766 must initiate settlement negotiations by tendering its policy 1865
27672767 limits to the claimant in exchange for a general release of the 1866
27682768 insured. 1867
27692769 (k)1. Must give fair consideration to a settlement offer 1868
27702770 that is not unreasonable under the facts available to the 1869
27712771 insurer and settle, if possible, when a reasonably prudent 1870
27722772 person, faced with the prospect of paying the total probable 1871
27732773 exposure of the insured, would do so. The insurer shall provide 1872
27742774 reasonable assistance to the insured to comply with the 1873
27752775 insured's obligations to cooperate and shall act reasonably to 1874
27762776 attempt to satisfy any conditions of a claimant's settlement 1875
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27852785 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
27862786
27872787
27882788
27892789 offer. If it is not possible to settle a liability claim within 1876
27902790 the available policy limits, the insurer must act reasonably to 1877
27912791 attempt to minimize the excess exposure to the insured. 1878
27922792 2. When multiple claims arise out of a single occurrence, 1879
27932793 the combined value of all claims exceeds the total of all 1880
27942794 applicable policy limits, and the claimants are unwilling to 1881
27952795 globally settle within the policy lim its, thereafter, must 1882
27962796 attempt to minimize the magnitude of possible excess judgments 1883
27972797 against the insured. The insurer is entitled to great discretion 1884
27982798 to decide how much to offer each respective claimant in its 1885
27992799 attempt to protect the insured. The insurer ma y, in its effort 1886
28002800 to minimize the excess liability of the insured, use its 1887
28012801 discretion to offer the full available policy limits to one or 1888
28022802 more claimants to the exclusion of other claimants and may leave 1889
28032803 the insured exposed to some liability after all the po licy 1890
28042804 limits are paid. An insurer does not act in bad faith simply 1891
28052805 because it is unable to settle all claims in a multiple claimant 1892
28062806 case. It is a defense to a bad faith action if the insurer 1893
28072807 establishes that it used its discretion for the benefit of its 1894
28082808 insureds and complied with the other best practices standards of 1895
28092809 this subsection. 1896
28102810 (l) When a loss creates the potential for a third -party 1897
28112811 claim against more than one insured, must attempt to settle the 1898
28122812 claim on behalf of all insureds against whom a claim ma y be 1899
28132813 presented. If it is not possible to settle on behalf of all 1900
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28222822 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
28232823
28242824
28252825
28262826 insureds, the insurer may, in consultation with the insureds, 1901
28272827 enter into reasonable settlements of claims against certain 1902
28282828 insureds to the exclusion of other insureds. 1903
28292829 (m) Must respond to an y request for insurance information 1904
28302830 in compliance with s. 626.9372 or s. 627.4137, as applicable. 1905
28312831 (n) Where it appears the insured's probable exposure is 1906
28322832 greater than policy limits, must take reasonable measures to 1907
28332833 preserve for a reasonable period of tim e evidence that is needed 1908
28342834 for the defense of the liability claim. 1909
28352835 (o) Must comply with s. 627.426, if applicable. 1910
28362836 (p) May not commit or perform with such frequency as to 1911
28372837 indicate a general business practice any of the following: 1912
28382838 1. Failing to adopt a nd implement standards for the proper 1913
28392839 investigation of claims. 1914
28402840 2. Misrepresenting pertinent facts or insurance policy 1915
28412841 provisions relating to coverages at issue. 1916
28422842 3. Failing to acknowledge and act promptly upon 1917
28432843 communications with respect to claims. 1918
28442844 4. Denying claims without conducting reasonable 1919
28452845 investigations based upon available information. 1920
28462846 (5) INSURED'S DUTY TO COOPERATE. — 1921
28472847 (a) Insureds have a duty to cooperate with their insurer 1922
28482848 in the defense of the claim and in making settlements. 1923
28492849 Accordingly, the insured must take any reasonable action 1924
28502850 requested by the injured claimant or provided in the policy 1925
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28592859 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
28602860
28612861
28622862
28632863 which is necessary to assist the insurer in settling a covered 1926
28642864 claim, including: 1927
28652865 1. Executing affidavits regarding the facts within the 1928
28662866 insured's knowledge regarding the covered loss; and 1929
28672867 2. Providing documents, including those requested pursuant 1930
28682868 to paragraph (b). 1931
28692869 (b) When it is reasonably necessary to settle a covered 1932
28702870 claim valued in excess of all applicable policy limits, upon the 1933
28712871 request of the injured claimant, an insured must disclose on a 1934
28722872 form adopted by the department or provided by the claimant a 1935
28732873 summary of the following: 1936
28742874 1. The insured's assets at the time of the loss, 1937
28752875 including: 1938
28762876 a. Cash, stocks, bonds, and nonretirement -based mutual 1939
28772877 funds; 1940
28782878 b. Nonhomestead real property; 1941
28792879 c. All registered vehicles; 1942
28802880 d. All bank accounts; 1943
28812881 e. An estimated net accounting of all other assets; and 1944
28822882 f. Any additional information included by the department. 1945
28832883 2. The insured's liabilities, including: 1946
28842884 a. Mortgage debt; 1947
28852885 b. Credit card debt; 1948
28862886 c. Child support and alimony payments; 1949
28872887 d. Other liabilities; and 1950
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28962896 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
28972897
28982898
28992899
29002900 e. Any additional information included by the department. 1951
29012901 3. For a corporate entity, information on its balance 1952
29022902 sheet, including the corporat e entity's: 1953
29032903 a. Cash, property, equipment, and inventory; 1954
29042904 b. Liabilities, including obligations, rent, money owed to 1955
29052905 vendors, payroll, and taxes; 1956
29062906 c. Other information relevant to understanding the 1957
29072907 entity's capital and net worth; and 1958
29082908 d. Any additional information included by the department. 1959
29092909 4. A list of all insurance policies that may provide 1960
29102910 coverage for the claim, stating the name of the insurer and 1961
29112911 policy number of each policy. 1962
29122912 5. For natural persons, a statement of whether the insured 1963
29132913 was acting in the course and scope of employment at the time of 1964
29142914 the incident or loss giving rise to the claim and, if so, 1965
29152915 providing the name and contact information for the insured's 1966
29162916 employer. 1967
29172917 (c) No later than 14 days following actual notice of an 1968
29182918 incident or a loss that could give rise to a covered liability 1969
29192919 claim, the insurer must notify the insured of the insured's 1970
29202920 duties under this subsection. The burden is on the insurer to 1971
29212921 prove that it provided notice to the insured of the insured's 1972
29222922 duty to cooperate; oth erwise, a presumption arises that the 1973
29232923 insured met its duty to cooperate under this subsection. 1974
29242924 (d) An insurer may terminate the defense as to any insured 1975
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29332933 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
29342934
29352935
29362936
29372937 who unreasonably fails to meet its duties under this subsection 1976
29382938 when: 1977
29392939 1. The insurer exercised dil igence and met its duties 1978
29402940 under subparagraph (4)(i)5.; 1979
29412941 2. The insurer provided reasonable assistance to the 1980
29422942 insured to comply with the obligations of this subsection; 1981
29432943 3. The insurer gave the insured written notice of any 1982
29442944 failure to cooperate and a reas onable opportunity for the 1983
29452945 insured to cure the lack of cooperation, consistent with any 1984
29462946 deadlines imposed by settlement negotiations; 1985
29472947 4. The insured's failure to cooperate causes the insurer 1986
29482948 to be unable to settle the claim; and 1987
29492949 5. The insurer uncondit ionally tenders its available 1988
29502950 coverage policy limits directly to the claimant or the 1989
29512951 claimant's attorney. 1990
29522952 (e) When an insured's defense is terminated in compliance 1991
29532953 with this subsection, the insurer is not liable for any damages 1992
29542954 caused by a failure to set tle or defend the liability claim 1993
29552955 against that insured. 1994
29562956 (6) CLAIMANT COMMUNICATIONS. —The trier of fact may not 1995
29572957 attribute the insurer's failure to settle a covered third -party 1996
29582958 claim to a claimant's lack of communication with the insurer 1997
29592959 when the claimant truthfully complies with all applicable 1998
29602960 standards of this subsection by: 1999
29612961 (a) Contemporaneously with or before making a claim with 2000
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29702970 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
29712971
29722972
29732973
29742974 the insurer, communicating in writing to the insurer: 2001
29752975 1. The date and location of loss; 2002
29762976 2. The name, address, and date of birth of the claimant; 2003
29772977 and 2004
29782978 3. A physical address, an e -mail address, and a facsimile 2005
29792979 number for further communications, including, but not limited 2006
29802980 to, responses to any settlement demand. 2007
29812981 (b) Presenting the following in writing: 2008
29822982 1. The legal and factual basis of the claim; and 2009
29832983 2. A reasonably detailed description of the claimant's: 2010
29842984 a. Known injuries caused or aggravated by the incident or 2011
29852985 loss on which the claim is based; 2012
29862986 b. Medical treatment causally related to the incident or 2013
29872987 loss on which the claim is based; 2014
29882988 c. Relevant pre-accident medical conditions, if known; and 2015
29892989 d. Type and amount of known damages incurred and, if any, 2016
29902990 the damages the claimant reasonably anticipates incurring in the 2017
29912991 future. 2018
29922992 (c) Providing any settlement demand in writing and stating 2019
29932993 within such demand: 2020
29942994 1. The name of each insured to whom the demand for 2021
29952995 settlement is directed; 2022
29962996 2. The amount of the demand for settlement; and 2023
29972997 3. Any conditions the claimant is placing on acceptance of 2024
29982998 the demand for settlement. 2025
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30073007 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
30083008
30093009
30103010
30113011 2026
30123012 This subsection does not reduce an insurer's duty of good faith, 2027
30133013 which is owed solely to its insured. The claimant owes no duty 2028
30143014 to the insured or the insurer, and the duties of the claimant's 2029
30153015 attorney are owed solely to the claimant. The claimant and the 2030
30163016 claimant's attorney do not have a duty to comply with this 2031
30173017 subsection. 2032
30183018 (7) CONDITIONS PRECEDENT. —It is a condition precedent to 2033
30193019 filing an action against an insurer for bad faith failure to 2034
30203020 settle a third-party claim that: 2035
30213021 (a) A third-party claimant obtained a final judgment in 2036
30223022 excess of the policy limits against the insured or the insured's 2037
30233023 estate, bankruptcy trustee, or successor in interest, unless the 2038
30243024 insurer expressly waived the requirement of a final excess 2039
30253025 judgment or wrongfully breached its duty t o defend the insured; 2040
30263026 and 2041
30273027 (b) The insurer or an agent of the insurer received actual 2042
30283028 notice effective under subsection (4). 2043
30293029 (8) SAFE HARBORS.— 2044
30303030 (a) After an insurer receives actual notice of an incident 2045
30313031 or a loss that could give rise to a covered liab ility claim, the 2046
30323032 insurer is entitled to a reasonable opportunity to investigate 2047
30333033 and evaluate the claim. The amount of time required for the 2048
30343034 insurer's investigation and evaluation will vary depending on 2049
30353035 the circumstances of the claim. The safe harbors provi ded in 2050
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30443044 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
30453045
30463046
30473047
30483048 this subsection are available to an insurer that complies with 2051
30493049 the best practices standards of subsection (4). 2052
30503050 (b) When one claim arises out of a single occurrence, and 2053
30513051 an insurer initiates settlement negotiations by tendering the 2054
30523052 applicable policy limits in exchange for a general release of 2055
30533053 the insured within 45 days after receiving actual notice of the 2056
30543054 loss, the failure to tender the policy limits sooner does not 2057
30553055 constitute bad faith. 2058
30563056 (c) When multiple claims arise out of a single occurrence, 2059
30573057 the combined value of all claims exceeds the total of all 2060
30583058 applicable policy limits, and an insurer initiates settlement 2061
30593059 negotiations by globally tendering the applicable policy limits 2062
30603060 in exchange for a general release of the insured within 45 days 2063
30613061 after receiving actual notice of the loss, the failure to tender 2064
30623062 policy limits sooner does not constitute bad faith. 2065
30633063 (d) An insurer is not under any circumstance liable for 2066
30643064 the failure to accept a settlement offer within 45 days after 2067
30653065 receiving actual notice of t he loss if: 2068
30663066 1. The settlement offer provides the insurer less than 15 2069
30673067 days for acceptance; or 2070
30683068 2. The settlement offer provides the insurer less than 30 2071
30693069 days for acceptance where the offer contains conditions for 2072
30703070 acceptance other than the insurer's disc losure of its policy 2073
30713071 limits. 2074
30723072 (e) This subsection does not require that an insurer 2075
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30813081 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
30823082
30833083
30843084
30853085 automatically tender policy limits within 45 days in every case. 2076
30863086 (9) BURDEN OF PROOF. —In any action for bad faith failure 2077
30873087 to settle: 2078
30883088 (a) The party bringing the bad fait h claim must prove 2079
30893089 every element of the claim by the greater weight of the 2080
30903090 evidence, taking into account the totality of the circumstances. 2081
30913091 (b) An insurer that relies upon paragraph (5)(d) as a 2082
30923092 defense to a claim for bad faith failure to settle must prov e 2083
30933093 the elements of that paragraph by the greater weight of the 2084
30943094 evidence. 2085
30953095 (c) An insurer that relies upon a safe harbor provision of 2086
30963096 subsection (8) must prove the elements of the safe harbor by the 2087
30973097 greater weight of the evidence. 2088
30983098 (10) DAMAGES.—If the trier of fact finds that the party 2089
30993099 bringing the bad faith claim has met its burden of proof, the 2090
31003100 insurer is liable for the amount of any excess judgment, 2091
31013101 together with court costs and, if the party bringing the bad 2092
31023102 faith claim is the insured or an assignee of the insured, the 2093
31033103 reasonable attorney fees incurred by the party bringing the bad 2094
31043104 faith claim. Punitive damages may not be awarded. 2095
31053105 (11) AGENTS.—This section is not intended to expand or 2096
31063106 diminish any cause of action currently available against 2097
31073107 insurance agents who sell motor vehicle liability insurance 2098
31083108 policies in this state. 2099
31093109 Section 36. Paragraphs (i) and (o) of subsection (1) of 2100
