Consumer Insurance Coalition Grows,

Unites Behind  Insurance Proposal

Tallahassee , FLA – The coalition of consumer groups that staged large rallies in Tallahassee this week and has been participating in the Special Session on insurance, today added another member, the Consumer Federation of the Southeast. The groups urged the Governor and the Legislature to stay on course and get help to consumers.

“We believe that prior rate approval and an independent insurance consumer advocate must be part of the final bill,” said Bill Newton , executive director of Florida Consumer Action Network, one of the groups that organized the coalition.

“It is important to lock in the savings and give people choices,” said Heather Carruthers of Fair Insurance Rates in Monroe . The Monroe group is concerned that Citizens rates be competitive and based on realistic assumptions.

The consumer groups, which together represent at least 500,000 members, are from all parts of Florida .  More groups are joining the coalition.  The coalition believes the following measures are essential to consumers:

Prior Rate Approval – Also known as “File and use” rate approval, this locks in the savings to the people.

Independent Insurance Consumer Advocate in the Public Counsel office makes sure consumers will have a voice in future years.

Make Citizens Competitive -- Allow Citizens to sell complete insurance coverage and lines to help lower rates. Consumers need choices in the marketplace. Run Citizens like a real business.

Eliminate Cherry Picking -- Spread the risk through broader assessments from the Catastrophe Fund instead of cherry picking perils, zipcodes, and policies.

Eliminate Florida-only subsidiaries  PUP companies allow rate increases based on erroneous information. This charade must end.

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