Florida Senate - 2018                              CS for SB 396
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Banking and Insurance; and Senators Hukill,
       Young, and Hutson
       
       
       
       
       597-02154-18                                           2018396c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to motor vehicle insurance coverage
    3         for windshield glass; amending s. 627.7288, F.S.;
    4         authorizing a motor vehicle insurance policy providing
    5         comprehensive or combined additional coverage to
    6         require an inspection of the damaged windshield of a
    7         covered motor vehicle before the windshield repair or
    8         replacement is authorized by the insurer; requiring
    9         that such inspections be performed by certain
   10         adjusters and within a specified timeframe, or the
   11         right to an inspection is waived; prohibiting insurers
   12         from requiring inspections under certain
   13         circumstances; providing an effective date.
   14          
   15  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   16  
   17         Section 1. Section 627.7288, Florida Statutes, is amended
   18  to read:
   19         627.7288 Comprehensive coverage; deductible not to apply to
   20  motor vehicle windshield glass.—
   21         (1) The deductible provisions of any policy of motor
   22  vehicle insurance, delivered or issued in this state by an
   23  authorized insurer, providing comprehensive coverage or combined
   24  additional coverage are shall not be applicable to damage to the
   25  windshield of any motor vehicle covered under such policy.
   26         (2) A policy under this section may require an inspection
   27  of the damaged windshield of a covered motor vehicle before the
   28  windshield repair or replacement is authorized by the insurer.
   29  An inspection required by an insurer must be performed by an
   30  adjuster licensed in this state who is an employee of the
   31  insured’s insurer and must be performed within 24 hours after
   32  notice of the claim, or the right to an inspection is waived.
   33  However, an insurer may not require an inspection in any case
   34  where windshield damage has demonstrably impacted the structural
   35  integrity of the vehicle or where continued use of the vehicle
   36  would be a violation of s. 316.610.
   37         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.