Florida Lawmakers Move Forward With No-Fault Repeal

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The House bill, sponsored by Rep. Erin Grall, R-Vero Beach, would take effect Jan. 1. It would mandate motorists get at least $25,000 in coverage for bodily injury or death and $50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people.

Medical payments coverage is not included in the House proposal, and Grall doesn’t support its inclusion.

“I’m concerned that if we just rename PIP ‘med pay,’ we will have the same problem,” Grall said.

The proposals to change the auto-insurance system come as lawmakers continue to express dissatisfaction with a 2012 effort to reform the no-fault law. That effort was championed by Gov. Rick Scott and state Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater.

The 2012 law, which set benchmarks for insurers to lower rates, was considered a last-ditch effort to maintain the system after rates increased due to an increase in fraudulent claims.

The law, in part, required people involved in crashes to seek treatment within 14 days and allowed up to $10,000 in benefits for emergency medical conditions, while putting a $2,500 cap on non-emergency conditions.