SENATE AMENDMENT
    Bill No. SB 594
    Amendment No. ___   Barcode 220004
                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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       04/30/2003 04:17 PM         .                    
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11  Senator Atwater moved the following amendment:
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13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 
14         On page 1, between lines 26 and 27,
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16  insert:  
17         Section 2.  Subsection (1) of section 627.4035, Florida
18  Statutes, is amended to read:
19         627.4035  Cash payment of premiums; claims.--
20         (1)  The premiums for insurance contracts issued in
21  this state or covering risk located in this state shall be
22  paid in cash consisting of coins, currency, checks, or money
23  orders or by using a debit card, credit card, automatic
24  electronic funds transfer, or payroll deduction plan.
25         Section 3.  Subsection (9) is added to section
26  627.7015, Florida Statutes, to read:
27         627.7015  Alternative procedure for resolution of
28  disputed property insurance claims.--
29         (9)  For purposes of this section, the term "claim"
30  refers to any dispute between an insurer and an insured
31  relating to a material issue of fact other than a dispute:
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    6:42 PM   04/29/03                                s0594c-25c8j

SENATE AMENDMENT Bill No. SB 594 Amendment No. ___ Barcode 220004 1 (a) With respect to which the insurer has a reasonable 2 basis to suspect fraud; 3 (b) Where, based on agreed-upon facts as to the cause 4 of loss, there is no coverage under the policy; 5 (c) With respect to which the insurer has a reasonable 6 basis to believe that the claimant has intentionally made a 7 material misrepresentation of fact which is relevant to the 8 claim, and the entire request for payment of a loss has been 9 denied on the basis of the material misrepresentation; or 10 (d) With respect to which the amount in controversy is 11 less than $500, unless the parties agree to mediate a dispute 12 involving a lesser amount. 13 Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 627.901, Florida 14 Statutes, is amended to read: 15 627.901 Premium financing by an insurance agent or 16 agency.-- 17 (1) A general lines agent may make reasonable service 18 charges for financing insurance premiums on policies issued or 19 business produced by such an agent or agency, s. 626.9541 20 notwithstanding. The service charge shall not exceed $3 $1 21 per installment, or a $6 total service charge per year, for 22 any premium balance of $120 or less. For any premium balance 23 greater than $120 but not more than $220, the service charge 24 shall not exceed $9 per year. The maximum service charge for 25 any premium balance greater than $220 shall not exceed $36 $12 26 per year. In lieu of such service charges, an insurance agent 27 or agency, at the sole discretion of such agent or agency, may 28 charge a rate of interest not to exceed 18 percent simple 29 interest per year on: 30 (a) The unpaid balance; or 31 (b) The average unpaid balance as billed over the term 2 6:42 PM 04/29/03 s0594c-25c8j
SENATE AMENDMENT Bill No. SB 594 Amendment No. ___ Barcode 220004 1 of the policy and subject to endorsement changes. The interest 2 authorized by this paragraph may be billed in equal 3 installments. 4 5 (Redesignate subsequent sections.) 6 7 8 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T =============== 9 And the title is amended as follows: 10 On page 1, line 6, after the semicolon 11 12 insert: 13 amending s. 627.4035, F.S.; providing for the 14 payment of insurance premiums by a debit or 15 credit card, automatic electronic funds 16 transfer, or payroll deduction plan; amending 17 s. 627.7015, F.S.; defining "claim" for 18 purposes of alternative procedures for 19 resolution of disputed property insurance 20 claims; amending s. 627.901, F.S.; revising the 21 limits on premium financing service charges; 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 3 6:42 PM 04/29/03 s0594c-25c8j