Florida Insurers Have a Terrible Record of Non-Payment of Insurance Claims

I did not make up this title. A veteran banking and insurance industry analyst made the statement in a Washington Post article, How ‘cherry-picking’ policies let one insurer win big in Florida’s insurance crisis, written by Brianna Sacks.1 The exact quote was:

Florida has a terrible record of nonpayment of insurance claims. It is only appropriate that reasonable legal remedies should be available to policyholders.

The Post also reported the following:

Florida’s insurance market is one of the worst in the nation for homeowners, according to data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) obtained by The Post. Overall, in 2022, Florida had the highest percentage of unpaid claims of any state and the most claims that were never processed, and it failed to renew the most policies.

The article describes how the top executive of Heritage and Slide Insurance purchased political influence from key Florida Republican politicians and received substantial deals in return for political donations. Behind closed doors and without public bids, Florida politicians use Citizens Property Insurance and its executives as a means to offer fantastic “takeout” deals.

Since 2018, Lucas and his companies have donated nearly $2.6 million — about $1.17 million in the past year alone — to key Republicans in the Florida legislature, according to public campaign finance data.

And on his LinkedIn account, he has written about how he has been ‘advocating for these reforms for years.’ He specifically thanked Florida’s chief financial officer, Jimmy Patronis, for his ‘leadership’ and ‘commitment’ to making these changes happen. He has given Patronis $350,000 in political donations.

The Florida State Seminoles play the Georgia Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl. Some Florida politicians, including Jimmy Patronis, are spending their time complaining about that rather than doing their job. In a letter complaining about the Seminoles not playing in the college championship series and having to play Georgia, Jimmy Patronis wrote:

I believe that transparency is the best disinfectant…

In the bustling world of Tallahassee politics, where big insurance companies often whisper in the ears of those in power, it’s like a breath of fresh air when our government buddies keep things crystal clear. Imagine if our insurance regulators and politicians chatted with us over a cup of coffee, openly sharing how those bigwig insurers and their lobbyists try to sway decisions. That’s transparency for you! It would be like having a clear window into the world of policymaking, ensuring that our interests aren’t lost in the shuffle. When everyone plays fair and open, it’s not just good governance; it’s knowledge that our voices receive the time and consideration given to industry lobbyists. Transparency is the golden key to a democracy in which we all feel like we’re part of the team, not just spectators!

I wonder how transparent Jimmy Patronis will be about these meetings and those of Citizens executives with Heritage and Slide representatives while giving Brian Lucas all these favored deals?

Thought For The Day 

Sunshine is the best disinfectant.

—Ralph Nader

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1 Brianna Sacks, How ‘cherry-picking’ policies let one insurer win big in Florida’s insurance crisis, The Washington Post, Dec. 30, 2023.