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31183118 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
31193119
31203120
31213121
31223122 section 626.9541, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 2101
31233123 626.9541 Unfair methods of competition and unfair or 2102
31243124 deceptive acts or practices defined. — 2103
31253125 (1) UNFAIR METHODS OF COMPETITION AND UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE 2104
31263126 ACTS.—The following are defined as unfair methods of competition 2105
31273127 and unfair or deceptive acts or practices: 2106
31283128 (i) Unfair claim settlement practices. — 2107
31293129 1. Attempting to settle claims on the basis of an 2108
31303130 application, when serving as a binder or intended to become a 2109
31313131 part of the policy, or any other material document which was 2110
31323132 altered without notice to, or knowledge or consent of, the 2111
31333133 insured; 2112
31343134 2. Making a material misrepresentation made to an insured 2113
31353135 or any other person having an interest in the proceeds payable 2114
31363136 under such contract or policy, for the purpose and with the 2115
31373137 intent of effecting settlement of such claims, loss, or damage 2116
31383138 under such contract or policy on less fav orable terms than those 2117
31393139 provided in, and contemplated by, such contract or policy; 2118
31403140 3. Committing or performing with such frequency as to 2119
31413141 indicate a general business practice any of the following: 2120
31423142 a. Failing to adopt and implement standards for the prop er 2121
31433143 investigation of claims; 2122
31443144 b. Misrepresenting pertinent facts or insurance policy 2123
31453145 provisions relating to coverages at issue; 2124
31463146 c. Failing to acknowledge and act promptly upon 2125
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31553155 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
31563156
31573157
31583158
31593159 communications with respect to claims; 2126
31603160 d. Denying claims without conducting reasonable 2127
31613161 investigations based upon available information; 2128
31623162 e. Failing to affirm or deny full or partial coverage of 2129
31633163 claims, and, as to partial coverage, the dollar amount or extent 2130
31643164 of coverage, or failing to provide a written statement that the 2131
31653165 claim is being investigated, upon the written request of the 2132
31663166 insured within 30 days after proof -of-loss statements have been 2133
31673167 completed; 2134
31683168 f. Failing to promptly provide a reasonable explanation in 2135
31693169 writing to the insured of the basis in the insurance policy, in 2136
31703170 relation to the facts or applicable law, for denial of a claim 2137
31713171 or for the offer of a compromise settlement; 2138
31723172 g. Failing to promptly notify the insured of any 2139
31733173 additional information necessary for the processing of a claim; 2140
31743174 or 2141
31753175 h. Failing to clearly explain t he nature of the requested 2142
31763176 information and the reasons why such information is necessary; 2143
31773177 or 2144
31783178 i. Failing to pay personal injury protection insurance 2145
31793179 claims within the time periods required by s. 627.736(4)(b). The 2146
31803180 office may order the insurer to pay resti tution to a 2147
31813181 policyholder, medical provider, or other claimant, including 2148
31823182 interest at a rate consistent with the amount set forth in s. 2149
31833183 55.03(1), for the time period within which an insurer fails to 2150
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31923192 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
31933193
31943194
31953195
31963196 pay claims as required by law. Restitution is in addition to any 2151
31973197 other penalties allowed by law, including, but not limited to, 2152
31983198 the suspension of the insurer's certificate of authority; or 2153
31993199 4. Failing to pay undisputed amounts of partial or full 2154
32003200 benefits owed under first -party property insurance policies 2155
32013201 within 60 days after an insurer receives notice of a residential 2156
32023202 property insurance claim, determines the amounts of partial or 2157
32033203 full benefits, and agrees to coverage, unless payment of the 2158
32043204 undisputed benefits is prevented by factors beyond the control 2159
32053205 of the insurer as defined in s. 627.70131(5). 2160
32063206 (o) Illegal dealings in premiums; excess or reduced 2161
32073207 charges for insurance. — 2162
32083208 1. Knowingly collecting any sum as a premium or charge for 2163
32093209 insurance, which is not then provided, or is not in due course 2164
32103210 to be provided, subject to acceptance of the risk by the 2165
32113211 insurer, by an insurance policy issued by an insurer as 2166
32123212 permitted by this code. 2167
32133213 2. Knowingly collecting as a premium or charge for 2168
32143214 insurance any sum in excess of or less than the premium or 2169
32153215 charge applicable to such insurance, in accordance with the 2170
32163216 applicable classifications and rates as filed with and approved 2171
32173217 by the office, and as specified in the policy; or, in cases when 2172
32183218 classifications, premiums, or rates are not required by this 2173
32193219 code to be so filed and approved , premiums and charges collected 2174
32203220 from a Florida resident in excess of or less than those 2175
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32293229 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
32303230
32313231
32323232
32333233 specified in the policy and as fixed by the insurer. 2176
32343234 Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this provision shall 2177
32353235 not be deemed to prohibit the charging and collec tion, by 2178
32363236 surplus lines agents licensed under part VIII of this chapter, 2179
32373237 of the amount of applicable state and federal taxes, or fees as 2180
32383238 authorized by s. 626.916(4), in addition to the premium required 2181
32393239 by the insurer or the charging and collection, by licen sed 2182
32403240 agents, of the exact amount of any discount or other such fee 2183
32413241 charged by a credit card facility in connection with the use of 2184
32423242 a credit card, as authorized by subparagraph (q)3., in addition 2185
32433243 to the premium required by the insurer. This subparagraph shal l 2186
32443244 not be construed to prohibit collection of a premium for a 2187
32453245 universal life or a variable or indeterminate value insurance 2188
32463246 policy made in accordance with the terms of the contract. 2189
32473247 3.a. Imposing or requesting an additional premium for 2190
32483248 death benefit coverage, bodily injury liability coverage, 2191
32493249 property damage liability coverage a policy of motor vehicle 2192
32503250 liability, personal injury protection , medical payments coverage 2193
32513251 payment, or collision coverage in a motor vehicle liability 2194
32523252 insurance policy insurance or any combination thereof or 2195
32533253 refusing to renew the policy solely because the insured was 2196
32543254 involved in a motor vehicle accident unless the insurer's file 2197
32553255 contains information from which the insurer in good faith 2198
32563256 determines that the insured was substantially at fault in the 2199
32573257 accident. 2200
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32663266 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
32673267
32683268
32693269
32703270 b. An insurer which imposes and collects such a surcharge 2201
32713271 or which refuses to renew such policy shall, in conjunction with 2202
32723272 the notice of premium due or notice of nonrenewal, notify the 2203
32733273 named insured that he or she is entitled to re imbursement of 2204
32743274 such amount or renewal of the policy under the conditions listed 2205
32753275 below and will subsequently reimburse him or her or renew the 2206
32763276 policy, if the named insured demonstrates that the operator 2207
32773277 involved in the accident was: 2208
32783278 (I) Lawfully parked; 2209
32793279 (II) Reimbursed by, or on behalf of, a person responsible 2210
32803280 for the accident or has a judgment against such person; 2211
32813281 (III) Struck in the rear by another vehicle headed in the 2212
32823282 same direction and was not convicted of a moving traffic 2213
32833283 violation in connection with the accident; 2214
32843284 (IV) Hit by a "hit-and-run" driver, if the accident was 2215
32853285 reported to the proper authorities within 24 hours after 2216
32863286 discovering the accident; 2217
32873287 (V) Not convicted of a moving traffic violation in 2218
32883288 connection with the accident, but the opera tor of the other 2219
32893289 automobile involved in such accident was convicted of a moving 2220
32903290 traffic violation; 2221
32913291 (VI) Finally adjudicated not to be liable by a court of 2222
32923292 competent jurisdiction; 2223
32933293 (VII) In receipt of a traffic citation which was dismissed 2224
32943294 or nolle prossed; or 2225
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33033303 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
33043304
33053305
33063306
33073307 (VIII) Not at fault as evidenced by a written statement 2226
33083308 from the insured establishing facts demonstrating lack of fault 2227
33093309 which are not rebutted by information in the insurer's file from 2228
33103310 which the insurer in good faith determines that the insur ed was 2229
33113311 substantially at fault. 2230
33123312 c. In addition to the other provisions of this 2231
33133313 subparagraph, an insurer may not fail to renew a policy if the 2232
33143314 insured has had only one accident in which he or she was at 2233
33153315 fault within the current 3 -year period. However, an i nsurer may 2234
33163316 nonrenew a policy for reasons other than accidents in accordance 2235
33173317 with s. 627.728. This subparagraph does not prohibit nonrenewal 2236
33183318 of a policy under which the insured has had three or more 2237
33193319 accidents, regardless of fault, during the most recent 3 -year 2238
33203320 period. 2239
33213321 4. Imposing or requesting an additional premium for, or 2240
33223322 refusing to renew, a policy for motor vehicle insurance solely 2241
33233323 because the insured committed a noncriminal traffic infraction 2242
33243324 as described in s. 318.14 unless the infraction is: 2243
33253325 a. A second infraction committed within an 18 -month 2244
33263326 period, or a third or subsequent infraction committed within a 2245
33273327 36-month period. 2246
33283328 b. A violation of s. 316.183, when such violation is a 2247
33293329 result of exceeding the lawful speed limit by more than 15 miles 2248
33303330 per hour. 2249
33313331 5. Upon the request of the insured, the insurer and 2250
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33403340 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
33413341
33423342
33433343
33443344 licensed agent shall supply to the insured the complete proof of 2251
33453345 fault or other criteria which justifies the additional charge or 2252
33463346 cancellation. 2253
33473347 6. No insurer shall impose or request an additional 2254
33483348 premium for motor vehicle insurance, cancel or refuse to issue a 2255
33493349 policy, or refuse to renew a policy because the insured or the 2256
33503350 applicant is a handicapped or physically disabled person, so 2257
33513351 long as such handicap or physical disability does not 2258
33523352 substantially impair such person's mechanically assisted driving 2259
33533353 ability. 2260
33543354 7. No insurer may cancel or otherwise terminate any 2261
33553355 insurance contract or coverage, or require execution of a 2262
33563356 consent to rate endorsement, during the stated policy term for 2263
33573357 the purpose of offerin g to issue, or issuing, a similar or 2264
33583358 identical contract or coverage to the same insured with the same 2265
33593359 exposure at a higher premium rate or continuing an existing 2266
33603360 contract or coverage with the same exposure at an increased 2267
33613361 premium. 2268
33623362 8. No insurer may issue a nonrenewal notice on any 2269
33633363 insurance contract or coverage, or require execution of a 2270
33643364 consent to rate endorsement, for the purpose of offering to 2271
33653365 issue, or issuing, a similar or identical contract or coverage 2272
33663366 to the same insured at a higher premium rate or continuing an 2273
33673367 existing contract or coverage at an increased premium without 2274
33683368 meeting any applicable notice requirements. 2275
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33773377 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
33783378
33793379
33803380
33813381 9. No insurer shall, with respect to premiums charged for 2276
33823382 motor vehicle insurance, unfairly discriminate solely on the 2277
33833383 basis of age, sex, marital status, or scholastic achievement. 2278
33843384 10. Imposing or requesting an additional premium for motor 2279
33853385 vehicle comprehensive or uninsured motorist coverage solely 2280
33863386 because the insured was involved in a motor vehicle accident or 2281
33873387 was convicted of a movi ng traffic violation. 2282
33883388 11. No insurer shall cancel or issue a nonrenewal notice 2283
33893389 on any insurance policy or contract without complying with any 2284
33903390 applicable cancellation or nonrenewal provision required under 2285
33913391 the Florida Insurance Code. 2286
33923392 12. No insurer shal l impose or request an additional 2287
33933393 premium, cancel a policy, or issue a nonrenewal notice on any 2288
33943394 insurance policy or contract because of any traffic infraction 2289
33953395 when adjudication has been withheld and no points have been 2290
33963396 assessed pursuant to s. 318.14(9) and (10). However, this 2291
33973397 subparagraph does not apply to traffic infractions involving 2292
33983398 accidents in which the insurer has incurred a loss due to the 2293
33993399 fault of the insured. 2294
34003400 Section 37. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 2295
34013401 626.989, Florida Statutes, is a mended to read: 2296
34023402 626.989 Investigation by department or Division of 2297
34033403 Investigative and Forensic Services; compliance; immunity; 2298
34043404 confidential information; reports to division; division 2299
34053405 investigator's power of arrest. — 2300
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34143414 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
34153415
34163416
34173417
34183418 (1) For the purposes of this section: 2301
34193419 (a) A person commits a "fraudulent insurance act" if the 2302
34203420 person: 2303
34213421 1. Knowingly and with intent to defraud presents, causes 2304
34223422 to be presented, or prepares with knowledge or belief that it 2305
34233423 will be presented, to or by an insurer, self -insurer, self-2306
34243424 insurance fund, servicing corporation, purported insurer, 2307
34253425 broker, or any agent thereof, any written statement as part of, 2308
34263426 or in support of, an application for the issuance of, or the 2309
34273427 rating of, any insurance policy, or a claim for payment or other 2310
34283428 benefit pursuant to any insurance policy, which the person knows 2311
34293429 to contain materially false information concerning any fact 2312
34303430 material thereto or if the person conceals, for the purpose of 2313
34313431 misleading another, information concerning any fact material 2314
34323432 thereto. 2315
34333433 2. Knowingly submits: 2316
34343434 a. A false, misleading, or fraudulent application or other 2317
34353435 document when applying for licensure as a health care clinic, 2318
34363436 seeking an exemption from licensure as a health care clinic, or 2319
34373437 demonstrating compliance with part X of chapter 400 with an 2320
34383438 intent to use the license, exemption from licensure, or 2321
34393439 demonstration of compliance to provide services or seek 2322
34403440 reimbursement under a motor vehicle liability insurance policy's 2323
34413441 medical payments coverage the Florida Motor Vehicle No -Fault 2324
34423442 Law. 2325
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34513451 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
