Fla. Consumer Advocate Wants State
Investigation
10/31/2012
First Coast News
Florida's insurance consumer advocate is seeking a state investigation of
homeowner policy cancellations and claim denials that are based on credit
information.
Robin Smith Westcott made the request in a letter Tuesday to Florida Insurance
Commissioner Kevin McCarty.
Westcott contends the tactic should be considered an unfair trade practice. She
wrote that insurers are obtaining credit reports after customers file claims and
then using previous instances of bankruptcy, foreclosure and liens to cancel
policies after the consumers have paid premiums for years.
She added that homeowners often then are unable to obtain or afford other
coverage because their policies ostensibly have been cancelled for
misrepresentation, so they face the prospect of losing their homes.
