Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) vetoed SB 54, legislation that aimed to end the no-fault rule in Florida. The veto comes after facing opposition from critics that argued the bill would only push up rates for drivers.
The bill was introduced by state Senator Danny Burgess (R), and it would have ended the requirement that Floridians needed to purchase $10,000 in personal injury protection coverage. Instead, it would require mandatory bodily injury coverage, and it would pay out up to $25,000 for any crash-related death or injury.
In his veto letter, Governor DeSantis explained that “while the PIP system has flaws and Florida law regarding bad faith is deficient,” he ultimately had to veto the bill because it “does not adequately address the current issues facing Florida drivers and may have unintended consequences that would negatively impact both the market and consumers.”
In April, the legislation passed the Florida House will a vote of 100-16, and it passed the Florida Senate with a vote of 37-3.
While some insurance and medical groups supported the current system, others remained wary of it.
As reported by the News Service of Florida, David Altmaier, Florida’s Insurance Commissioner, argued that he was “hesitant” in supporting the repeal. His office released an actuarial study that indicated that repealing PIP would cause an increase in premiums of 13.3% for all combined coverages, which would translate to $202 a year for the average vehicle.
However, Florida Senate President Wilton Simpson (R) supported the legislation, saying that motorists, who are already required to carry bodily injury coverage, would benefit from rate savings.
