The Florida Senate

627.736  Required personal injury protection benefits; exclusions; priority; claims.--

(1)  REQUIRED BENEFITS.--Every insurance policy complying with the security requirements of s. 627.733 shall provide personal injury protection to the named insured, relatives residing in the same household, persons operating the insured motor vehicle, passengers in such motor vehicle, and other persons struck by such motor vehicle and suffering bodily injury while not an occupant of a self-propelled vehicle, subject to the provisions of subsection (2) and paragraph (4)(d), to a limit of $10,000 for loss sustained by any such person as a result of bodily injury, sickness, disease, or death arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle as follows:

(a)  Medical benefits.--Eighty percent of all reasonable expenses for necessary medical, surgical, X-ray, dental, and rehabilitative services, including prosthetic devices, and necessary ambulance, hospital, and nursing services. Such benefits shall also include necessary remedial treatment and services recognized and permitted under the laws of the state for an injured person who relies upon spiritual means through prayer alone for healing, in accordance with his or her religious beliefs.

(b)  Disability benefits.--Sixty percent of any loss of gross income and loss of earning capacity per individual from inability to work proximately caused by the injury sustained by the injured person, plus all expenses reasonably incurred in obtaining from others ordinary and necessary services in lieu of those that, but for the injury, the injured person would have performed without income for the benefit of his or her household. All disability benefits payable under this provision shall be paid not less than every 2 weeks.

(c)  Death benefits.--Death benefits of $5,000 per individual. The insurer may pay such benefits to the executor or administrator of the deceased, to any of the deceased's relatives by blood or legal adoption or connection by marriage, or to any person appearing to the insurer to be equitably entitled thereto.

Only insurers writing motor vehicle liability insurance in this state may provide the required benefits of this section, and no such insurer shall require the purchase of any other motor vehicle coverage other than the purchase of property damage liability coverage as required by s. 627.7275 as a condition for providing such required benefits. Insurers may not require that property damage liability insurance in an amount greater than $10,000 be purchased in conjunction with personal injury protection. Such insurers shall make benefits and required property damage liability insurance coverage available through normal marketing channels. Any insurer writing motor vehicle liability insurance in this state who fails to comply with such availability requirement as a general business practice shall be deemed to have violated ¹part X of chapter 626, and such violation shall constitute an unfair method of competition or an unfair or deceptive act or practice involving the business of insurance; and any such insurer committing such violation shall be subject to the penalties afforded in such part, as well as those which may be afforded elsewhere in the insurance code.

(2)  AUTHORIZED EXCLUSIONS.--Any insurer may exclude benefits:

(a)  For injury sustained by the named insured and relatives residing in the same household while occupying another motor vehicle owned by the named insured and not insured under the policy or for injury sustained by any person operating the insured motor vehicle without the express or implied consent of the insured.

(b)  To any injured person, if such person's conduct contributed to his or her injury under any of the following circumstances:

1.  Causing injury to himself or herself intentionally; or

2.  Being injured while committing a felony.

Whenever an insured is charged with conduct as set forth in subparagraph 2., the 30-day payment provision of paragraph (4)(b) shall be held in abeyance, and the insurer shall withhold payment of any personal injury protection benefits pending the outcome of the case at the trial level. If the charge is nolle prossed or dismissed or the insured is acquitted, the 30-day payment provision shall run from the date the insurer is notified of such action.

(3)  INSURED'S RIGHTS TO RECOVERY OF SPECIAL DAMAGES IN TORT CLAIMS.--No insurer shall have a lien on any recovery in tort by judgment, settlement, or otherwise for personal injury protection benefits, whether suit has been filed or settlement has been reached without suit. An injured party who is entitled to bring suit under the provisions of ss. 627.730-627.7405, or his or her legal representative, shall have no right to recover any damages for which personal injury protection benefits are paid or payable. The plaintiff may prove all of his or her special damages notwithstanding this limitation, but if special damages are introduced in evidence, the trier of facts, whether judge or jury, shall not award damages for personal injury protection benefits paid or payable. In all cases in which a jury is required to fix damages, the court shall instruct the jury that the plaintiff shall not recover such special damages for personal injury protection benefits paid or payable.

