Governor Crist Signs No-Fault Insurance Bill

~~ ~ Re-enacts personal injury protection on January 1, 2008 ~ ~~

TALLAHASSEE — Governor Charlie Crist today signed legislation that will re-enact Florida’s Motor Vehicle No-Fault Law and ensure that drivers have $10,000 worth of health care benefits through personal injury protection or PIP coverage by January 1, 2008. The legislation also reforms the law that sunset on October 1, 2007, to include measures to protect consumers and reduce fraud.

“Today is a great day for the people of Florida because the Florida Legislature stepped in to provide protections for Florida’s drivers,” said Governor Crist. “In doing so, they made a good law an even better law by helping reduce opportunities for fraud.”

House Bill 13C, sponsored by Representative Ellyn Bogdanoff (R-Ft. Lauderdale) and Senator Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) who joined Governor Crist for the bill signing ceremony, provides maximum allowable fees for medical providers, ensuring that the $10,000 in benefits go further. It also requires automobile insurers to notify by November 15, 2007, any policyholders who do not already have PIP coverage that they must obtain coverage by January 1, 2008.

The legislation also contains the following provisions:

• Requires health care providers to demonstrate certain qualifications before they can receive PIP reimbursements.
• Reserves $5,000 worth of benefits for physicians who provide emergency services or inpatient hospital care.
• Streamlines the legal process for disputed claims by requiring that all PIP claims related to a single provider for the same injured person be joined in a single lawsuit.
• Authorizes the Attorney General, in addition to the Office of Insurance Regulation, to take action against insurers who demonstrate a pattern of not paying valid claims.