34523452
34533453
34543454
34553455 b. A claim for payment or other benefit under a motor 2326
34563456 vehicle liability insurance policy's medical payments coverage, 2327
34573457 pursuant to a personal injury protection insurance policy under 2328
34583458 the Florida Motor Vehicle No -Fault Law if the person knows that 2329
34593459 the payee knowingly submitted a false, misleading, or fraudulent 2330
34603460 application or other document when applying for licensure as a 2331
34613461 health care clinic, seeking an exemption from licensure as a 2332
34623462 health care clinic, or demonstrating compliance with part X of 2333
34633463 chapter 400. 2334
34643464 Section 38. Subsection (1) of section 627.06501, Florida 2335
34653465 Statutes, is amended to read: 2336
34663466 627.06501 Insurance discounts for certain persons 2337
34673467 completing driver improvement course. — 2338
34683468 (1) Any rate, rating schedule, or rating manual for the 2339
34693469 liability, medical payments, death benefit personal injury 2340
34703470 protection, and collision coverages of a motor vehicle insurance 2341
34713471 policy filed with the office may provide for an appropriate 2342
34723472 reduction in premium charges as to such coverages if when the 2343
34733473 principal operator on the covered vehicle has successfully 2344
34743474 completed a driver improvement course approved and certified by 2345
34753475 the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which is 2346
34763476 effective in reducing crash or violation rates, or both, as 2347
34773477 determined pursuant to s. 318.1451(5). Any discount, not to 2348
34783478 exceed 10 percent, used by an insurer is presumed to be 2349
34793479 appropriate unless credible data demonstrates otherwise. 2350
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34883488 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
34893489
34903490
34913491
34923492 Section 39. Subsection (15) is added to section 627.0651, 2351
34933493 Florida Statutes, to read: 2352
34943494 627.0651 Making and use of rat es for motor vehicle 2353
34953495 insurance.— 2354
34963496 (15) Rate filings for motor vehicle liability policies 2355
34973497 that implement the financial responsibility requirements of s. 2356
34983498 324.022 in effect July 1, 2024, except for commercial motor 2357
34993499 vehicle insurance policies exempt under par agraph (14)(a), must 2358
35003500 reflect such financial responsibility requirements and may be 2359
35013501 approved only through the file and use process under paragraph 2360
35023502 (1)(a). 2361
35033503 Section 40. Subsection (1) of section 627.0652, Florida 2362
35043504 Statutes, is amended to read: 2363
35053505 627.0652 Insurance discounts for certain persons 2364
35063506 completing safety course. — 2365
35073507 (1) Any rates, rating schedules, or rating manuals for the 2366
35083508 liability, medical payments, death benefit personal injury 2367
35093509 protection, and collision coverages of a motor vehicle insurance 2368
35103510 policy filed with the office must shall provide for an 2369
35113511 appropriate reduction in premium charges as to such coverages if 2370
35123512 when the principal operator on the covered vehicle is an insured 2371
35133513 55 years of age or older who has successfully completed a motor 2372
35143514 vehicle accident prevention course approved by the Department of 2373
35153515 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Any discount used by an 2374
35163516 insurer is presumed to be appropriate unless credible data 2375
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35253525 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
35263526
35273527
35283528
35293529 demonstrates otherwise. 2376
35303530 Section 41. Subsections (1), (3), and (6) of section 2377
35313531 627.0653, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 2378
35323532 627.0653 Insurance discounts for specified motor vehicle 2379
35333533 equipment.— 2380
35343534 (1) Any rates, rating schedules, or rating manuals for the 2381
35353535 liability, medical payments, death benefit personal injury 2382
35363536 protection, and collision coverages of a motor vehicle insurance 2383
35373537 policy filed with the office must shall provide a premium 2384
35383538 discount if the insured vehicle is equipped with factory -2385
35393539 installed, four-wheel antilock brakes. 2386
35403540 (3) Any rates, rating schedules, or rating manuals for 2387
35413541 personal injury protection coverage and medical payments 2388
35423542 coverage, if offered, of a motor vehicle insurance policy filed 2389
35433543 with the office must shall provide a premium discount if the 2390
35443544 insured vehicle is equipped with one or more air bags that which 2391
35453545 are factory installed. 2392
35463546 (6) The Office of Insurance Regulation may approve a 2393
35473547 premium discount to any rates, rating schedules, or rating 2394
35483548 manuals for the liability, medical payments, death benefit 2395
35493549 personal injury protection , and collision coverages of a motor 2396
35503550 vehicle insurance policy filed with the office if the insured 2397
35513551 vehicle is equipped with an automated driving system or 2398
35523552 electronic vehicle collision avoidance technology that is 2399
35533553 factory installed or a retrofitted system and that complies with 2400
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35623562 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
35633563
35643564
35653565
35663566 National Highway Tra ffic Safety Administration standards. 2401
35673567 Section 42. Section 627.4132, Florida Statutes, is amended 2402
35683568 to read: 2403
35693569 627.4132 Stacking of coverages prohibited. —If an insured 2404
35703570 or named insured is protected by any type of motor vehicle 2405
35713571 insurance policy for bodily injury and property damage 2406
35723572 liability, personal injury protection, or other coverage , the 2407
35733573 policy must shall provide that the insured or named insured is 2408
35743574 protected only to the extent of the coverage she or he has on 2409
35753575 the vehicle involved in the accident. Howe ver, if none of the 2410
35763576 insured's or named insured's vehicles are is involved in the 2411
35773577 accident, coverage is available only to the extent of coverage 2412
35783578 on any one of the vehicles with applicable coverage. Coverage on 2413
35793579 any other vehicles may shall not be added to or stacked upon 2414
35803580 that coverage. This section does not apply: 2415
35813581 (1) Apply to uninsured motorist coverage that which is 2416
35823582 separately governed by s. 627.727. 2417
35833583 (2) To Reduce the coverage available by reason of 2418
35843584 insurance policies insuring different named insureds. 2419
35853585 Section 43. Subsection (1) of section 627.4137, Florida 2420
35863586 Statutes, is amended to read: 2421
35873587 627.4137 Disclosure of certain information required. — 2422
35883588 (1) Each insurer which does or may provide liability 2423
35893589 insurance coverage to pay all or a portion of any claim which 2424
35903590 might be made shall provide, within 30 days after of the written 2425
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35993599 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
36003600
36013601
36023602
36033603 request of the claimant or the claimant's attorney , a statement, 2426
36043604 under oath, of a corporate officer or the insurer's claims 2427
36053605 manager or superintendent setting forth the following 2428
36063606 information with regard to each known policy of insurance, 2429
36073607 including excess or umbrella insurance: 2430
36083608 (a) The name of the insurer. 2431
36093609 (b) The name of each insured. 2432
36103610 (c) The limits of the liability coverage. 2433
36113611 (d) A statement of any policy or coverage defense whic h 2434
36123612 such insurer reasonably believes is available to such insurer at 2435
36133613 the time of filing such statement. 2436
36143614 (e) A copy of the policy. 2437
36153615 2438
36163616 In addition, the insured, or her or his insurance agent, upon 2439
36173617 written request of the claimant or the claimant's attorney, 2440
36183618 shall disclose the name and coverage of each known insurer to 2441
36193619 the claimant and shall forward such request for information as 2442
36203620 required by this subsection to all affected insurers. The 2443
36213621 insurer shall then supply the information required in this 2444
36223622 subsection to the claimant within 30 days after of receipt of 2445
36233623 such request. If an insurer fails to timely comply with this 2446
36243624 section, the claimant may file an action in a court of competent 2447
36253625 jurisdiction to enforce this section. If the court determines 2448
36263626 that the insurer violat ed this section, the claimant is entitled 2449
36273627 to an award of reasonable attorney fees and costs to be paid by 2450
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36363636 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
36373637
36383638
36393639
36403640 the insurer. 2451
36413641 Section 44. Section 627.7263, Florida Statutes, is amended 2452
36423642 to read: 2453
36433643 627.7263 Rental and leasing driver's insurance to be 2454
36443644 primary; exception.— 2455
36453645 (1) The valid and collectible liability insurance , death 2456
36463646 benefit coverage, and medical payments coverage or personal 2457
36473647 injury protection insurance providing coverage for the lessor of 2458
36483648 a motor vehicle for rent or lease are is primary unless 2459
36493649 otherwise stated in at least 10 -point type on the face of the 2460
36503650 rental or lease agreement. Such insurance is primary for the 2461
36513651 limits of liability and personal injury protection coverage as 2462
36523652 required under s. 324.021(7), the death benefit coverage limit 2463
36533653 required under s. 627.72761, and the medical payments coverage 2464
36543654 limit required under s. 627.7265 by ss. 324.021(7) and 627.736 . 2465
36553655 (2) If the lessee's coverage is to be primary, the rental 2466
36563656 or lease agreement must contain the following language, in at 2467
36573657 least 10-point type: 2468
36583658 2469
36593659 "The valid and collectible liability insurance , death 2470
36603660 benefit coverage, and medical payments coverage 2471
36613661 personal injury protection insurance of an any 2472
36623662 authorized rental or leasing driver are is primary for 2473
36633663 the limits of liability and personal injury prote ction 2474
36643664 coverage required under s. 324.021(7), Florida 2475
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36733673 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
36743674
36753675
36763676
36773677 Statutes, the limit of the death benefit coverage 2476
36783678 required under s. 627.72761, Florida Statutes, and the 2477
36793679 medical payments coverage limit required under s. 2478
36803680 627.7265 by ss. 324.021(7) and 627.736 , Florida 2479
36813681 Statutes." 2480
36823682 Section 45. Section 627.7265, Florida Statutes, is created 2481
36833683 to read: 2482
36843684 627.7265 Motor vehicle insurance; medical payments 2483
36853685 coverage.— 2484
36863686 (1) Medical payments coverage must protect the named 2485
36873687 insured, resident relatives, persons operating the insured motor 2486
36883688 vehicle, passengers in the insured motor vehicle, and persons 2487
36893689 who are struck by the insured motor vehicle and suffer bodily 2488
36903690 injury while not an occupant of a self -propelled motor vehicle 2489
36913691 at a limit of at least $5,000 for medical expenses incu rred due 2490
36923692 to bodily injury, sickness, or disease arising out of the 2491
36933693 ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle. 2492
36943694 (a) Before issuing a motor vehicle liability insurance 2493
36953695 policy that is furnished as proof of financial responsibility 2494
36963696 under s. 324.031, the insurer must offer medical payments 2495
36973697 coverage at limits of $5,000 and $10,000. The insurer may also 2496
36983698 offer medical payments coverage at any limit greater than 2497
36993699 $5,000. 2498
37003700 (b) The insurer must offer medical payments coverage with 2499
37013701 no deductible. The insurer m ay also offer medical payments 2500
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37103710 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
37113711
37123712
37133713
37143714 coverage with a deductible not to exceed $500. 2501
37153715 (c) This section may not be construed to limit any other 2502
37163716 coverage made available by an insurer. 2503
37173717 (2) Upon receiving notice of an accident that is 2504
37183718 potentially covered by medica l payments coverage benefits, the 2505
37193719 insurer must reserve $5,000 of medical payments coverage 2506
37203720 benefits for payment to physicians licensed under chapter 458 or 2507
37213721 chapter 459 or dentists licensed under chapter 466 who provide 2508
37223722 emergency services and care, as defin ed in s. 395.002(9), or who 2509
37233723 provide hospital inpatient care. The amount required to be held 2510
37243724 in reserve may be used only to pay claims from such physicians 2511
37253725 or dentists until 30 days after the date the insurer receives 2512
37263726 notice of the accident. After the 30 -day period, any amount of 2513
37273727 the reserve for which the insurer has not received notice of 2514
37283728 such claims may be used by the insurer to pay other claims. This 2515
37293729 subsection does not require an insurer to establish a claim 2516
37303730 reserve for insurance accounting purposes. 2517
37313731 (3) An insurer providing medical payments coverage 2518
37323732 benefits may not: 2519
37333733 (a) Seek a lien on any recovery in tort by judgment, 2520
37343734 settlement, or otherwise for medical payments coverage benefits, 2521
37353735 regardless of whether suit has been filed or settlement has been 2522
37363736 reached without suit; or 2523
37373737 (b) Bring a cause of action against a person to whom or 2524
37383738 for whom medical payments coverage benefits were paid, except 2525
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37473747 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
37483748
37493749
37503750
37513751 when medical payments coverage benefits were paid by reason of 2526
37523752 fraud committed by that person. 2527
37533753 (4) An insurer providing medical payments coverage may 2528
37543754 include provisions in its policy allowing for subrogation for 2529
37553755 medical payments coverage benefits paid if the expenses giving 2530
37563756 rise to the payments were caused by the wrongful act or omission 2531
37573757 of another who is not also a n insured under the policy paying 2532
37583758 the medical payments coverage benefits. However, this 2533
37593759 subrogation right is inferior to the rights of the injured 2534
37603760 insured and is available only after all the insured's damages 2535
37613761 are recovered and the insured is made whole. An insured who 2536
37623762 obtains a recovery from a third party of the full amount of the 2537
37633763 damages sustained and delivers a release or satisfaction that 2538
37643764 impairs a medical payments insurer's subrogation right is liable 2539
37653765 to the insurer for repayment of medical payments cov erage 2540
37663766 benefits less any expenses of acquiring the recovery, including 2541
37673767 a prorated share of attorney fees and costs, and shall hold that 2542
37683768 net recovery in trust to be delivered to the medical payments 2543
37693769 insurer. The insurer may not include any provision in its p olicy 2544
37703770 allowing for subrogation for any death benefit paid. 2545
37713771 Section 46. Subsections (1) and (7) of section 627.727, 2546
37723772 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 2547
37733773 627.727 Motor vehicle insurance; uninsured and 2548
37743774 underinsured vehicle coverage; insolvent insurer protection.— 2549
37753775 (1) A No motor vehicle liability insurance policy that 2550
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37843784 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
37853785
37863786
37873787
