It was back in the mid 1970s when Florida last pasted a significant comprehensive auto personal injury protection fraud bill. According to a personal injury lawyer Florida, the latest bill was passed in early 2001.
Under Florida’s no-fault law, all drivers are required to carry $10,000 and PIP – personal injury protection – coverage with a maximum deductible of $2,000. This PIP coverage is designed to protect the driver in the event of an accident with an uninsured motorist and help in preventing the state from paying for drivers with no other forms of insurance.
Auto PIP fraud has become a growing concern in the state as well-organized rings have formed to maximize potential collections from carriers.
Recently, a Florida special grand jury found a number of legal and medical professionals which have developed a variety of methods to improperly recover $10,000 in coverage. These techniques ranged from staging accidents to the use of professional solicitors or so-called runners to recruit often unwitting victims. This is not to say that Florida is the only state that these unscrupulous practices take place in.
A Boca Raton personal injury lawyer stated that lawmakers passed two bills designed to stop abuse associated with this kind of fraudulent activity. The principal bill requires that claimants server carriers with pre-suit notices except when a claim has been formally denied or reduced.
This bill also cracks down on unscrupulous medical activity by requiring medical clinics not owned by physicians to register with the state; plus the bill implements a fee schedule for certain medical procedures such as CAT scans or MRIs.
The second bill restricts the available personal information in police officer accident reports to victims, law enforcement and then media for 60 days only.
Another “hot button” topic for Florida lawmakers is property-casualty issues in which Florida has not engaged in serious discussions regarding workers comp reform since the massive rewrites of a law passed in 1993.
Florida lawmakers did pass a privacy rule that requires the state insurance department follow the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Model Privacy Act.
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