Rep. Reagan wants to give insurers more time to pay condo, business claims TALLAHASSEE -- ... Bill would loosen insurance rule

TALLAHASSEE -- When lawmakers approved sweeping insurance changes this year, they promised Floridians would no longer wait months or years to collect on insurance claims.

Under a bill that moved forward Wednesday, insurance companies would no longer be forced to pay claims from condo associations and business owners within 90 days.

But 99 of the 119 insurance companies that offer homeowners insurance in Florida have now filed rate reductions that haven't lived up to predictions lawmakers made during January's special session.

Reagan said it will fix "unintended consequences" of the insurance reforms. Such changes are common for ambitious legislation, especially bills drafted during a two-week special session.

But the part of proposal that has drawn the most criticism from consumer advocates is the plan to allow insurers to take more than 90 days to pay claims if condos or businesses are damaged.

"The message we were getting during the special session was that (lawmakers) were going to try to take care of everybody," said Newton, the consumer advocate. "It wasn't 'We're just going to take care of homeowners.'"

"Paying and adjusting a commercial insurance claim is more complex and the amount of money involved is larger," said William Stander, a lobbyist for Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.

But lawmakers from both parties argued Wednesday that the insurance fix bill significantly revamps legislation Crist signed only two months ago.

"Just 67 days ago, we were singing 'Kum Ba Ya,' it was cats and dogs were together, Republicans and Democrats, we were all talking about consumer protections," said House Minority Leader Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach.

"I couldn't really see retreating from" the original bill, Ambler said. "Yes, we still have time to come up with other changes, but you can only put so much sugar on it."

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