37883788 which provides bodily injury liability coverage may not shall be 2551
37893789 delivered or issued for delivery in this state with respect to 2552
37903790 any specifically insured or identified motor vehicle regis tered 2553
37913791 or principally garaged in this state , unless uninsured motor 2554
37923792 vehicle coverage is provided therein or supplemental thereto for 2555
37933793 the protection of persons insured thereunder who are legally 2556
37943794 entitled to recover damages from owners or operators of 2557
37953795 uninsured motor vehicles because of bodily injury, sickness, or 2558
37963796 disease, including death, resulting therefrom. However, the 2559
37973797 coverage required under this section is not applicable if when, 2560
37983798 or to the extent that, an insured named in the policy makes a 2561
37993799 written rejection of the coverage on behalf of all insureds 2562
38003800 under the policy. If When a motor vehicle is leased for a period 2563
38013801 of 1 year or longer and the lessor of such vehicle, by the terms 2564
38023802 of the lease contract, provides liability coverage on the leased 2565
38033803 vehicle, the lessee of such vehicle has shall have the sole 2566
38043804 privilege to reject uninsured motorist coverage or to select 2567
38053805 lower limits than the bodily injury liability limits, regardless 2568
38063806 of whether the lessor is qualified as a self -insurer pursuant to 2569
38073807 s. 324.171. Unless an insured, or a lessee having the privilege 2570
38083808 of rejecting uninsured motorist coverage, requests such coverage 2571
38093809 or requests higher uninsured motorist limits in writing, the 2572
38103810 coverage or such higher uninsured motorist limits need not be 2573
38113811 provided in or supplemental to any other policy that which 2574
38123812 renews, extends, changes, supersedes, or replaces an existing 2575
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38213821 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
38223822
38233823
38243824
38253825 policy with the same bodily injury liability limits when an 2576
38263826 insured or lessee had rejected the coverage. When an insured or 2577
38273827 lessee has initially selected limits of uninsured motorist 2578
38283828 coverage lower than her or his bodily injury liability limits, 2579
38293829 higher limits of uninsured motorist coverage need not be 2580
38303830 provided in or supplemental to any other policy that which 2581
38313831 renews, extends, changes, supersedes, or replaces an existing 2582
38323832 policy with the same bodily injury liability limits unless an 2583
38333833 insured requests higher uninsured motorist coverage in writing. 2584
38343834 The rejection or selection of lower limits must shall be made on 2585
38353835 a form approved by the office. The form must shall fully advise 2586
38363836 the applicant of the nature of the coverage and must shall state 2587
38373837 that the coverage is equal to bodily injury liability limits 2588
38383838 unless lower limits are requested or the cov erage is rejected. 2589
38393839 The heading of the form must shall be in 12-point bold type and 2590
38403840 must shall state: "You are electing not to purchase certain 2591
38413841 valuable coverage that which protects you and your family or you 2592
38423842 are purchasing uninsured motorist limits less th an your bodily 2593
38433843 injury liability limits when you sign this form. Please read 2594
38443844 carefully." If this form is signed by a named insured, it will 2595
38453845 be conclusively presumed that there was an informed, knowing 2596
38463846 rejection of coverage or election of lower limits on beh alf of 2597
38473847 all insureds. The insurer shall notify the named insured at 2598
38483848 least annually of her or his options as to the coverage required 2599
38493849 by this section. Such notice must shall be part of, and attached 2600
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38583858 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
38593859
38603860
38613861
38623862 to, the notice of premium, must shall provide for a means t o 2601
38633863 allow the insured to request such coverage, and must shall be 2602
38643864 given in a manner approved by the office. Receipt of this notice 2603
38653865 does not constitute an affirmative waiver of the insured's right 2604
38663866 to uninsured motorist coverage if where the insured has not 2605
38673867 signed a selection or rejection form. The coverage described 2606
38683868 under this section must shall be over and above, but may shall 2607
38693869 not duplicate, the benefits available to an insured under any 2608
38703870 workers' compensation law, personal injury protection benefits, 2609
38713871 disability benefits law, or similar law; under any automobile 2610
38723872 medical payments expense coverage; under any motor vehicle 2611
38733873 liability insurance coverage; or from the owner or operator of 2612
38743874 the uninsured motor vehicle or any other person or organization 2613
38753875 jointly or severally liable together with such owner or operator 2614
38763876 for the accident,; and such coverage must shall cover the 2615
38773877 difference, if any, between the sum of such benefits and the 2616
38783878 damages sustained, up to the maximum amount of such coverage 2617
38793879 provided under this section . The amount of coverage available 2618
38803880 under this section may shall not be reduced by a setoff against 2619
38813881 any coverage, including liability insurance. Such coverage does 2620
38823882 shall not inure directly or indirectly to the benefit of any 2621
38833883 workers' compensation or disabil ity benefits carrier or any 2622
38843884 person or organization qualifying as a self -insurer under any 2623
38853885 workers' compensation or disability benefits law or similar law. 2624
38863886 (7) The legal liability of an uninsured motorist coverage 2625
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38953895 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
38963896
38973897
38983898
38993899 insurer includes does not include damages in tort for pain, 2626
39003900 suffering, disability, physical impairment, disfigurement, 2627
39013901 mental anguish, and inconvenience, and the loss of capacity for 2628
39023902 the enjoyment of life experienced in the past and to be 2629
39033903 experienced in the future unless the injury or dis ease is 2630
39043904 described in one or more of paragraphs (a) -(d) of s. 627.737(2) . 2631
39053905 Section 47. Section 627.7275, Florida Statutes, is amended 2632
39063906 to read: 2633
39073907 627.7275 Required coverages in motor vehicle insurance 2634
39083908 policies; availability to certain applicants liability.— 2635
39093909 (1) A motor vehicle insurance policy providing personal 2636
39103910 injury protection as set forth in s. 627.736 may not be 2637
39113911 delivered or issued for delivery in this state for a with 2638
39123912 respect to any specifically insured or identified motor vehicle 2639
39133913 registered or principally garaged in this state must provide 2640
39143914 bodily injury liability coverage and unless the policy also 2641
39153915 provides coverage for property damage liability coverage as 2642
39163916 required under ss. 324.022 and 324.151 and death benefit 2643
39173917 coverage as required under s. 627.7 2761 by s. 324.022. 2644
39183918 (2)(a) Insurers writing motor vehicle insurance in this 2645
39193919 state shall make available, subject to the insurers' usual 2646
39203920 underwriting restrictions: 2647
39213921 1. Coverage under policies as described in subsection (1) 2648
39223922 to an applicant for private pass enger motor vehicle insurance 2649
39233923 coverage who is seeking the coverage in order to reinstate the 2650
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39323932 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
39333933
39343934
39353935
39363936 applicant's driving privileges in this state if the driving 2651
39373937 privileges were revoked or suspended pursuant to s. 316.646 or 2652
39383938 s. 324.0221 due to the failure of the ap plicant to maintain 2653
39393939 required security. 2654
39403940 2. Coverage under policies as described in subsection (1), 2655
39413941 which includes bodily injury also provides liability coverage 2656
39423942 and property damage liability coverage for bodily injury, death, 2657
39433943 and property damage arising o ut of the ownership, maintenance, 2658
39443944 or use of the motor vehicle in an amount not less than the 2659
39453945 minimum limits required under described in s. 324.021(7) or s. 2660
39463946 324.023 and which conforms to the requirements of s. 324.151, to 2661
39473947 an applicant for private passenger motor vehicle insurance 2662
39483948 coverage who is seeking the coverage in order to reinstate the 2663
39493949 applicant's driving privileges in this state after such 2664
39503950 privileges were revoked or suspended under s. 316.193 or s. 2665
39513951 322.26(2) for driving under the influence. 2666
39523952 (b) The policies described in paragraph (a) must shall be 2667
39533953 issued for at least 6 months and, as to the minimum coverages 2668
39543954 required under this section, may not be canceled by the insured 2669
39553955 for any reason or by the insurer after 60 days, during which 2670
39563956 period the insurer is completing the underwriting of the policy. 2671
39573957 After the insurer has completed underwriting the policy, the 2672
39583958 insurer shall notify the Department of Highway Safety and Motor 2673
39593959 Vehicles that the policy is in full force and effect and is not 2674
39603960 cancelable for the re mainder of the policy period. A premium 2675
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39693969 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
39703970
39713971
39723972
39733973 must shall be collected and the coverage is in effect for the 2676
39743974 60-day period during which the insurer is completing the 2677
39753975 underwriting of the policy , whether or not the person's driver 2678
39763976 license, motor vehicle tag, and mo tor vehicle registration are 2679
39773977 in effect. Once the noncancelable provisions of the policy 2680
39783978 become effective, the bodily injury liability and property 2681
39793979 damage liability coverages for bodily injury, property damage, 2682
39803980 and personal injury protection may not be reduced below the 2683
39813981 minimum limits required under s. 324.021 or s. 324.023 during 2684
39823982 the policy period. 2685
39833983 (c) This subsection controls to the extent of any conflict 2686
39843984 with any other section. 2687
39853985 (d) An insurer issuing a policy subject to this section 2688
39863986 may cancel the policy if, during the policy term, the named 2689
39873987 insured, or any other operator who resides in the same household 2690
39883988 or customarily operates an automobile insured under the policy, 2691
39893989 has his or her driver license suspended or revoked. 2692
39903990 (e) This subsection does not re quire an insurer to offer a 2693
39913991 policy of insurance to an applicant if such offer would be 2694
39923992 inconsistent with the insurer's underwriting guidelines and 2695
39933993 procedures. 2696
39943994 Section 48. Section 627.72761, Florida Statutes, is 2697
39953995 created to read: 2698
39963996 627.72761 Required mot or vehicle death benefit coverage. —2699
39973997 An insurance policy complying with the financial responsibility 2700
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40064006 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
40074007
40084008
40094009
40104010 requirements of s. 324.022 must provide a death benefit of 2701
40114011 $5,000 for each deceased person upon the death of the named 2702
40124012 insured, relatives residing in the sam e household, persons 2703
40134013 operating the insured motor vehicle, passengers in the motor 2704
40144014 vehicle, and other persons struck by the motor vehicle and 2705
40154015 suffering bodily injury while not an occupant of a self -2706
40164016 propelled motor vehicle when such death arises out of the 2707
40174017 ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle. The insurer 2708
40184018 may pay death benefits to the executor or administrator of the 2709
40194019 deceased person; to any of the deceased person's relatives by 2710
40204020 blood, legal adoption, or marriage; or to any person appearing 2711
40214021 to the insurer to be equitably entitled to such benefits. The 2712
40224022 benefit may not be paid if the deceased person died as a result 2713
40234023 of causing injury or death to himself or herself intentionally 2714
40244024 or because of injuries or death incurred while committing a 2715
40254025 felony. 2716
40264026 Section 49. Effective upon this act becoming a law, 2717
40274027 section 627.7278, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 2718
40284028 627.7278 Applicability and construction; notice to 2719
40294029 policyholders.— 2720
40304030 (1) As used in this section, the term "minimum security 2721
40314031 requirements" means se curity that enables a person to respond in 2722
40324032 damages for liability on account of crashes arising out of the 2723
40334033 ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle, in the 2724
40344034 amounts required by s. 324.022. 2725
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40434043 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
40444044
40454045
40464046
40474047 (2) Effective July 1, 2024: 2726
40484048 (a) Motor vehicle insurance policies issued or renewed on 2727
40494049 or after July 1, 2024, may not include personal injury 2728
40504050 protection. 2729
40514051 (b) All persons subject to s. 324.022, s. 324.032, s. 2730
40524052 627.7415, or s. 627.742 must maintain at least minimum security 2731
40534053 requirements. 2732
40544054 (c) Any new or renewal motor vehicle insurance policy 2733
40554055 delivered or issued for delivery in this state must provide 2734
40564056 coverage that complies with minimum security requirements and 2735
40574057 provides the death benefit set forth in s. 627.72761. 2736
40584058 (d) An existing motor vehicle insurance policy issued 2737
40594059 before July 1, 2024, which provides personal injury protection 2738
40604060 and property damage liability coverage that meets the 2739
40614061 requirements of s. 324.022 on June 30, 2024, but that does not 2740
40624062 meet minimum security requirements on or after July 1, 2024, is 2741
40634063 deemed to meet minimum security requirements until such policy 2742
40644064 is renewed, nonrenewed, or canceled on or after July 1, 2024. 2743
40654065 Sections 400.9905, 400.991, 456.057, 456.072, 626.9541(1)(i), 2744
40664066 627.7263, 627.727, 627.730 -627.7405, 627.748, and 817.234, 2745
40674067 Florida Statutes 2022, remain in full force and effect for motor 2746
40684068 vehicle accidents covered under a policy issued under the 2747
40694069 Florida Motor Vehicle No -Fault Law before July 1, 2024, until 2748
40704070 the policy is renewed, nonrenewed, or canceled on or after July 2749
40714071 1, 2024. 2750
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40804080 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
40814081
40824082
40834083
40844084 (3) Each insurer shall allow each insured who has a new or 2751
40854085 renewal policy providing personal injury protection which 2752
40864086 becomes effective before July 1, 2024, and whose policy does not 2753
40874087 meet minimum security requirements on or after July 1, 2024, to 2754
40884088 change coverages so as to eliminate personal injury protection 2755
40894089 and obtain coverage providing minimum security requirements and 2756
40904090 the death benefit set forth in s. 627.72761, which shall be 2757
40914091 effective on or after July 1, 2024. The insurer is not required 2758
40924092 to provide coverage comp lying with minimum security requirements 2759
40934093 and the death benefit set forth in s. 627.72761 in such policies 2760
40944094 if the insured does not pay the required premium, if any, by 2761
40954095 July 1, 2024, or such later date as the insurer may allow. The 2762
40964096 insurer shall also offer e ach insured medical payments coverage 2763
40974097 under s. 627.7265. Any reduction in the premium must be refunded 2764
