Insurance carriers would like us all to believe that they are our partners in adversity. Tree fell on your house? The calm insurance professional is right there to help you with your claim. Attacked by lions? Your insurance agent will teleport you to safety. Aliens destroyed your vacation home? Don’t worry, you’re covered!
The Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal decided a case in September that illustrates just how tough it can be to fight an insurance company. It also shows that Chinese drywall complaints are still working their ways through insurance companies and the courts, but the insurance companies have taken steps to avoid paying homeowners’ claims.
We are talking about a lawsuit two taxi companies and an Uber customer filed against the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. As we said in our last post, the plaintiffs do not want money damages; they are requesting that the court order the FDHSMV to answer a question about the state’s insurance requirements for for-hire passenger vehicles.
It’s safe to say that taxi and limousine companies are wary of Uber and its transportation network company kin. It’s also safe to say that Florida’s taxi companies are not alone in their misgivings.
Florida has escaped Hurricane Joaquin, but the category 4 storm has contributed to an historic amount of flood damage. As the rain and the flooding continue, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has said her state is living through a 1,000-year flood. It could be weeks before power is returned to some affected areas. And, with so many historic buildings in Charleston, insurance companies are expecting an enormously expensive cleanup.
