Adjusters: Legislative Proposals on Sinkhole Insurance Harm Homeowners

Proposed legislative changes in sinkhole insurance regulations would undermine consumers and unfairly benefit the industry, an adjusters' group charged Tuesday.

"While the recommendations for changes in the Florida Building Code have merit, the report as a whole lends great weight to insurance company interests at the expense of Florida homeowners," said David Beasley, president of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters.

Beasley said the call for a single-peril repair program includes "onerous conditions" that would force consumers who dispute a claim to do so with no representation by public adjusters or attorneys sworn to protect their interests.

"Further, the concept that insured consumers must put all claim payments toward repairs flies in the face of established precedent, and would require many homeowners to remain in homes that even after repairs would have drastically lower property values," Beasley contended.

"This new requirement, not found with water, fire or windstorm losses, would have a drastic impact on individual property rights," Beasley said of the staff recommendations by the Senate Committee on Banking and Insurance.

Beasley said the staff report "appears to be based heavily on unproven allegations by some insurers that the increase in sinkhole claims is somehow fraudulent."

But a November report by the Office of Insurance Regulation actually found a drastic decrease in claims reported for investigation, and the staff report acknowledged that neutral evaluators confirmed sinkhole losses in a majority of completed cases.

"It is our hope that the Florida Legislature puts consumer interests first when considering any future changes in sinkhole coverage. Putting the interests of insurance companies ahead of those of the Florida residents they are supposed to protect is unconscionable," Beasley said.