40984098 by the insurer. The insurer may not impose on the insured an 2765
40994099 additional fee or charge that applies solely to a change in 2766
41004100 coverage; however, the insurer m ay charge an additional required 2767
41014101 premium that is actuarially indicated. 2768
41024102 (4) By April 1, 2024, each motor vehicle insurer shall 2769
41034103 provide notice of this section to each motor vehicle 2770
41044104 policyholder who is subject to this section. The notice is 2771
41054105 subject to approval by the office and must clearly inform the 2772
41064106 policyholder that: 2773
41074107 (a) The Florida Motor Vehicle No -Fault Law is repealed 2774
41084108 effective July 1, 2024, and that on or after that date, the 2775
41094109
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41174117 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
41184118
41194119
41204120
41214121 insured is no longer required to maintain personal injury 2776
41224122 protection insurance coverage, that personal injury protection 2777
41234123 coverage is no longer available for purchase in this state, and 2778
41244124 that all new or renewal policies issued on or after that date 2779
41254125 will not contain that coverage. 2780
41264126 (b) Effective July 1, 2024, a person subject to the 2781
41274127 financial responsibility requirements of s. 324.022 must: 2782
41284128 1. Maintain minimum security requirements that enable the 2783
41294129 person to respond to damages for liability on account of 2784
41304130 accidents arising out of the use of a motor vehicle in the 2785
41314131 following amounts: 2786
41324132 a. Twenty-five thousand dollars for bodily injury to, or 2787
41334133 the death of, one person in any one crash and, subject to such 2788
41344134 limits for one person, in the amount of $50,000 for bodily 2789
41354135 injury to, or the death of, two or more persons in any one 2790
41364136 crash; and 2791
41374137 b. Ten thousand dollars for damage to, or destruction of, 2792
41384138 the property of others in any one crash. 2793
41394139 2. Purchase a death benefit under s. 627.72761 providing 2794
41404140 coverage in the amount of $5,000 per deceased individual upon 2795
41414141 the death of the named insured, relati ves residing in the same 2796
41424142 household, persons operating the insured motor vehicle, 2797
41434143 passengers in the motor vehicle, and other persons struck by the 2798
41444144 motor vehicle and suffering bodily injury while not an occupant 2799
41454145 of a self-propelled motor vehicle, when such d eath arises out of 2800
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41544154 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
41554155
41564156
41574157
41584158 the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle. 2801
41594159 (c) Bodily injury liability coverage protects the insured, 2802
41604160 up to the coverage limits, against loss if the insured is 2803
41614161 legally responsible for the death of or bodily injury to others 2804
41624162 in a motor vehicle accident. 2805
41634163 (d) Effective July 1, 2024, each policyholder of motor 2806
41644164 vehicle liability insurance purchased as proof of financial 2807
41654165 responsibility must be offered medical payments coverage 2808
41664166 benefits that comply with s. 627.7265. The insurer m ust offer 2809
41674167 medical payments coverage at limits of $5,000 and $10,000 2810
41684168 without a deductible. The insurer may also offer medical 2811
41694169 payments coverage at other limits greater than $5,000 and may 2812
41704170 offer coverage with a deductible of up to $500. Medical payments 2813
41714171 coverage pays covered medical expenses incurred due to bodily 2814
41724172 injury, sickness, or disease arising out of the ownership, 2815
41734173 maintenance, or use of the motor vehicle, up to the limits of 2816
41744174 such coverage, for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle crash 2817
41754175 by the named insured, resident relatives, any persons operating 2818
41764176 the insured motor vehicle, passengers in the insured motor 2819
41774177 vehicle, and persons who are struck by the insured motor vehicle 2820
41784178 and suffer bodily injury while not an occupant of a self -2821
41794179 propelled motor vehicle a s provided in s. 627.7265. 2822
41804180 (e) The policyholder may obtain uninsured and underinsured 2823
41814181 motorist coverage that provides benefits, up to the limits of 2824
41824182 such coverage, to a policyholder or other insured entitled to 2825
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41914191 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
41924192
41934193
41944194
41954195 recover damages for bodily injury, sickness, disease, or death 2826
41964196 resulting from a motor vehicle accident with an uninsured or 2827
41974197 underinsured owner or operator of a motor vehicle. 2828
41984198 (f) If the policyholder's new or renewal motor vehicle 2829
41994199 insurance policy is effective before July 1, 2024, and contains 2830
42004200 personal injury protection and property damage liability 2831
42014201 coverage as required by state law before July 1, 2024, but does 2832
42024202 not meet minimum security requirements on or after July 1, 2024, 2833
42034203 the policy is deemed to meet minimum security requirements and 2834
42044204 need not provide the death benefit set forth in s. 627.72761 2835
42054205 until it is renewed, nonrenewed, or canceled on or after July 1, 2836
42064206 2024. 2837
42074207 (g) A policyholder whose new or renewal policy becomes 2838
42084208 effective before July 1, 2024, but does not meet minimum 2839
42094209 security requirements on or after July 1, 2024, may change 2840
42104210 coverages under the policy so as to eliminate personal injury 2841
42114211 protection and to obtain coverage providing minimum security 2842
42124212 requirements, including bodily injury liability coverage and the 2843
42134213 death benefit set forth in s. 627.72761, which are effective on 2844
42144214 or after July 1, 2024. 2845
42154215 (h) If the policyholder has any questions, he or she 2846
42164216 should contact the person named at the telephone number provided 2847
42174217 in the notice. 2848
42184218 Section 50. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 2849
42194219 627.728, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 2850
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42284228 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
42294229
42304230
42314231
42324232 627.728 Cancellations; nonrenewals. — 2851
42334233 (1) As used in this section, the term: 2852
42344234 (a) "Policy" means the bodily injury and property damage 2853
42354235 liability, personal injury protection, medical payments, death 2854
42364236 benefit, comprehensive, collision, and uninsured motorist 2855
42374237 coverage portions of a policy of motor vehicle insurance 2856
42384238 delivered or issued for delivery in this state: 2857
42394239 1. Insuring a natural person as named insured or one or 2858
42404240 more related individuals who are residents resident of the same 2859
42414241 household; and 2860
42424242 2. Insuring only a motor vehicle of the private passenger 2861
42434243 type or station wagon type which is not used as a public or 2862
42444244 livery conveyance for passengers or rented to others; or 2863
42454245 insuring any other four -wheel motor vehicle hav ing a load 2864
42464246 capacity of 1,500 pounds or less which is not used in the 2865
42474247 occupation, profession, or business of the insured other than 2866
42484248 farming; other than any policy issued under an automobile 2867
42494249 insurance assigned risk plan or covering garage, automobile 2868
42504250 sales agency, repair shop, service station, or public parking 2869
42514251 place operation hazards. 2870
42524252 2871
42534253 The term "policy" does not include a binder as defined in s. 2872
42544254 627.420 unless the duration of the binder period exceeds 60 2873
42554255 days. 2874
42564256 Section 51. Subsection (1), paragraph (a) of subsection 2875
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42654265 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
42664266
42674267
42684268
42694269 (5), and subsections (6) and (7) of section 627.7295, Florida 2876
42704270 Statutes, are amended to read: 2877
42714271 627.7295 Motor vehicle insurance contracts. — 2878
42724272 (1) As used in this section, the term: 2879
42734273 (a) "Policy" means a motor vehicle insurance policy that 2880
42744274 provides death benefit coverage under s. 627.72761, bodily 2881
42754275 injury liability personal injury protection coverage, and, 2882
42764276 property damage liability coverage , or both. 2883
42774277 (b) "Binder" means a binder that provides motor vehicle 2884
42784278 death benefit coverage under s. 627.72761, bodily injury 2885
42794279 liability coverage, personal injury protection and property 2886
42804280 damage liability coverage. 2887
42814281 (5)(a) A licensed general lines agent may charge a per -2888
42824282 policy fee of up to not to exceed $10 to cover the 2889
42834283 administrative costs of the agent associated with selling the 2890
42844284 motor vehicle insurance policy if the policy provides covers 2891
42854285 only the death benefit coverage under s. 627.72761, bodily 2892
42864286 injury liability coverage, personal injury protection c overage 2893
42874287 as provided by s. 627.736 and property damage liability coverage 2894
42884288 under as provided by s. 627.7275 and if no other insurance is 2895
42894289 sold or issued in conjunction with or collateral to the policy. 2896
42904290 The fee is not considered part of the premium. 2897
42914291 (6) If a motor vehicle owner's driver license, license 2898
42924292 plate, and registration have previously been suspended pursuant 2899
42934293 to s. 316.646 or s. 627.733, an insurer may cancel a new policy 2900
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43024302 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
43034303
43044304
43054305
43064306 only as provided in s. 627.7275. 2901
43074307 (7) A policy of private passenger motor vehicl e insurance 2902
43084308 or a binder for such a policy may be initially issued in this 2903
43094309 state only if, before the effective date of such binder or 2904
43104310 policy, the insurer or agent has collected from the insured an 2905
43114311 amount equal to at least 1 month's premium. An insurer, agen t, 2906
43124312 or premium finance company may not, directly or indirectly, take 2907
43134313 any action that results resulting in the insured paying having 2908
43144314 paid from the insured's own funds an amount less than the 1 2909
43154315 month's premium required by this subsection. This subsection 2910
43164316 applies without regard to whether the premium is financed by a 2911
43174317 premium finance company or is paid pursuant to a periodic 2912
43184318 payment plan of an insurer or an insurance agent. 2913
43194319 (a) This subsection does not apply : 2914
43204320 1. If an insured or member of the insured's famil y is 2915
43214321 renewing or replacing a policy or a binder for such policy 2916
43224322 written by the same insurer or a member of the same insurer 2917
43234323 group. This subsection does not apply 2918
43244324 2. To an insurer that issues private passenger motor 2919
43254325 vehicle coverage primarily to active duty or former military 2920
43264326 personnel or their dependents. This subsection does not apply 2921
43274327 3. If all policy payments are paid pursuant to a payroll 2922
43284328 deduction plan, an aut omatic electronic funds transfer payment 2923
43294329 plan from the policyholder, or a recurring credit card or debit 2924
43304330 card agreement with the insurer. 2925
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43394339 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
43404340
43414341
43424342
43434343 (b) This subsection and subsection (4) do not apply if : 2926
43444344 1. All policy payments to an insurer are paid pursuant to 2927
43454345 an automatic electronic funds transfer payment plan from an 2928
43464346 agent, a managing general agent, or a premium finance company 2929
43474347 and if the policy includes, at a minimum, the death benefit 2930
43484348 coverage under s. 627.72761, bodily injury liability coverage, 2931
43494349 and personal injury protection pursuant to ss. 627.730 -627.7405; 2932
43504350 motor vehicle property damage liability coverage under pursuant 2933
43514351 to s. 627.7275; or and bodily injury liability in at least the 2934
43524352 amount of $10,000 because of bodily injury to, or death of, one 2935
43534353 person in any one accident and in the amount of $20,000 because 2936
43544354 of bodily injury to, or death of, two or more persons in any one 2937
43554355 accident. This subsection and subsection (4) do not apply if 2938
43564356 2. An insured has had a policy in effect for at least 6 2939
43574357 months, the insured's agent is terminated by the insurer that 2940
43584358 issued the policy, and the insured obtains coverage on the 2941
43594359 policy's renewal date with a new company through the terminated 2942
43604360 agent. 2943
43614361 Section 52. Section 627.7415, Florida Statutes, is amended 2944
43624362 to read: 2945
43634363 627.7415 Commercial motor vehicles; additional liability 2946
43644364 insurance coverage.—Beginning July 1, 2024, commercial motor 2947
43654365 vehicles, as defined in s. 207.002 or s. 320.01, operated upon 2948
43664366 the roads and highways of this state must shall be insured with 2949
43674367 the following minimu m levels of combined bodily liability 2950
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43764376 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
43774377
43784378
43794379
43804380 insurance and property damage liability insurance in addition to 2951
43814381 any other insurance requirements: 2952
43824382 (1) Sixty Fifty thousand dollars per occurrence for a 2953
43834383 commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 26,000 2954
43844384 pounds or more, but less than 35,000 pounds. 2955
43854385 (2) One hundred twenty thousand dollars per occurrence for 2956
43864386 a commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 35,000 2957
43874387 pounds or more, but less than 44,000 pounds. 2958
43884388 (3) Three hundred thousand dollars per occurrence for a 2959
43894389 commercial motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of 44,000 2960
43904390 pounds or more. 2961
43914391 (4) All commercial motor vehicles subject to regulations 2962
43924392 of the United States Department of Transportation, 49 C.F.R. 2963
43934393 part 387, subparts A and B, and as may be hereinafter amended, 2964
43944394 shall be insured in an amount equivalent to the minimum levels 2965
43954395 of financial responsibility as set forth in such regulations. 2966
43964396 2967
43974397 A violation of this section is a noncriminal traffic infraction, 2968
43984398 punishable as a nonmoving violation as pr ovided in chapter 318. 2969
43994399 Section 53. Subsections (1) and (3) of section 627.747, 2970
44004400 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 2971
44014401 627.747 Named driver exclusion. — 2972
44024402 (1) A private passenger motor vehicle policy may exclude 2973
44034403 the following coverages for all claims o r suits resulting from 2974
44044404 the operation of a motor vehicle by an identified individual who 2975
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44134413 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
44144414
44154415
44164416
44174417 is not a named insured, provided the identified individual is 2976
44184418 named on the declarations page or by endorsement and the named 2977
44194419 insured consents in writing to such exclusi on: 2978
44204420 (a) Notwithstanding the Florida Motor Vehicle No -Fault 2979
44214421 Law, the personal injury protection coverage specifically 2980
44224422 applicable to the identified individual's injuries, lost wages, 2981
44234423 and death benefits. 2982
44244424 (b) Property damage liability coverage. 2983
44254425 (b)(c) Bodily injury liability coverage , if required by 2984
44264426 law and purchased by the named insured . 2985
44274427 (c)(d) Uninsured motorist coverage for any damages 2986
44284428 sustained by the identified excluded individual, if the named 2987