(4)  BENEFITS; WHEN DUE.--Benefits due from an insurer under ss. 627.730-627.7405 shall be primary, except that benefits received under any workers' compensation law shall be credited against the benefits provided by subsection (1) and shall be due and payable as loss accrues, upon receipt of reasonable proof of such loss and the amount of expenses and loss incurred which are covered by the policy issued under ss. 627.730-627.7405. When the Agency for Health Care Administration provides, pays, or becomes liable for medical assistance under the Medicaid program related to injury, sickness, disease, or death arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or use of a motor vehicle, benefits under ss. 627.730-627.7405 shall be subject to the provisions of the Medicaid program.

(a)  An insurer may require written notice to be given as soon as practicable after an accident involving a motor vehicle with respect to which the policy affords the security required by ss. 627.730-627.7405.

(b)  Personal injury protection insurance benefits paid pursuant to this section shall be overdue if not paid within 30 days after the insurer is furnished written notice of the fact of a covered loss and of the amount of same. If such written notice is not furnished to the insurer as to the entire claim, any partial amount supported by written notice is overdue if not paid within 30 days after such written notice is furnished to the insurer. Any part or all of the remainder of the claim that is subsequently supported by written notice is overdue if not paid within 30 days after such written notice is furnished to the insurer. However, any payment shall not be deemed overdue when the insurer has reasonable proof to establish that the insurer is not responsible for the payment, notwithstanding that written notice has been furnished to the insurer. For the purpose of calculating the extent to which any benefits are overdue, payment shall be treated as being made on the date a draft or other valid instrument which is equivalent to payment was placed in the United States mail in a properly addressed, postpaid envelope or, if not so posted, on the date of delivery.

(c)  All overdue payments shall bear simple interest at the rate of 10 percent per year.

(d)  The insurer of the owner of a motor vehicle shall pay personal injury protection benefits for:

1.  Accidental bodily injury sustained in this state by the owner while occupying a motor vehicle, or while not an occupant of a self-propelled vehicle if the injury is caused by physical contact with a motor vehicle.

2.  Accidental bodily injury sustained outside this state, but within the United States of America or its territories or possessions or Canada, by the owner while occupying the owner's motor vehicle.

3.  Accidental bodily injury sustained by a relative of the owner residing in the same household, under the circumstances described in subparagraph 1. or subparagraph 2., provided the relative at the time of the accident is domiciled in the owner's household and is not himself or herself the owner of a motor vehicle with respect to which security is required under ss. 627.730-627.7405.

4.  Accidental bodily injury sustained in this state by any other person while occupying the owner's motor vehicle or, if a resident of this state, while not an occupant of a self-propelled vehicle, if the injury is caused by physical contact with such motor vehicle, provided the injured person is not himself or herself:

a.  The owner of a motor vehicle with respect to which security is required under ss. 627.730-627.7405; or

b.  Entitled to personal injury benefits from the insurer of the owner or owners of such a motor vehicle.

(e)  If two or more insurers are liable to pay personal injury protection benefits for the same injury to any one person, the maximum payable shall be as specified in subsection (1), and any insurer paying the benefits shall be entitled to recover from each of the other insurers an equitable pro rata share of the benefits paid and expenses incurred in processing the claim.

(f)  Medical payments insurance, if available in a policy of motor vehicle insurance, shall pay the portion of any claim for personal injury protection medical benefits which is otherwise covered but is not payable due to the coinsurance provision of paragraph (1)(a), regardless of whether the full amount of personal injury protection coverage has been exhausted. The benefits shall not be payable for the amount of any deductible which has been selected.

(g)  It is a violation of the insurance code for an insurer to fail to timely provide benefits as required by this section with such frequency as to constitute a general business practice.

(5)  CHARGES FOR TREATMENT OF INJURED PERSONS.--

(a)  Any physician, hospital, clinic, or other person or institution lawfully rendering treatment to an injured person for a bodily injury covered by personal injury protection insurance may charge only a reasonable amount for the products, services, and accommodations rendered, and the insurer providing such coverage may pay for such charges directly to such person or institution lawfully rendering such treatment, if the insured receiving such treatment or his or her guardian has countersigned the invoice, bill, or claim form approved by the Department of Insurance upon which such charges are to be paid for as having actually been rendered, to the best knowledge of the insured or his or her guardian. In no event, however, may such a charge be in excess of the amount the person or institution customarily charges for like products, services, or accommodations in cases involving no insurance, provided that charges for cephalic thermograms and peripheral thermograms shall not exceed the maximum reimbursement allowance for such procedures as set forth in the applicable fee schedule established pursuant to s. 440.13.

