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The Florida Statutes

The 2024 Florida Statutes

Title XXXVII
INSURANCE
Chapter 626
INSURANCE FIELD REPRESENTATIVES AND OPERATIONS
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F.S. 626.9201
626.9201 Notice of cancellation or nonrenewal.
(1) An insurer issuing a policy providing coverage for property, casualty, surety, or marine insurance must give the first named insured at least 45 days’ advance written notice of nonrenewal. If the policy is not to be renewed, the written notice shall state the reasons as to why the policy is not to be renewed. This subsection does not apply:
(a) If the insurer has manifested its willingness to renew, and the offer is not rescinded prior to expiration of the policy; or
(b) If a notice of cancellation for nonpayment of premium is provided under subsection (2).
(2) An insurer issuing a policy providing coverage for property, casualty, surety, or marine insurance must give the named insured written notice of cancellation or termination other than nonrenewal at least 45 days before the effective date of the cancellation or termination, including in the written notice the reasons for the cancellation or termination, except that:
(a) If cancellation is for nonpayment of premium, at least 10 days’ written notice of cancellation accompanied by the reason for cancellation must be given. As used in this paragraph, the term “nonpayment of premium” means the failure of the named insured to discharge when due any of his or her obligations in connection with the payment of premiums on a policy or an installment of such a premium, whether the premium or installment is payable directly to the insurer or its agent or indirectly under any plan for financing premiums or extension of credit or the failure of the named insured to maintain membership in an organization if such membership is a condition precedent to insurance coverage. The term also includes the failure of a financial institution to honor the check of an applicant for insurance which was delivered to a licensed agent for payment of a premium, even if the agent previously delivered or transferred the premium to the insurer. If a correctly dishonored check represents payment of the initial premium, the contract and all contractual obligations are void ab initio unless the nonpayment is cured within the earlier of 5 days after actual notice by certified mail is received by the applicant or 15 days after notice is sent to the applicant by certified mail or registered mail, and, if the contract is void, any premium received by the insurer from a third party must be refunded to that party in full;
(b) If cancellation or termination occurs during the first 90 days during which the insurance is in force and if the insurance is canceled or terminated for reasons other than nonpayment, at least 20 days’ written notice of cancellation or termination accompanied by the reason for cancellation or termination must be given, except if there has been a material misstatement or misrepresentation or failure to comply with the underwriting requirements established by the insurer; and
(c)1. Upon a declaration of an emergency pursuant to s. 252.36 and the filing of an order by the Commissioner of Insurance Regulation, an insurer may not cancel or nonrenew a personal residential or commercial residential property insurance policy covering a dwelling or residential property located in this state which has been damaged as a result of a hurricane or wind loss that is the subject of the declaration of emergency for 90 days after the dwelling or residential property has been repaired. A dwelling or residential property is deemed to be repaired when substantially completed and restored to the extent that the dwelling or residential property is insurable by another insurer that is writing policies in this state.
2. An insurer or agent may cancel or nonrenew such a policy before the repair of the dwelling or residential property:
a. Upon 10 days’ notice for nonpayment of premium; or
b. Upon 45 days’ notice:
(I) For a material misstatement or fraud related to the claim;
(II) If the insurer determines that the insured has unreasonably caused a delay in the repair of the dwelling or residential property;
(III) If the insurer or its agent has made a reasonable written inquiry to the insured as to the status of the repair, sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, and the insured has failed within 30 calendar days to provide information that is responsive to the inquiry to either the address or e-mail account designated by the insurer or its agent; or
(IV) If the insurer has paid policy limits.
3. If the insurer elects to nonrenew a policy covering a dwelling or residential property that has been damaged, the insurer must provide at least 90 days’ notice to the insured that the insurer intends to nonrenew the policy 90 days after the property has been repaired.
4. This paragraph does not prevent the insurer from canceling or nonrenewing the policy 90 days after the repair is completed for the same reasons the insurer would otherwise have canceled or nonrenewed the policy but for the limitations imposed in subparagraph 1.
5. The commission may adopt rules, and the Commissioner of Insurance Regulation may issue orders, necessary to implement this paragraph.
(3) If an insurer fails to provide the written notice as required under this section, the coverage provided to the named insured remains in effect until 45 days after the notice is given or until the effective date of replacement coverage obtained by the named insured, whichever occurs first. The premium for the coverage remains the same during any such extension period.
History.ss. 168, 207, ch. 90-363; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 7, ch. 2007-90; s. 9, ch. 2012-151; s. 5, ch. 2024-182.