Beware, Danger Up Ahead: Bad Faith in Florida

Florida has always been a challenging state for liability carriers due to its bad faith laws. Now, with changing demographics of juries and sky high verdicts becoming more common, the dangers of bad faith claims in Florida has never been more prevalent. In light of the favorable legal landscape, plaintiff lawyers are able to more aggressively set up carriers for bad faith claims. As such, knowing the intricacies of Florida law in this realm is imperative. This presentation will focus on practical ways you can avoid bad faith claims and teach you some tricks of the trade so that you will recognize when the "set up" has started.

In particular, Rick Ramsey of Wicker Smith will focus on the Mirror Image Rule, how it can be so easily broken and the consequences when it is violated. The worrisome scenario of multiple claimants with just one policy available to resolve all claims is a common concern for carriers in Florida and Mr. Ramsey will address this situation with practical tips on how to avoid a bad faith claim. Time limit policy demands are routine and they are fraught with danger. How to handle those demands will be addressed, as will Florida's Civil Remedy Notice and the protections it can offer.       

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognize when your case is being set up for bad faith and how to respond

2. Spot danger when confronted with multiple claimants on a single policy

3. Use the Civil Remedy Notice to your advantage