(b)  With respect to any treatment or service, other than medical services billed by a hospital for services rendered at a hospital-owned facility, the statement of charges must be furnished to the insurer by the provider and may not include, and the insurer is not required to pay, charges for treatment or services rendered more than 30 days before the postmark date of the statement, except for past due amounts previously billed on a timely basis under this paragraph, and except that, if the provider submits to the insurer a notice of initiation of treatment within 21 days after its first examination or treatment of the claimant, the statement may include charges for treatment or services rendered up to, but not more than, 60 days before the postmark date of the statement. The injured party is not liable for, and the provider shall not bill the injured party for, charges that are unpaid because of the provider's failure to comply with this paragraph. Any agreement requiring the injured person or insured to pay for such charges is unenforceable. For emergency services and care as defined in s. 395.002 rendered in a hospital emergency department or for transport and treatment rendered by an ambulance provider licensed pursuant to part III of chapter 401, the provider is not required to furnish the statement of charges within the time periods established by this paragraph; and the insurer shall not be considered to have been furnished with notice of the amount of covered loss for purposes of paragraph (4)(b) until it receives a statement complying with paragraph (5)(d), or copy thereof, which specifically identifies the place of service to be a hospital emergency department or an ambulance in accordance with billing standards recognized by the Health Care Finance Administration. Each notice of insured's rights under s. 627.7401 must include the following statement in type no smaller than 12 points:

BILLING REQUIREMENTS.--Florida Statutes provide that with respect to any treatment or services, other than certain hospital and emergency services, the statement of charges furnished to the insurer by the provider may not include, and the insurer and the injured party are not required to pay, charges for treatment or services rendered more than 30 days before the postmark date of the statement, except for past due amounts previously billed on a timely basis, and except that, if the provider submits to the insurer a notice of initiation of treatment within 21 days after its first examination or treatment of the claimant, the statement may include charges for treatment or services rendered up to, but not more than, 60 days before the postmark date of the statement.

(c)  Every insurer shall include a provision in its policy for personal injury protection benefits for binding arbitration of any claims dispute involving medical benefits arising between the insurer and any person providing medical services or supplies if that person has agreed to accept assignment of personal injury protection benefits. The provision shall specify that the provisions of chapter 682 relating to arbitration shall apply. The prevailing party shall be entitled to attorney's fees and costs. For purposes of the award of attorney's fees and costs, the prevailing party shall be determined as follows:

1.  When the amount of personal injury protection benefits determined by arbitration exceeds the sum of the amount offered by the insurer at arbitration plus 50 percent of the difference between the amount of the claim asserted by the claimant at arbitration and the amount offered by the insurer at arbitration, the claimant is the prevailing party.

2.  When the amount of personal injury protection benefits determined by arbitration is less than the sum of the amount offered by the insurer at arbitration plus 50 percent of the difference between the amount of the claim asserted by the claimant at arbitration and the amount offered by the insurer at arbitration, the insurer is the prevailing party.

3.  When neither subparagraph 1. nor subparagraph 2. applies, there is no prevailing party. For purposes of this paragraph, the amount of the offer or claim at arbitration is the amount of the last written offer or claim made at least 30 days prior to the arbitration.

4.  In the demand for arbitration, the party requesting arbitration must include a statement specifically identifying the issues for arbitration for each examination or treatment in dispute. The other party must subsequently issue a statement specifying any other examinations or treatment and any other issues that it intends to raise in the arbitration. The parties may amend their statements up to 30 days prior to arbitration, provided that arbitration shall be limited to those identified issues and neither party may add additional issues during arbitration.

(d)  All statements and bills for medical services rendered by any physician, hospital, clinic, or other person or institution shall be submitted to the insurer on a Health Care Finance Administration 1500 form, UB 92 forms, or any other standard form approved by the department for purposes of this paragraph. All billings for such services shall, to the extent applicable, follow the Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) in the year in which services are rendered. No statement of medical services may include charges for medical services of a person or entity that performed such services without possessing the valid licenses required to perform such services. For purposes of paragraph (4)(b), an insurer shall not be considered to have been furnished with notice of the amount of covered loss or medical bills due unless the statements or bills comply with this paragraph.

(6)  DISCOVERY OF FACTS ABOUT AN INJURED PERSON; DISPUTES.--

(a)  Every employer shall, if a request is made by an insurer providing personal injury protection benefits under ss. 627.730-627.7405 against whom a claim has been made, furnish forthwith, in a form approved by the department, a sworn statement of the earnings, since the time of the bodily injury and for a reasonable period before the injury, of the person upon whose injury the claim is based.