44294429 insured has purchased such coverage. 2988
44304430 (d)(e) Any coverage the named insured is not required by 2989
44314431 law to purchase. 2990
44324432 (3) A driver excluded pursuant to this section must : 2991
44334433 (a) establish, maintain, and show proof of financial 2992
44344434 ability to respond for damages arising out of the ownership, 2993
44354435 maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle as required by chapter 2994
44364436 324; and 2995
44374437 (b) Maintain security as required by s. 627.733 . 2996
44384438 Section 54. Paragraphs (b), (c), and (g) of subsection 2997
44394439 (7), paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (8), and paragraph (b) 2998
44404440 of subsection (16) of section 627.748, Florida Statutes, are 2999
44414441 amended to read: 3000
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44504450 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
44514451
44524452
44534453
44544454 627.748 Transportation network companies. — 3001
44554455 (7) TRANSPORTATION NETWORK CO MPANY AND TNC DRIVER 3002
44564456 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. — 3003
44574457 (b) The following automobile insurance requirements apply 3004
44584458 while a participating TNC driver is logged on to the digital 3005
44594459 network but is not engaged in a prearranged ride: 3006
44604460 1. Automobile insurance that provides : 3007
44614461 a. A primary automobile liability coverage of at least 3008
44624462 $50,000 for death and bodily injury per person, $100,000 for 3009
44634463 death and bodily injury per incident, and $25,000 for property 3010
44644464 damage; and 3011
44654465 b. Personal injury protection benefits that meet the 3012
44664466 minimum coverage amounts required under ss. 627.730 -627.7405; 3013
44674467 and 3014
44684468 c. Uninsured and underinsured vehicle coverage as required 3015
44694469 by s. 627.727. 3016
44704470 2. The coverage requirements of this paragraph may be 3017
44714471 satisfied by any of the following: 3018
44724472 a. Automobile insurance mai ntained by the TNC driver or 3019
44734473 the TNC vehicle owner; 3020
44744474 b. Automobile insurance maintained by the TNC; or 3021
44754475 c. A combination of sub -subparagraphs a. and b. 3022
44764476 (c) The following automobile insurance requirements apply 3023
44774477 while a TNC driver is engaged in a prearra nged ride: 3024
44784478 1. Automobile insurance that provides: 3025
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44874487 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
44884488
44894489
44904490
44914491 a. A primary automobile liability coverage of at least $1 3026
44924492 million for death, bodily injury, and property damage; and 3027
44934493 b. Personal injury protection benefits that meet the 3028
44944494 minimum coverage amounts requi red of a limousine under ss. 3029
44954495 627.730-627.7405; and 3030
44964496 c. Uninsured and underinsured vehicle coverage as required 3031
44974497 by s. 627.727. 3032
44984498 2. The coverage requirements of this paragraph may be 3033
44994499 satisfied by any of the following: 3034
45004500 a. Automobile insurance maintained b y the TNC driver or 3035
45014501 the TNC vehicle owner; 3036
45024502 b. Automobile insurance maintained by the TNC; or 3037
45034503 c. A combination of sub -subparagraphs a. and b. 3038
45044504 (g) Insurance satisfying the requirements under this 3039
45054505 subsection is deemed to satisfy the financial responsibi lity 3040
45064506 requirement for a motor vehicle under chapter 324 and the 3041
45074507 security required under s. 627.733 for any period when the TNC 3042
45084508 driver is logged onto the digital network or engaged in a 3043
45094509 prearranged ride. 3044
45104510 (8) TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANY AND INSURER; 3045
45114511 DISCLOSURE; EXCLUSIONS.— 3046
45124512 (a) Before a TNC driver is allowed to accept a request for 3047
45134513 a prearranged ride on the digital network, the TNC must disclose 3048
45144514 in writing to the TNC driver: 3049
45154515 1. The insurance coverage, including the types of coverage 3050
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45244524 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
45254525
45264526
45274527
45284528 and the limits for each coverage, which the TNC provides while 3051
45294529 the TNC driver uses a TNC vehicle in connection with the TNC's 3052
45304530 digital network. 3053
45314531 2. That the TNC driver's own automobile insurance policy 3054
45324532 might not provide any coverage while the TNC driver is logged on 3055
45334533 to the digital network or is engaged in a prearranged ride, 3056
45344534 depending on the terms of the TNC driver's own automobile 3057
45354535 insurance policy. 3058
45364536 3. That the provision of rides for compensation which are 3059
45374537 not prearranged rides subjects the driver to the coverage 3060
45384538 requirements imposed under s. 324.032(1) and (2) and that 3061
45394539 failure to meet such coverage requirements subjects the TNC 3062
45404540 driver to penalties p rovided in s. 324.221, up to and including 3063
45414541 a misdemeanor of the second degree. 3064
45424542 (b)1. An insurer that provides an automobile liability 3065
45434543 insurance policy under this part may exclude any and all 3066
45444544 coverage afforded under the policy issued to an owner or 3067
45454545 operator of a TNC vehicle while driving that vehicle for any 3068
45464546 loss or injury that occurs while a TNC driver is logged on to a 3069
45474547 digital network or while a TNC driver provides a prearranged 3070
45484548 ride. Exclusions imposed under this subsection are limited to 3071
45494549 coverage while a TNC driver is logged on to a digital network or 3072
45504550 while a TNC driver provides a prearranged ride. This right to 3073
45514551 exclude all coverage may apply to any coverage included in an 3074
45524552 automobile insurance policy, including, but not limited to: 3075
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45614561 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
45624562
45634563
45644564
45654565 a. Liability covera ge for bodily injury and property 3076
45664566 damage; 3077
45674567 b. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage; 3078
45684568 c. Medical payments coverage; 3079
45694569 d. Comprehensive physical damage coverage; 3080
45704570 e. Collision physical damage coverage; and 3081
45714571 f. Death benefit coverage under s. 627. 72761 Personal 3082
45724572 injury protection. 3083
45734573 2. The exclusions described in subparagraph 1. apply 3084
45744574 notwithstanding any requirement under chapter 324. These 3085
45754575 exclusions do not affect or diminish coverage otherwise 3086
45764576 available for permissive drivers or resident relatives under the 3087
45774577 personal automobile insurance policy of the TNC driver or owner 3088
45784578 of the TNC vehicle who are not occupying the TNC vehicle at the 3089
45794579 time of loss. This section does not require that a personal 3090
45804580 automobile insurance policy provide coverage while the TN C 3091
45814581 driver is logged on to a digital network, while the TNC driver 3092
45824582 is engaged in a prearranged ride, or while the TNC driver 3093
45834583 otherwise uses a vehicle to transport riders for compensation. 3094
45844584 3. This section must not be construed to require an 3095
45854585 insurer to use any particular policy language or reference to 3096
45864586 this section in order to exclude any and all coverage for any 3097
45874587 loss or injury that occurs while a TNC driver is logged on to a 3098
45884588 digital network or while a TNC driver provides a prearranged 3099
45894589 ride. 3100
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45984598 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
45994599
46004600
46014601
46024602 4. This section does not preclude an insurer from 3101
46034603 providing primary or excess coverage for the TNC driver's 3102
46044604 vehicle by contract or endorsement. 3103
46054605 (16) LUXURY GROUND TRANSPORTATION NETWORK COMPANIES. — 3104
46064606 (b) An entity may elect, upon written notification to the 3105
46074607 department, to be regulated as a luxury ground TNC. A luxury 3106
46084608 ground TNC must: 3107
46094609 1. Comply with all of the requirements of this section 3108
46104610 applicable to a TNC, including subsection (17), which do not 3109
46114611 conflict with subparagraph 2. or which do not prohibit the 3110
46124612 company from connecting riders to drivers who operate for -hire 3111
46134613 vehicles as defined in s. 320.01(15), including limousines and 3112
46144614 luxury sedans and excluding taxicabs. 3113
46154615 2. Maintain insurance coverage as required by subsection 3114
46164616 (7). However, if a prospective luxury ground TNC satisfies 3115
46174617 minimum financial responsibility through compliance with s. 3116
46184618 324.032(3) s. 324.032(2) by using self-insurance when it gives 3117
46194619 the department written notification of its election to be 3118
46204620 regulated as a luxury ground TNC, the luxury ground TNC may use 3119
46214621 self-insurance to meet the insurance requirements of subsection 3120
46224622 (7), so long as such self -insurance complies with s. 324.032(3) 3121
46234623 s. 324.032(2) and provides the limits of liability required by 3122
46244624 subsection (7). 3123
46254625 Section 55. Subsection (2) and paragraphs (a) and (c) of 3124
46264626 subsection (3) of section 627.7483, Florida Statutes, are 3125
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46284628 HB 429 2023
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46354635 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
46364636
46374637
46384638
46394639 amended to read: 3126
46404640 627.7483 Peer-to-peer car sharing; insurance 3127
46414641 requirements.— 3128
46424642 (2) INSURANCE COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS. — 3129
46434643 (a)1. A peer-to-peer car-sharing program shall ensure 3130
46444644 that, during each car -sharing period, the shared vehicle owner 3131
46454645 and the shared vehicle driver are insured u nder a motor vehicle 3132
46464646 insurance policy that provides all of the following: 3133
46474647 a. Property damage liability coverage and bodily injury 3134
46484648 liability coverage that meet or exceed meets the minimum 3135
46494649 coverage amounts required under s. 324.022. 3136
46504650 b. Bodily injury liability coverage limits as described in 3137
46514651 s. 324.021(7)(a) and (b). 3138
46524652 c. Personal injury protection benefits that meet the 3139
46534653 minimum coverage amounts required under s. 627.736. 3140
46544654 d. Uninsured and underinsured vehicle coverage as required 3141
46554655 under s. 627.727. 3142
46564656 2. The peer-to-peer car-sharing program shall also ensure 3143
46574657 that the motor vehicle insurance policy under subparagraph 1.: 3144
46584658 a. Recognizes that the shared vehicle insured under the 3145
46594659 policy is made available and used through a peer -to-peer car-3146
46604660 sharing program; or 3147
46614661 b. Does not exclude the use of a shared vehicle by a 3148
46624662 shared vehicle driver. 3149
46634663 (b)1. The insurance described under paragraph (a) may be 3150
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46724672 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
46734673
46744674
46754675
46764676 satisfied by a motor vehicle insurance policy maintained by: 3151
46774677 a. A shared vehicle owner; 3152
46784678 b. A shared vehicle driver; 3153
46794679 c. A peer-to-peer car-sharing program; or 3154
46804680 d. A combination of a shared vehicle owner, a shared 3155
46814681 vehicle driver, and a peer -to-peer car-sharing program. 3156
46824682 2. The insurance policy maintained in subparagraph 1. 3157
46834683 which satisfies the insurance requirements under paragraph (a) 3158
46844684 is primary during each car -sharing period. If a claim occurs 3159
46854685 during the car-sharing period in another state with minimum 3160
46864686 financial responsibility limits higher than those limits 3161
46874687 required under chapter 324, the coverage maintained under 3162
46884688 paragraph (a) satisfies the difference in minimum coverage 3163
46894689 amounts up to the applicable policy limits. 3164
46904690 3.a. If the insurance maintained by a shared vehicle owner 3165
46914691 or shared vehicle driver in accordance with subparagraph 1. has 3166
46924692 lapsed or does not provide t he coverage required under paragraph 3167
46934693 (a), the insurance maintained by the peer -to-peer car-sharing 3168
46944694 program must provide the coverage required under paragraph (a), 3169
46954695 beginning with the first dollar of a claim, and must defend such 3170
46964696 claim, except under circumst ances as set forth in subparagraph 3171
46974697 (3)(a)2. 3172
46984698 b. Coverage under a motor vehicle insurance policy 3173
46994699 maintained by the peer -to-peer car-sharing program must not be 3174
47004700 dependent on another motor vehicle insurer first denying a 3175
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47094709 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
47104710
47114711
47124712
47134713 claim, and another motor vehicle insu rance policy is not 3176
47144714 required to first deny a claim. 3177
47154715 c. Notwithstanding any other law, statute, rule, or 3178
47164716 regulation to the contrary, a peer -to-peer car-sharing program 3179
47174717 has an insurable interest in a shared vehicle during the car -3180
47184718 sharing period. This sub -subparagraph does not create liability 3181
47194719 for a peer-to-peer car-sharing program for maintaining the 3182
47204720 coverage required under paragraph (a) and under this paragraph, 3183
47214721 if applicable. 3184
47224722 d. A peer-to-peer car-sharing program may own and maintain 3185
47234723 as the named insured one or more policies of motor vehicle 3186
47244724 insurance which provide coverage for: 3187
47254725 (I) Liabilities assumed by the peer -to-peer car-sharing 3188
47264726 program under a peer –to–peer car-sharing program agreement; 3189
47274727 (II) Liability of the shared vehicle owner; 3190
47284728 (III) Liability of the shared vehicle driver; 3191
47294729 (IV) Damage or loss to the shared motor vehicle; or 3192
47304730 (V) Damage, loss, or injury to persons or property to 3193
47314731 satisfy the personal injury protection and uninsured and 3194
47324732 underinsured motorist coverage requirements of this sec tion. 3195
47334733 e. Insurance required under paragraph (a), when maintained 3196
47344734 by a peer-to-peer car-sharing program, may be provided by an 3197
47354735 insurer authorized to do business in this state which is a 3198
47364736 member of the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association or an 3199
47374737 eligible surplus lines insurer that has a superior, excellent, 3200
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47464746 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
47474747
47484748
47494749
47504750 exceptional, or equivalent financial strength rating by a rating 3201
47514751 agency acceptable to the office. A peer -to-peer car-sharing 3202
47524752 program is not transacting in insurance when it maintains the 3203
47534753 insurance required under this section. 3204
47544754 (3) LIABILITIES AND INSURANCE EXCLUSIONS. — 3205
47554755 (a) Liability.— 3206
47564756 1. A peer-to-peer car-sharing program shall assume 3207
47574757 liability, except as provided in subparagraph 2., of a shared 3208
47584758 vehicle owner for bodily injury or property damage to t hird 3209
47594759 parties or uninsured and underinsured motorist or personal 3210
47604760 injury protection losses during the car -sharing period in an 3211
47614761 amount stated in the peer -to-peer car-sharing program agreement, 3212
47624762 which amount may not be less than those set forth in ss. 324.022 3213
47634763 and ss. 324.021(7)(a) and (b), 324.022, 627.727, and 627.736, 3214
47644764 respectively. 3215
47654765 2. The assumption of liability under subparagraph 1. does 3216
47664766 not apply if a shared vehicle owner: 3217
47674767 a. Makes an intentional or fraudulent material 3218
47684768 misrepresentation or omission to th e peer-to-peer car-sharing 3219
