US Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood called for a federal law banning all cell phone use while driving.  The ban would include talking on the phone as well as texting while driving.  Lahood noted that law enforcement officials require such a strong federal law in order to write tickets. ...

New statistics from insurance and the healthcare industry provide some troubling news about the severity of auto crashes involving teen drivers.  It’s estimated that 30% of teens involved in car accidents suffer from head injuries.  According to the Insurance Journal, “Since full recovery from serious head injuries is often...

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater has announced the arrest of 15 individuals involved in an alleged auto insurance fraud that involved food truck workers who organized and staged auto accidents in order to collect insurance money.  According to law enforcement officials, more arrests are forthcoming.  The alleged scam...

Florida personal injury protection reform (PIP) passed both Houses of the Florida Legislature Friday evening in the last hour of the legislative session.  The PIP reform bill marks the first time since 1972 that significant auto insurance legislation has been approved.  It is a foregone conclusion that Governor Scott...

As the 2012 Florida legislative session heads into its final week of regular session, two major insurance issues remain unresolved.  Both insurance issues remain contentious and no clear resolution is in sight.  One involves personal injury protection or PIP insurance while the other concerns property insurance coverage issues related...

An ordinance passed last fall in Hillsborough County may be the reason why the Tampa Bay county is experiencing a reduction in “staged” auto accidents.  The ordinance was meant to close a loophole that allowed certain medical clinics to operate without a license.  Such a loophole, experts argued, was...

As the 2012 Florida legislative session passes the midway point, both the House and Senate are under pressure to pass substantial personal injury protection auto insurance reform.  PIP reform advocates argue that auto insurance claims fraud cost the Florida consumer nearly $1 billion.  Thus far, proposals in the House...

There are two pieces of legislation working their way through the Florida House and Senate that are aimed at reducing fraudulent auto insurance claims resulting from auto accidents.  According to the Tampa Bay Times, “With the support of Gov. Rick Scott, a plan requiring that all victims injured in...

Anyone who has teenage drivers in the family knows that insuring them is much more expensive than insuring older drivers.  While it may seem unfair at first glance, a cursory review of accident data involving teenage drivers will provide ample evidence that teen drivers are more susceptible to distracted...