Florida Senate - 2012                                    SB 1790
       
       
       
       By Senator Hays
       
       
       
       
       20-01212-12                                           20121790__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to mediation of property insurance
    3         claims; repealing s. 627.7015, F.S., to delete
    4         provisions requiring the Department of Financial
    5         Services to create and administer a nonadversarial
    6         property insurance mediation program for resolving
    7         disputed property insurance claims and delete
    8         requirements, procedures, and processes relating to
    9         the program; amending s. 627.7074, F.S.; conforming a
   10         cross-reference; providing an effective date.
   11  
   12  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   13  
   14         Section 1. Section 627.7015, Florida Statutes, is repealed.
   15         Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 627.7074, Florida
   16  Statutes, is amended to read:
   17         627.7074 Alternative procedure for resolution of disputed
   18  sinkhole insurance claims.—
   19         (3) Following the receipt of the report provided under s.
   20  627.7073 or the denial of a claim for a sinkhole loss, the
   21  insurer shall notify the policyholder of his or her right to
   22  participate in the neutral evaluation program under this
   23  section. Neutral evaluation supersedes the alternative dispute
   24  resolution process under s. 627.7015 but does not invalidate the
   25  appraisal clause of the insurance policy. The insurer shall
   26  provide to the policyholder the consumer information pamphlet
   27  prepared by the department pursuant to subsection (1)
   28  electronically or by United States mail.
   29         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.