47694769 program before the car -sharing period in which the loss occurs; 3220
47704770 or 3221
47714771 b. Acts in concert with a shared vehicle driver who fails 3222
47724772 to return the shared vehicle pursuant to the terms of the peer -3223
47734773 to-peer car-sharing program agreement. 3224
47744774 3. The insurer, insurers, or peer -to-peer car-sharing 3225
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47834783 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
47844784
47854785
47864786
47874787 program providing coverage under paragraph (2)(a) shall assume 3226
47884788 primary liability for a claim when: 3227
47894789 a. A dispute exists over who was in control of the shared 3228
47904790 motor vehicle at the time of the loss, an d the peer-to-peer car-3229
47914791 sharing program does not have available, did not retain, or 3230
47924792 fails to provide the information required under subsection (5); 3231
47934793 or 3232
47944794 b. A dispute exists over whether the shared vehicle was 3233
47954795 returned to the alternatively agreed -upon location as required 3234
47964796 under subparagraph (1)(d)2. 3235
47974797 (c) Exclusions in motor vehicle insurance policies. —An 3236
47984798 authorized insurer that writes motor vehicle liability insurance 3237
47994799 in this state may exclude any coverage and the duty to defend or 3238
48004800 indemnify for any claim un der a shared vehicle owner's motor 3239
48014801 vehicle insurance policy, including, but not limited to: 3240
48024802 1. Liability coverage for bodily injury and property 3241
48034803 damage; 3242
48044804 2. Personal injury protection coverage; 3243
48054805 3. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage; 3244
48064806 3.4. Medical payments coverage; 3245
48074807 4.5. Comprehensive physical damage coverage; and 3246
48084808 5.6. Collision physical damage coverage. 3247
48094809 3248
48104810 This paragraph does not invalidate or limit any exclusion 3249
48114811 contained in a motor vehicle insurance policy, including any 3250
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48204820 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
48214821
48224822
48234823
48244824 insurance policy in use or approved for use which excludes 3251
48254825 coverage for motor vehicles made available for rent, sharing, or 3252
48264826 hire or for any business use. This paragraph does not 3253
48274827 invalidate, limit, or restrict an insurer's ability under 3254
48284828 existing law to underwrite, cancel, or nonrenew any insurance 3255
48294829 policy. 3256
48304830 Section 56. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of section 3257
48314831 627.749, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 3258
48324832 627.749 Autonomous vehicles; insurance requirements. — 3259
48334833 (2) INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. — 3260
48344834 (a) A fully autonomous vehi cle with the automated driving 3261
48354835 system engaged while logged on to an on -demand autonomous 3262
48364836 vehicle network or engaged in a prearranged ride must be covered 3263
48374837 by a policy of automobile insurance which provides: 3264
48384838 1. Primary liability coverage of at least $1 mil lion for 3265
48394839 death, bodily injury, and property damage. 3266
48404840 2. Personal injury protection benefits that meet the 3267
48414841 minimum coverage amounts required under ss. 627.730 -627.7405. 3268
48424842 3. Uninsured and underinsured vehicle coverage as required 3269
48434843 by s. 627.727. 3270
48444844 Section 57. Section 627.8405, Florida Statutes, is amended 3271
48454845 to read: 3272
48464846 627.8405 Prohibited acts; financing companies. —A No 3273
48474847 premium finance company shall, in a premium finance agreement or 3274
48484848 other agreement, may not finance the cost of or otherwise 3275
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48574857 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
48584858
48594859
48604860
48614861 provide for the collection or remittance of dues, assessments, 3276
48624862 fees, or other periodic payments of money for the cost of: 3277
48634863 (1) A membership in an automobile club. The term 3278
48644864 "automobile club" means a legal entity that which, in 3279
48654865 consideration of dues, assessments, or periodic payments of 3280
48664866 money, promises its members or subscribers to assist them in 3281
48674867 matters relating to the ownership, operation, use, or 3282
48684868 maintenance of a motor vehicle; however, the term this 3283
48694869 definition of "automobile club" does not include persons, 3284
48704870 associations, or corporations which are organized and operated 3285
48714871 solely for the purpose of conducting, sponsoring, or sanctioning 3286
48724872 motor vehicle races, exhibitions, or contests upon racetracks, 3287
48734873 or upon racecourses established and marked as such for the 3288
48744874 duration of such part icular events. As used in this subsection, 3289
48754875 the term words "motor vehicle" has used herein have the same 3290
48764876 meaning as defined in chapter 320. 3291
48774877 (2) An accidental death and dismemberment policy sold in 3292
48784878 combination with a policy providing only death benefit cov erage 3293
48794879 under s. 627.72761, bodily injury liability coverage, personal 3294
48804880 injury protection and property damage liability coverage only 3295
48814881 policy. 3296
48824882 (3) Any product not regulated under the provisions of this 3297
48834883 insurance code. 3298
48844884 3299
48854885 This section also applies to premium financing by any insurance 3300
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48944894 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
48954895
48964896
48974897
48984898 agent or insurance company under part XVI. The commission shall 3301
48994899 adopt rules to assure disclosure, at the time of sale, of 3302
49004900 coverages financed with personal injury protection and shall 3303
49014901 prescribe the form of such disclosure. 3304
49024902 Section 58. Subsection (1) of section 627.915, Florida 3305
49034903 Statutes, is amended to read: 3306
49044904 627.915 Insurer experience reporting. — 3307
49054905 (1) Each insurer transacting private passenger motor 3308
49064906 vehicle automobile insurance in this stat e shall report certain 3309
49074907 information annually to the office. The information will be due 3310
49084908 on or before July 1 of each year. The information must shall be 3311
49094909 divided into the following categories: bodily injury liability; 3312
49104910 property damage liability; uninsured moto rist; death benefit 3313
49114911 coverage under s. 627.72761 personal injury protection benefits ; 3314
49124912 medical payments; and comprehensive and collision. The 3315
49134913 information given must shall be on direct insurance writings in 3316
49144914 the state alone and shall represent total limits dat a. The 3317
49154915 information set forth in paragraphs (a) -(f) is applicable to 3318
49164916 voluntary private passenger and Joint Underwriting Association 3319
49174917 private passenger writings and must shall be reported for each 3320
49184918 of the latest 3 calendar -accident years, with an evaluation da te 3321
49194919 of March 31 of the current year. The information set forth in 3322
49204920 paragraphs (g)-(j) is applicable to voluntary private passenger 3323
49214921 writings and must shall be reported on a calendar -accident year 3324
49224922 basis ultimately seven times at seven different stages of 3325
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49314931 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
49324932
49334933
49344934
49354935 development. 3326
49364936 (a) Premiums earned for the latest 3 calendar -accident 3327
49374937 years. 3328
49384938 (b) Loss development factors and the historic development 3329
49394939 of those factors. 3330
49404940 (c) Policyholder dividends incurred. 3331
49414941 (d) Expenses for other acquisition and general expense. 3332
49424942 (e) Expenses for agents' commissions and taxes, licenses, 3333
49434943 and fees. 3334
49444944 (f) Profit and contingency factors as utilized in the 3335
49454945 insurer's automobile rate filings for the applicable years. 3336
49464946 (g) Losses paid. 3337
49474947 (h) Losses unpaid. 3338
49484948 (i) Loss adjustment expenses paid. 3339
49494949 (j) Loss adjustment expenses unpaid. 3340
49504950 Section 59. Subsections (2) and (3) of section 628.909, 3341
49514951 Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 3342
49524952 628.909 Applicability of other laws. — 3343
49534953 (2) The following provisions of the Florida Insurance Code 3344
49544954 apply to captive insurance companies that who are not industrial 3345
49554955 insured captive insurance companies to the extent that such 3346
49564956 provisions are not inconsistent with this part: 3347
49574957 (a) Chapter 624, exce pt for ss. 624.407, 624.408, 3348
49584958 624.4085, 624.40851, 624.4095, 624.411, 624.425, and 624.426. 3349
49594959 (b) Chapter 625, part II. 3350
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49684968 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
49694969
49704970
49714971
49724972 (c) Chapter 626, part IX. 3351
49734973 (d) Sections 627.730-627.7405, when no-fault coverage is 3352
49744974 provided. 3353
49754975 (e) Chapter 628. 3354
49764976 (3) The following p rovisions of the Florida Insurance Code 3355
49774977 shall apply to industrial insured captive insurance companies to 3356
49784978 the extent that such provisions are not inconsistent with this 3357
49794979 part: 3358
49804980 (a) Chapter 624, except for ss. 624.407, 624.408, 3359
49814981 624.4085, 624.40851, 624.4095, 624.411, 624.425, 624.426, and 3360
49824982 624.609(1). 3361
49834983 (b) Chapter 625, part II, if the industrial insured 3362
49844984 captive insurance company is incorporated in this state. 3363
49854985 (c) Chapter 626, part IX. 3364
49864986 (d) Sections 627.730-627.7405 when no-fault coverage is 3365
49874987 provided. 3366
49884988 (e) Chapter 628, except for ss. 628.341, 628.351, and 3367
49894989 628.6018. 3368
49904990 Section 60. Subsections (2), (6), and (7) of section 3369
49914991 705.184, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 3370
49924992 705.184 Derelict or abandoned motor vehicles on the 3371
49934993 premises of public-use airports.— 3372
49944994 (2) The airport director or the director's designee shall 3373
49954995 contact the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to 3374
49964996 notify that department that the airport has possession of the 3375
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50055005 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
50065006
50075007
50085008
50095009 abandoned or derelict motor vehicle and to determine the name 3376
50105010 and address of the owner of the motor vehicle, the insurance 3377
50115011 company insuring the motor vehicle, notwithstanding the 3378
50125012 provisions of s. 627.736, and any person who has filed a lien on 3379
50135013 the motor vehicle. Within 7 business days after receipt of the 3380
50145014 information, the direc tor or the director's designee shall send 3381
50155015 notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner 3382
50165016 of the motor vehicle, the insurance company insuring the motor 3383
50175017 vehicle, notwithstanding the provisions of s. 627.736, and all 3384
50185018 persons of record claim ing a lien against the motor vehicle. The 3385
50195019 notice must shall state the fact of possession of the motor 3386
50205020 vehicle, that charges for reasonable towing, storage, and 3387
50215021 parking fees, if any, have accrued and the amount thereof, that 3388
50225022 a lien as provided in subsection (6) will be claimed, that the 3389
50235023 lien is subject to enforcement pursuant to law, that the owner 3390
50245024 or lienholder, if any, has the right to a hearing as set forth 3391
50255025 in subsection (4), and that any motor vehicle which, at the end 3392
50265026 of 30 calendar days after receipt o f the notice, has not been 3393
50275027 removed from the airport upon payment in full of all accrued 3394
50285028 charges for reasonable towing, storage, and parking fees, if 3395
50295029 any, may be disposed of as provided in s. 705.182(2)(a), (b), 3396
50305030 (d), or (e), including, but not limited to, t he motor vehicle 3397
50315031 being sold free of all prior liens after 35 calendar days after 3398
50325032 the time the motor vehicle is stored if any prior liens on the 3399
50335033 motor vehicle are more than 5 years of age or after 50 calendar 3400
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50425042 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
50435043
50445044
50455045
50465046 days after the time the motor vehicle is stored if any prior 3401
50475047 liens on the motor vehicle are 5 years of age or less. 3402
50485048 (6) The airport pursuant to this section or, if used, a 3403
50495049 licensed independent wrecker company pursuant to s. 713.78 shall 3404
50505050 have a lien on an abandoned or derelict motor vehicle for all 3405
50515051 reasonable towing, storage, and accrued parking fees, if any, 3406
50525052 except that no storage fee may shall be charged if the motor 3407
50535053 vehicle is stored less than 6 hours. As a prerequisite to 3408
50545054 perfecting a lien under this section, the airport director or 3409
50555055 the director's designee must serve a notice in accordance with 3410
50565056 subsection (2) on the owner of the motor vehicle, the insurance 3411
50575057 company insuring the motor vehicle, notwithstanding the 3412
50585058 provisions of s. 627.736, and all persons of record claiming a 3413
50595059 lien against the motor veh icle. If attempts to notify the owner, 3414
50605060 the insurance company insuring the motor vehicle, 3415
50615061 notwithstanding the provisions of s. 627.736, or lienholders are 3416
50625062 not successful, the requirement of notice by mail shall be 3417
50635063 considered met. Serving of the notice does not dispense with 3418
50645064 recording the claim of lien. 3419
50655065 (7)(a) For the purpose of perfecting its lien under this 3420
50665066 section, the airport shall record a claim of lien which states 3421
50675067 shall state: 3422
50685068 1. The name and address of the airport. 3423
50695069 2. The name of the owner of th e motor vehicle, the 3424
50705070 insurance company insuring the motor vehicle, notwithstanding 3425
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50795079 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
50805080
50815081
50825082
50835083 the provisions of s. 627.736, and all persons of record claiming 3426
50845084 a lien against the motor vehicle. 3427
50855085 3. The costs incurred from reasonable towing, storage, and 3428
50865086 parking fees, if any. 3429
50875087 4. A description of the motor vehicle sufficient for 3430
50885088 identification. 3431
50895089 (b) The claim of lien must shall be signed and sworn to or 3432
50905090 affirmed by the airport director or the director's designee. 3433
50915091 (c) The claim of lien is shall be sufficient if it is in 3434
50925092 substantially the following form: 3435
50935093 3436
50945094 CLAIM OF LIEN 3437
50955095 State of ........ 3438
50965096 County of ........ 3439
50975097 Before me, the undersigned notary public, personally appeared 3440
50985098 ........, who was duly sworn and says that he/she is the 3441
50995099 ........ of ............, whose address is........; and that the 3442
51005100 following described motor vehicle: 3443
51015101 ...(Description of motor vehicle)... 3444
51025102 owned by ........, whose address is ........, has accrued 3445
51035103 $........ in fees for a reasonable tow, for storage, and for 3446
51045104 parking, if applicable; that the lienor served its notice to the 3447
51055105 owner, the insurance company insuring the motor vehicle 3448
51065106 notwithstanding the provisions of s. 627.736, Florida Statutes , 3449
51075107 and all persons of record claiming a lien against the motor 3450
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51165116 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
51175117
51185118
51195119
51205120 vehicle on ...., ...(year)..., by......... 3451
51215121 ...(Signature)... 3452
51225122 Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me this .... day of 3453