(b)  Every physician, hospital, clinic, or other medical institution providing, before or after bodily injury upon which a claim for personal injury protection insurance benefits is based, any products, services, or accommodations in relation to that or any other injury, or in relation to a condition claimed to be connected with that or any other injury, shall, if requested to do so by the insurer against whom the claim has been made, furnish forthwith a written report of the history, condition, treatment, dates, and costs of such treatment of the injured person, together with a sworn statement that the treatment or services rendered were reasonable and necessary with respect to the bodily injury sustained and identifying which portion of the expenses for such treatment or services was incurred as a result of such bodily injury, and produce forthwith, and permit the inspection and copying of, his or her or its records regarding such history, condition, treatment, dates, and costs of treatment. Such sworn statement shall read as follows: "Under penalty of perjury, I declare that I have read the foregoing, and the facts alleged are true, to the best of my knowledge and belief." No cause of action for violation of the physician-patient privilege or invasion of the right of privacy shall be permitted against any physician, hospital, clinic, or other medical institution complying with the provisions of this section. The person requesting such records and such sworn statement shall pay all reasonable costs connected therewith. If an insurer makes a written request for documentation under this paragraph within 20 days after having received notice of the amount of a covered loss under paragraph (4)(a), the insurer shall pay the amount or partial amount of covered loss to which such documentation relates in accordance with paragraph (4)(b) or within 10 days after the insurer's receipt of the requested documentation, whichever occurs later. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "receipt" includes, but is not limited to, inspection and copying pursuant to this paragraph.

(c)  In the event of any dispute regarding an insurer's right to discovery of facts about an injured person's earnings or about his or her history, condition, or treatment, or the dates and costs of such treatment, the insurer may petition a court of competent jurisdiction to enter an order permitting such discovery. The order may be made only on motion for good cause shown and upon notice to all persons having an interest, and it shall specify the time, place, manner, conditions, and scope of the discovery. Such court may, in order to protect against annoyance, embarrassment, or oppression, as justice requires, enter an order refusing discovery or specifying conditions of discovery and may order payments of costs and expenses of the proceeding, including reasonable fees for the appearance of attorneys at the proceedings, as justice requires.

(d)  The injured person shall be furnished, upon request, a copy of all information obtained by the insurer under the provisions of this section, and shall pay a reasonable charge, if required by the insurer.

(e)  Notice to an insurer of the existence of a claim shall not be unreasonably withheld by an insured.

(7)  MENTAL AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATION OF INJURED PERSON; REPORTS.--

(a)  Whenever the mental or physical condition of an injured person covered by personal injury protection is material to any claim that has been or may be made for past or future personal injury protection insurance benefits, such person shall, upon the request of an insurer, submit to mental or physical examination by a physician or physicians. The costs of any examinations requested by an insurer shall be borne entirely by the insurer. Such examination shall be conducted within the municipality where the insured is receiving treatment, or in a location reasonably accessible to the insured, which, for purposes of this paragraph, means any location within the municipality in which the insured resides, or any location within 10 miles by road of the insured's residence, provided such location is within the county in which the insured resides. If the examination is to be conducted in a location reasonably accessible to the insured, and if there is no qualified physician to conduct the examination in a location reasonably accessible to the insured, then such examination shall be conducted in an area of the closest proximity to the insured's residence. Personal protection insurers are authorized to include reasonable provisions in personal injury protection insurance policies for mental and physical examination of those claiming personal injury protection insurance benefits. An insurer may not withdraw payment of a treating physician without the consent of the injured person covered by the personal injury protection, unless the insurer first obtains a report by a physician licensed under the same chapter as the treating physician whose treatment authorization is sought to be withdrawn, stating that treatment was not reasonable, related, or necessary.

(b)  If requested by the person examined, a party causing an examination to be made shall deliver to him or her a copy of every written report concerning the examination rendered by an examining physician, at least one of which reports must set out the examining physician's findings and conclusions in detail. After such request and delivery, the party causing the examination to be made is entitled, upon request, to receive from the person examined every written report available to him or her or his or her representative concerning any examination, previously or thereafter made, of the same mental or physical condition. By requesting and obtaining a report of the examination so ordered, or by taking the deposition of the examiner, the person examined waives any privilege he or she may have, in relation to the claim for benefits, regarding the testimony of every other person who has examined, or may thereafter examine, him or her in respect to the same mental or physical condition. If a person unreasonably refuses to submit to an examination, the personal injury protection carrier is no longer liable for subsequent personal injury protection benefits.

