The Florida Senate

627.707  Standards for investigation of sinkhole claims by insurers; nonrenewals.--Upon receipt of a claim for a sinkhole loss, an insurer must meet the following standards in investigating a claim:

(1)  The insurer must make an inspection of the insured's premises to determine if there has been physical damage to the structure which may be the result of sinkhole activity.

(2)  Following the insurer's initial inspection, the insurer shall engage a professional engineer or a professional geologist to conduct testing as provided in s. 627.7072 to determine the cause of the loss within a reasonable professional probability and issue a report as provided in s. 627.7073, if:

(a)  The insurer is unable to identify a valid cause of the damage or discovers damage to the structure which is consistent with sinkhole loss; or

(b)  The policyholder demands testing in accordance with this section or s. 627.7072

(3)  Following the initial inspection of the insured premises, the insurer shall provide written notice to the policyholder disclosing the following information:

(a)  What the insurer has determined to be the cause of damage, if the insurer has made such a determination.

(b)  A statement of the circumstances under which the insurer is required to engage a professional engineer or a professional geologist to verify or eliminate sinkhole loss and to engage a professional engineer to make recommendations regarding land and building stabilization and foundation repair.

(c)  A statement regarding the right of the policyholder to request testing by a professional engineer or a professional geologist and the circumstances under which the policyholder may demand certain testing.

(4)  If the insurer determines that there is no sinkhole loss, the insurer may deny the claim. If the insurer denies the claim, without performing testing under s. 627.7072, the policyholder may demand testing by the insurer under s. 627.7072 The policyholder's demand for testing must be communicated to the insurer in writing after the policyholder's receipt of the insurer's denial of the claim.

(5)(a)  Subject to paragraph (b), if a sinkhole loss is verified, the insurer shall pay to stabilize the land and building and repair the foundation in accordance with the recommendations of the professional engineer as provided under s. 627.7073, and in consultation with the policyholder, subject to the coverage and terms of the policy. The insurer shall pay for other repairs to the structure and contents in accordance with the terms of the policy.

(b)  The insurer may limit its payment to the actual cash value of the sinkhole loss, not including underpinning or grouting or any other repair technique performed below the existing foundation of the building, until the policyholder enters into a contract for the performance of building stabilization or foundation repairs. After the policyholder enters into the contract, the insurer shall pay the amounts necessary to begin and perform such repairs as the work is performed and the expenses are incurred. The insurer may not require the policyholder to advance payment for such repairs. If repair covered by a personal lines residential property insurance policy has begun and the professional engineer selected or approved by the insurer determines that the repair cannot be completed within the policy limits, the insurer must either complete the professional engineer's recommended repair or tender the policy limits to the policyholder without a reduction for the repair expenses incurred.

(c)  Upon the insurer's obtaining the written approval of the policyholder and any lienholder, the insurer may make payment directly to the persons selected by the policyholder to perform the land and building stabilization and foundation repairs. The decision by the insurer to make payment to such persons does not hold the insurer liable for the work performed.

(6)  Except as provided in subsection (7), the fees and costs of the professional engineer or the professional geologist shall be paid by the insurer.

(7)  If the insurer obtains, pursuant to s. 627.7073, written certification that there is no sinkhole loss or that the cause of the damage was not sinkhole activity, and if the policyholder has submitted the sinkhole claim without good faith grounds for submitting such claim, the policyholder shall reimburse the insurer for 50 percent of the actual costs of the analyses and services provided under ss. 627.7072 and 627.7073; however, a policyholder is not required to reimburse an insurer more than $2,500 with respect to any claim. A policyholder is required to pay reimbursement under this subsection only if the insurer, prior to ordering the analysis under s. 627.7072, informs the policyholder in writing of the policyholder's potential liability for reimbursement and gives the policyholder the opportunity to withdraw the claim.

(8)  No insurer shall nonrenew any policy of property insurance on the basis of filing of claims for partial loss caused by sinkhole damage or clay shrinkage as long as the total of such payments does not exceed the current policy limits of coverage for property damage, and provided the insured has repaired the structure in accordance with the engineering recommendations upon which any payment or policy proceeds were based.

(9)  The insurer may engage a professional structural engineer to make recommendations as to the repair of the structure.

History.--s. 1, ch. 92-146; s. 4, ch. 93-401; s. 19, ch. 2005-111; s. 26, ch. 2006-12.