HB 0489 2003
   
1 CHAMBER ACTION
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6          The Committee on Insurance recommends the following:
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8          Committee Substitute
9          Remove the entire bill and insert:
10 A bill to be entitled
11          An act relating to waivers of customer liability and motor
12    vehicle insurance premium refunds; creating s. 624.105,
13    F.S.; authorizing certain entities to charge for and
14    include an optional waiver of liability provision in
15    certain contracts under certain circumstances; providing
16    limitations; amending s. 627.7283, F.S.; requiring an
17    insurer to refund the entire unearned premium to any
18    member of the armed services who cancels a policy under
19    certain circumstances; providing an effective date.
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21          Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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23          Section 1. Section 624.105, Florida Statutes, is created
24    to read:
25          624.105 Waiver of customer liability.—Any regulated
26    company as defined in s. 350.111, any electric utility as
27    defined in s. 366.02(2), any utility as defined in s.
28    367.021(12) or provided in s. 367.022(2) and (7), and any
29    provider of communications services as defined in s. 202.11(3)
30    may charge for and include an optional waiver of liability
31    provision in its customer contracts under which the entity
32    agrees to waive all or a portion of the customer’s liability for
33    service from the entity for a defined period in the event of the
34    customer’s call to active military service, death, disability,
35    involuntary unemployment, qualification for family leave, or
36    similar qualifying event or condition. Such provision may not be
37    effective in the customer’s contract with the entity unless
38    affirmatively elected by the customer. No such provision shall
39    constitute insurance so long as the provision is a contract
40    between the entity and its customer.
41          Section 2. Subsection (4) of section 627.7283, Florida
42    Statutes, is amended to read:
43          627.7283 Cancellation; return of premium.--
44          (4) If the insured cancels, the insurer may retain up to
45    10 percent of the unearned premium and must refund at least 90
46    percent of the unearned premium. However, the insurer must
47    refund 100 percent of the unearned premium if the insured is a
48    member of any branch of the United States Armed Services,
49    whether an active or a reserve member, who cancels because he or
50    she has been called to active duty or transferred by the armed
51    services to a location where the insurance is not required.If
52    the insurer cancels, the insurer must refund 100 percent of the
53    unearned premium. Cancellation is without prejudice to any claim
54    originating prior to the effective date of the cancellation.
55    For purposes of this section, unearned premiums must be computed
56    on a pro rata basis.
57          Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.