Florida House Moves Ahead On Insurance Gun Bill

March 7, 2014

Despite questions about whether the bill is needed, a House committee Thursday approved a measure that supporters say will prevent insurance companies from discriminating against gun owners.

Florida law already bars insurers from denying coverage or increasing premiums based on customers’ ownership of firearms or ammunition. But sponsor Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach, said the bill (HB 255) “supercharges” the potential legal consequences against insurers by adding the prohibition to part of state law that deals with unfair and deceptive practices.
The House Regulatory Affairs Committee approved the bill, which is ready to go to the full House.

Supporter Neil Combee, R-Polk City, said people have a constitutional right to own guns. “This is a vote about discrimination and whether or not we’re opposed to discrimination,” Combee said.
But other members of the committee said there was little evidence that insurers have denied coverage or increased premiums based on gun ownership. Rep. Jim Waldman, D-Coconut Creek, said the bill was a “waste of our time” and that supporters were pushing it for political purposes in an election year.

“It’s only here because you want to be able to say we did something for gun owners this year, so we can go out there and talk about everybody’s Second Amendment rights,” Waldman said.

by The News Service of Florida

Comments

5 Responses to “Florida House Moves Ahead On Insurance Gun Bill”

  1. Sandra on March 8th, 2014 1:39 pm

    This law does nothing. If an insurance company wants to cancel you they just schedule a day to come take pictures of their insured property and they find something out of whack to cancel you over. It could be plumbing, animals, pinestraw on the roof, an open gate to a pool…..anything.

  2. WOW on March 7th, 2014 7:38 am

    Sounds like Washington.

  3. Dudley Herrington on March 7th, 2014 7:10 am

    It is very true our Legislators have done a GOOD thing for looking Ahead. You can never trust what ” Insurers” will Dream up to keep from Paying what they have
    Promised to Pay.
    Insurers are in business to make money , not to give it out!!!!!!!

  4. Timothy Wright on March 7th, 2014 6:05 am

    We need the same law for Dog Owners
    Insurance companies think they can tell us how to live.

  5. Chris on March 7th, 2014 5:59 am

    Typical republican over-legislation.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News