51235123 ...., ...(year)..., by ...(name of person making statement).... 3454
51245124 ...(Signature of Notary Public)... ...(Print, Type, or Stamp 3455
51255125 Commissioned name of Notary Public)... 3456
51265126 Personally Known....OR Produced....as identification. 3457
51275127 3458
51285128 However, the negligent inclusion or omission of any information 3459
51295129 in this claim of lien which does not prejudice the owner does 3460
51305130 not constitute a default that operates to defeat an otherwise 3461
51315131 valid lien. 3462
51325132 (d) The claim of lien must shall be served on the owner of 3463
51335133 the motor vehicle, the insurance company insuring the motor 3464
51345134 vehicle, notwithstanding the provisions of s. 627.736, and all 3465
51355135 persons of record claiming a lien against the motor vehicle. If 3466
51365136 attempts to notify the own er, the insurance company insuring the 3467
51375137 motor vehicle notwithstanding the provisions of s. 627.736 , or 3468
51385138 lienholders are not successful, the requirement of notice by 3469
51395139 mail is shall be considered met. The claim of lien must shall be 3470
51405140 so served before recordation. 3471
51415141 (e) The claim of lien must shall be recorded with the 3472
51425142 clerk of court in the county where the airport is located. The 3473
51435143 recording of the claim of lien shall be constructive notice to 3474
51445144 all persons of the contents and effect o f such claim. The lien 3475
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51535153 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
51545154
51555155
51565156
51575157 attaches shall attach at the time of recordation and takes shall 3476
51585158 take priority as of that time. 3477
51595159 Section 61. Paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection (4) 3478
51605160 of section 713.78, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 3479
51615161 713.78 Liens for recovering, towing, or storing vehicles 3480
51625162 and vessels.— 3481
51635163 (4)(a) A person regularly engaged in the business of 3482
51645164 recovering, towing, or storing vehicles or vessels who comes 3483
51655165 into possession of a vehicle or vessel pursuant to subsection 3484
51665166 (2), and who claims a lien for recovery, towing, or storage 3485
51675167 services, shall give notice, by certified mail, to the 3486
51685168 registered owner, the insurance company insuring the vehicle 3487
51695169 notwithstanding s. 627.736 , and all persons claiming a lien 3488
51705170 thereon, as disclosed by the records in t he Department of 3489
51715171 Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles or as disclosed by the records 3490
51725172 of any corresponding agency in any other state in which the 3491
51735173 vehicle is identified through a records check of the National 3492
51745174 Motor Vehicle Title Information System or an equival ent 3493
51755175 commercially available system as being titled or registered. 3494
51765176 (b) Whenever a law enforcement agency authorizes the 3495
51775177 removal of a vehicle or vessel or whenever a towing service, 3496
51785178 garage, repair shop, or automotive service, storage, or parking 3497
51795179 place notifies the law enforcement agency of possession of a 3498
51805180 vehicle or vessel pursuant to s. 715.07(2)(a)2., the law 3499
51815181 enforcement agency of the jurisdiction where the vehicle or 3500
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51905190 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
51915191
51925192
51935193
51945194 vessel is stored shall contact the Department of Highway Safety 3501
51955195 and Motor Vehicles, or th e appropriate agency of the state of 3502
51965196 registration, if known, within 24 hours through the medium of 3503
51975197 electronic communications, giving the full description of the 3504
51985198 vehicle or vessel. Upon receipt of the full description of the 3505
51995199 vehicle or vessel, the departmen t shall search its files to 3506
52005200 determine the owner's name, the insurance company insuring the 3507
52015201 vehicle or vessel, and whether any person has filed a lien upon 3508
52025202 the vehicle or vessel as provided in s. 319.27(2) and (3) and 3509
52035203 notify the applicable law enforcement a gency within 72 hours. 3510
52045204 The person in charge of the towing service, garage, repair shop, 3511
52055205 or automotive service, storage, or parking place shall obtain 3512
52065206 such information from the applicable law enforcement agency 3513
52075207 within 5 days after the date of storage and sh all give notice 3514
52085208 pursuant to paragraph (a). The department may release the 3515
52095209 insurance company information to the requestor notwithstanding 3516
52105210 s. 627.736. 3517
52115211 (c) The notice of lien must be sent by certified mail to 3518
52125212 the registered owner, the insurance company insu ring the vehicle 3519
52135213 notwithstanding s. 627.736 , and all other persons claiming a 3520
52145214 lien thereon within 7 business days, excluding Saturday and 3521
52155215 Sunday, after the date of storage of the vehicle or vessel. 3522
52165216 However, in no event shall the notice of lien be sent less than 3523
52175217 30 days before the sale of the vehicle or vessel. The notice 3524
52185218 must state: 3525
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52275227 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
52285228
52295229
52305230
52315231 1. If the claim of lien is for a vehicle, the last 8 3526
52325232 digits of the vehicle identification number of the vehicle 3527
52335233 subject to the lien, or, if the claim of lien is for a vessel, 3528
52345234 the hull identification number of the vessel subject to the 3529
52355235 lien, clearly printed in the delivery address box and on the 3530
52365236 outside of the envelope sent to the registered owner and all 3531
52375237 other persons claiming an interest therein or lien thereon. 3532
52385238 2. The name, physical address, and telephone number of the 3533
52395239 lienor, and the entity name, as registered with the Division of 3534
52405240 Corporations, of the business where the towing and storage 3535
52415241 occurred, which must also appear on the outside of the envelope 3536
52425242 sent to the registered owner and all other persons claiming an 3537
52435243 interest in or lien on the vehicle or vessel. 3538
52445244 3. The fact of possession of the vehicle or vessel. 3539
52455245 4. The name of the person or entity that authorized the 3540
52465246 lienor to take possession of the vehicle or vessel. 3541
52475247 5. That a lien as provided in subsection (2) is claimed. 3542
52485248 6. That charges have accrued and include an itemized 3543
52495249 statement of the amount thereof. 3544
52505250 7. That the lien is subject to enforcement under law and 3545
52515251 that the owner or lienholder, if any, has the right to a hearing 3546
52525252 as set forth in subsection (5). 3547
52535253 8. That any vehicle or vessel that remains unclaimed, or 3548
52545254 for which the charges for recovery, towing, or storage services 3549
52555255 remain unpaid, may be sold free of all prior liens 35 days after 3550
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52645264 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
52655265
52665266
52675267
52685268 the vehicle or vessel is s tored by the lienor if the vehicle or 3551
52695269 vessel is more than 3 years of age or 50 days after the vehicle 3552
52705270 or vessel is stored by the lienor if the vehicle or vessel is 3 3553
52715271 years of age or less. 3554
52725272 9. The address at which the vehicle or vessel is 3555
52735273 physically located. 3556
52745274 Section 62. Paragraph (a) of subsection (1), paragraph (c) 3557
52755275 of subsection (7), paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of subsection 3558
52765276 (8), and subsections (9) and (10) of section 817.234, Florida 3559
52775277 Statutes, are amended to read: 3560
52785278 817.234 False and fraudulent insu rance claims.— 3561
52795279 (1)(a) A person commits insurance fraud punishable as 3562
52805280 provided in subsection (11) if that person, with the intent to 3563
52815281 injure, defraud, or deceive any insurer: 3564
52825282 1. Presents or causes to be presented any written or oral 3565
52835283 statement as part of, or in support of, a claim for payment or 3566
52845284 other benefit pursuant to an insurance policy or a health 3567
52855285 maintenance organization subscriber or provider contract, 3568
52865286 knowing that such statement contains any false, incomplete, or 3569
52875287 misleading information concerning any fact or thing material to 3570
52885288 such claim; 3571
52895289 2. Prepares or makes any written or oral statement that is 3572
52905290 intended to be presented to an any insurer in connection with, 3573
52915291 or in support of, any claim for payment or other benefit 3574
52925292 pursuant to an insurance policy or a health maintenance 3575
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53015301 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
53025302
53035303
53045304
53055305 organization subscriber or provider contract, knowing that such 3576
53065306 statement contains any false, incomplete, or misleading 3577
53075307 information concerning any fact or thing material to such claim; 3578
53085308 3.a. Knowingly presents, causes to be presented, or 3579
53095309 prepares or makes with knowledge or belief that it will be 3580
53105310 presented to an any insurer, purported insurer, servicing 3581
53115311 corporation, insurance broker, or insurance agent, or any 3582
53125312 employee or agent thereof, any false, incomplete, or misleading 3583
53135313 information or a written or oral statement as part of, or in 3584
53145314 support of, an application for the issuance of, or the rating 3585
53155315 of, any insurance policy, or a health maintenance organization 3586
53165316 subscriber or provider contract; or 3587
53175317 b. Knowingly conceals information concerning any fact 3588
53185318 material to such application; or 3589
53195319 4. Knowingly presents, causes to be presented, or prepares 3590
53205320 or makes with knowledge or belief that it will be presented to 3591
53215321 any insurer a claim for payment or other benefit under medical 3592
53225322 payments coverage in a motor vehicle a personal injury 3593
53235323 protection insurance policy if the person knows that the payee 3594
53245324 knowingly submitted a false, misleading, or fraudulent 3595
53255325 application or other document when applying for licensure as a 3596
53265326 health care clinic, seeking an exemption from licensure as a 3597
53275327 health care clinic, or demonstrating compliance with part X of 3598
53285328 chapter 400. 3599
53295329 (7) 3600
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53385338 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
53395339
53405340
53415341
53425342 (c) An insurer, or any person acting at the direction of 3601
53435343 or on behalf of an in surer, may not change an opinion in a 3602
53445344 mental or physical report prepared under s. 627.736(7) or direct 3603
53455345 the physician preparing the report to change such opinion; 3604
53465346 however, this provision does not preclude the insurer from 3605
53475347 calling to the attention of the phy sician errors of fact in the 3606
53485348 report based upon information in the claim file. Any person who 3607
53495349 violates this paragraph commits a felony of the third degree, 3608
53505350 punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 3609
53515351 (8)(a) It is unlawful for any pers on intending to defraud 3610
53525352 any other person to solicit or cause to be solicited any 3611
53535353 business from a person involved in a motor vehicle accident for 3612
53545354 the purpose of making, adjusting, or settling motor vehicle tort 3613
53555355 claims or claims for benefits under medical pa yments coverage in 3614
53565356 a motor vehicle insurance policy personal injury protection 3615
53575357 benefits required by s. 627.736 . Any person who violates the 3616
53585358 provisions of this paragraph commits a felony of the second 3617
53595359 degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083 , or s. 3618
53605360 775.084. A person who is convicted of a violation of this 3619
53615361 subsection shall be sentenced to a minimum term of imprisonment 3620
53625362 of 2 years. 3621
53635363 (b) A person may not solicit or cause to be solicited any 3622
53645364 business from a person involved in a motor vehicle acc ident by 3623
53655365 any means of communication other than advertising directed to 3624
53665366 the public for the purpose of making motor vehicle tort claims 3625
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53755375 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
53765376
53775377
53785378
53795379 or claims for benefits under medical payments coverage in a 3626
53805380 motor vehicle insurance policy personal injury protection 3627
53815381 benefits required by s. 627.736, within 60 days after the 3628
53825382 occurrence of the motor vehicle accident. Any person who 3629
53835383 violates this paragraph commits a felony of the third degree, 3630
53845384 punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 3631
53855385 (c) A lawyer, health care practitioner as defined in s. 3632
53865386 456.001, or owner or medical director of a clinic required to be 3633
53875387 licensed pursuant to s. 400.9905 may not, at any time after 60 3634
53885388 days have elapsed from the occurrence of a motor vehicle 3635
53895389 accident, solicit or cause to b e solicited any business from a 3636
53905390 person involved in a motor vehicle accident by means of in 3637
53915391 person or telephone contact at the person's residence, for the 3638
53925392 purpose of making motor vehicle tort claims or claims for 3639
53935393 benefits under medical payments coverage in a motor vehicle 3640
53945394 insurance policy personal injury protection benefits required by 3641
53955395 s. 627.736. Any person who violates this paragraph commits a 3642
53965396 felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 3643
53975397 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. 3644
53985398 (9) A person may no t organize, plan, or knowingly 3645
53995399 participate in an intentional motor vehicle crash or a scheme to 3646
54005400 create documentation of a motor vehicle crash that did not occur 3647
54015401 for the purpose of making motor vehicle tort claims or claims 3648
54025402 for benefits under medical paymen ts coverage in a motor vehicle 3649
54035403 insurance policy personal injury protection benefits as required 3650
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54125412 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
54135413
54145414
54155415
54165416 by s. 627.736. Any person who violates this subsection commits a 3651
54175417 felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 3652
54185418 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. A person who is convicted of 3653
54195419 a violation of this subsection shall be sentenced to a minimum 3654
54205420 term of imprisonment of 2 years. 3655
54215421 (10) A licensed health care practitioner who is found 3656
54225422 guilty of insurance fraud under this section for an act relating 3657
54235423 to a motor vehicle personal injury protection insurance policy 3658
54245424 loses his or her license to practice for 5 years and may not 3659
54255425 receive reimbursement under medical payments coverage in a motor 3660
54265426 vehicle insurance policy for personal injury protection benefits 3661
54275427 for 10 years. 3662
54285428 Section 63. For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the sum of 3663
54295429 $83,651 in nonrecurring funds is appropriated from the Insurance 3664
54305430 Regulatory Trust Fund to the Office of Insurance Regulation for 3665
54315431 the purpose of implementing this act. This section shall take 3666
54325432 effect July 1, 2023. 3667
54335433 Section 64. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 3668
54345434 act and except for this section, which shall take effect upon 3669
54355435 this act becoming a law, this act shall take effect July 1, 3670
54365436 2024. 3671