January 25, 2012

On Wednesday, January 25, AIF joined with Governor Rick Scott, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and members of the business community to demonstrate the need for reform to Florida’s Personal Injury Protection (PIP) system.

Speaking to a crowd of over 200 concerned citizens, AIF President & CEO Tom Feeney condemned the practice of automobile accident fraud and called on policy makers to pass effective legislation to combat this epidemic. ”Florida is the No. 1 state in the nation for fraudulent auto insurance claims and home to four of the 10 worst cities for auto insurance fraud.  In order for this legislation to successfully and positively impact Florida consumers and businesses, it must have some teeth to it and meaningful fixes must be the cornerstone of the legislation”, he said.

Currently, the Florida House of Representatives is considering such meaningful reform – HB 119 by Representative Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton). As currently drafted, this legislation would provide a narrower range of coverage in less severe cases, where fraudulent cases are most rampant, and thus lower the premiums paid by Floridians for no-fault motor vehicle insurance.