The Florida House of Representatives submitted a bill to the Senate, that if passed, will have a serious impact on auto accident victim’s right to treatment for injuries and their ability to redress the many improprieties that auto insurance companies undertake when request for payment is submitted to the insurer for payment of treatment rendered to an injured person.

Another major aspect of this legislation severely limits an injured individual’s right to choose his or her course of medical treatment and eliminates reimbursement for treatment sought with chiropractors altogether. This piece of legislation is proposed under the guise of eliminating and/or reducing insurance companies paying claims for fraudulent or “staged” accidents.

As a major driving force of this bill, the legislative intent cites an increase in PIP premiums by 70% between 2008 and 2010 from $1.43 billion to $2.37 billion, allegedly due to the increasing cost of auto insurance fraud. The question is, if passed, will Florida drivers see a dramatic decrease in PIP premiums? This bill is nothing more than an insurance company wish list designed to deter people from treating for injuries related to the accident.

Please call your legislator/senator and tell them to leave PIP alone!