Let's Not Reinvent the Wheel.

It is critically important that Florida quickly re-establish a state sponsored mediation program to deal with the tragedy brought on by Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. Let’s not reinvent the wheel.

Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Andrew to South Florida in 1992, there were tens of thousands of insurance claims that would, under normal circumstances, have taken years to resolve. In response, a coalition of South Florida stakeholders, led in large part by the late Mel Reuben, devised a state-wide mediation program. It was supported by the Bar, the insurance industry and overseen by the Florida Department of Insurance and it allowed homeowners, with or without lawyers, to meet directly with adjusters and work out settlements. Fast forward to the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons when Florida was hit with a record number of major hurricanes that caused billions of dollars in insured claims. Once again, a mediation program, run by the Department of Insurance and administered by the non-profit Collins Center, resulted in a 95%+ settlement rate for a record number of claims. See https://www.cardozojcr.com/s/351-370.pdf for an overview of the history of hurricane claims mediation in Florida.

There is no need now to reinvent the wheel. The programs that worked after Hurricane Andrew and the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons will work now. The sooner a state-wide hurricane mediation plan is put into action, the better for the people of Florida.