Florida Senate - 2015                                     SB 252
       
       
        
       By Senator Smith
       
       
       
       
       
       31-00417-15                                            2015252__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to insurance countersignature
    3         requirements; amending s. 624.425, F.S.; providing
    4         that the absence of a countersignature does not affect
    5         the validity of a policy or contract of insurance;
    6         reenacting ss. 626.025(11), 626.752(3)(f), and
    7         628.909(2)(a) and (3)(a), F.S., to incorporate the
    8         amendment made to s. 624.425, F.S., in references
    9         thereto; providing that the act is remedial and
   10         intended to clarify existing law; providing for
   11         retroactive application; providing an effective date.
   12  
   13  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   14  
   15         Section 1. Subsection (6) is added to section 624.425,
   16  Florida Statutes, to read:
   17         624.425 Agent countersignature required, property,
   18  casualty, surety insurance.—
   19         (6) The absence of a countersignature required under this
   20  section does not affect the validity of a policy or contract of
   21  insurance.
   22         Section 2. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
   23  made by this act to section 624.425, Florida Statutes, in a
   24  reference thereto, subsection (11) of section 626.025, Florida
   25  Statutes, is reenacted to read:
   26         626.025 Consumer protections.—To transact insurance, agents
   27  shall comply with consumer protection laws, including the
   28  following, as applicable:
   29         (11) Countersignature of insurance policies, as required
   30  under s. 624.425, s. 624.426, or s. 626.741.
   31         Section 3. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
   32  made by this act to section 624.425, Florida Statutes, in a
   33  reference thereto, paragraph (f) of subsection (3) of section
   34  626.752, Florida Statutes, is reenacted to read:
   35         626.752 Exchange of business.—
   36         (3)
   37         (f) Policies written in accordance with this section shall
   38  be properly countersigned in accordance with the provisions of
   39  s. 624.425.
   40         Section 4. For the purpose of incorporating the amendment
   41  made by this act to section 624.425, Florida Statutes, in a
   42  reference thereto, paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and paragraph
   43  (a) of subsection (3) of section 628.909, Florida Statutes, are
   44  reenacted to read:
   45         628.909 Applicability of other laws.—
   46         (2) The following provisions of the Florida Insurance Code
   47  apply to captive insurance companies who are not industrial
   48  insured captive insurance companies to the extent that such
   49  provisions are not inconsistent with this part:
   50         (a) Chapter 624, except for ss. 624.407, 624.408, 624.4085,
   51  624.40851, 624.4095, 624.411, 624.425, and 624.426.
   52         (3) The following provisions of the Florida Insurance Code
   53  shall apply to industrial insured captive insurance companies to
   54  the extent that such provisions are not inconsistent with this
   55  part:
   56         (a) Chapter 624, except for ss. 624.407, 624.408, 624.4085,
   57  624.40851, 624.4095, 624.411, 624.425, 624.426, and 624.609(1).
   58         Section 5. The amendment made by this act to s. 624.425,
   59  Florida Statutes, is remedial in nature, is intended to clarify
   60  existing law, and applies retroactively to the enactment of s.
   61  624.425, Florida Statutes, on October 1, 1959.
   62         Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.