(8)  APPLICABILITY OF PROVISION REGULATING ATTORNEY'S FEES.--With respect to any dispute under the provisions of ss. 627.730-627.7405 between the insured and the insurer, the provisions of s. 627.428 shall apply.

(9)(a)  Each insurer which has issued a policy providing personal injury protection benefits shall report the renewal, cancellation, or nonrenewal thereof to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles within 45 days from the effective date of the renewal, cancellation, or nonrenewal. Upon the issuance of a policy providing personal injury protection benefits to a named insured not previously insured by the insurer thereof during that calendar year, the insurer shall report the issuance of the new policy to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles within 30 days. The report shall be in such form and format and contain such information as may be required by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which shall include a format compatible with the data processing capabilities of said department, and the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is authorized to adopt rules necessary with respect thereto. Failure by an insurer to file proper reports with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as required by this subsection or rules adopted with respect to the requirements of this subsection constitutes a violation of the Florida Insurance Code. Reports of cancellations and policy renewals and reports of the issuance of new policies received by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles are confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1). These records are to be used for enforcement and regulatory purposes only, including the generation by the department of data regarding compliance by owners of motor vehicles with financial responsibility coverage requirements. In addition, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles shall release, upon a written request by a person involved in a motor vehicle accident, by the person's attorney, or by a representative of the person's motor vehicle insurer, the name of the insurance company and the policy number for the policy covering the vehicle named by the requesting party. The written request must include a copy of the appropriate accident form as provided in s. 316.065, s. 316.066, or s. 316.068.

(b)  Every insurer with respect to each insurance policy providing personal injury protection benefits shall notify the named insured or in the case of a commercial fleet policy, the first named insured in writing that any cancellation or nonrenewal of the policy will be reported by the insurer to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. The notice shall also inform the named insured that failure to maintain personal injury protection and property damage liability insurance on a motor vehicle when required by law may result in the loss of registration and driving privileges in this state, and the notice shall inform the named insured of the amount of the reinstatement fees required by s. 627.733(7). This notice is for informational purposes only, and no civil liability shall attach to an insurer due to failure to provide this notice.

(10)  An insurer may negotiate and enter into contracts with licensed health care providers for the benefits described in this section, referred to in this section as "preferred providers," which shall include health care providers licensed under chapters 458, 459, 460, 461, and 463. The insurer may provide an option to an insured to use a preferred provider at the time of purchase of the policy for personal injury protection benefits, if the requirements of this subsection are met. If the insured elects to use a provider who is not a preferred provider, whether the insured purchased a preferred provider policy or a nonpreferred provider policy, the medical benefits provided by the insurer shall be as required by this section. If the insured elects to use a provider who is a preferred provider, the insurer may pay medical benefits in excess of the benefits required by this section and may waive or lower the amount of any deductible that applies to such medical benefits. If the insurer offers a preferred provider policy to a policyholder or applicant, it must also offer a nonpreferred provider policy. The insurer shall provide each policyholder with a current roster of preferred providers in the county in which the insured resides at the time of purchase of such policy, and shall make such list available for public inspection during regular business hours at the principal office of the insurer within the state.

History.--s. 7, ch. 71-252; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 4, ch. 76-266; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 33, ch. 77-468; s. 3, ch. 78-374; s. 114, ch. 79-40; s. 165, ch. 79-164; s. 239, ch. 79-400; s. 3, ch. 80-206; s. 430, ch. 81-259; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 554, 563, ch. 82-243; s. 31, ch. 87-226; s. 1, ch. 87-282; ss. 19, 20, 21, 22, ch. 88-370; s. 2, ch. 89-243; s. 1, ch. 89-313; s. 40, ch. 90-119; s. 7, ch. 90-232; s. 11, ch. 90-248; s. 36, ch. 90-295; s. 7, ch. 91-106; s. 66, ch. 91-282; s. 84, ch. 92-318; s. 7, ch. 93-289; s. 1, ch. 94-123; s. 8, ch. 95-202; s. 83, ch. 95-211; s. 381, ch. 96-406; s. 1738, ch. 97-102; s. 2, ch. 98-270; s. 262, ch. 99-8.

¹Note.--Redesignated as part IX of ch. 626 to conform to the transfer of ss. 626.941-626.945, comprising former part IX, by ch. 98-89.