Florida Revises Emergency Adjuster Regulations

Changes in the Florida statutes as well as the Florida Administrative Code went into effect this year regarding insurance adjusters. In May, the Florida Legislature enacted a statute preventing public adjusters from engaging in certain financial arrangements that would create a conflict of interest. In September, the Division of Agent and Agency Services of Florida’s Department of Financial Services (the Department) made several changes to the Florida Administrative Code with regard to license application procedures and ethical requirements.

New Florida Statute

On May 16, 2006, the Florida Legislature enacted Florida Statute § 626.8795 (2006), a new statute to prevent public adjusters from involvement in activities creating conflicts of interest. The new law prohibits public adjusters from any type of involvement in the "reconstruction, repair, or restoration" of property subject to a claim by that public adjuster. The new legislation also prohibits public adjusters from engaging in