THE BILL ITSELF
HB 983
Pet Insurance
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A bill to be entitled
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An act relating to pet insurance; amending s.
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626.2815, F.S.; requiring licensees who sell pet
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insurance to complete specified continuing education;
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amending s. 627.71545, F.S.; revising requirements for
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disclosures from a pet insurer to a policyholder;
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requiring pet insurers to file annually a specified
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report with the Office of Insurance Regulation;
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specifying the requirements of such report; providing
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an effective date.
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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Section 1. Paragraph (k) is added to subsection (3) of section 626.2815, Florida Statutes, to read:
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626.2815 Continuing education requirements.—
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(3) Each licensee except a title insurance agent must
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complete a 4-hour update course every 2 years which is specific
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to the license held by the licensee. The course must be
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developed and offered by providers and approved by the
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department. The content of the course must address all lines of
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insurance for which examination and licensure are required and
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include the following subject areas: insurance law updates,
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ethics for insurance professionals, disciplinary trends and case
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studies, industry trends, premium discounts, determining
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suitability of products and services, and other similar
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insurance-related topics the department determines are relevant
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to legally and ethically carrying out the responsibilities of
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the license granted. A licensee who holds multiple insurance
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licenses must complete an update course that is specific to at
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least one of the licenses held. Except as otherwise specified,
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any remaining required hours of continuing education are
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elective and may consist of any continuing education course
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approved by the department under this section.
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(k) For a licensee who sells pet insurance, the continuing
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education required under this section must include 2 hours of
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continuing education relating to pet insurance during each
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biennial compliance period.
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Section 2. Present subsections (10) and (11) of section 627.71545, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as subsections
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(11) and (12), respectively, a new subsection (10) is added to
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that section, and paragraph (e) of subsection (6) of that
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section is amended, to read:
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627.71545 Pet insurance; noninsurance wellness programs.—
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(6)
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(e) At the time a pet insurance policy is issued or
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delivered to a policyholder, the pet insurer shall provide the
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policyholder with a copy of the Insurer Disclosure of Important
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Policy Provisions document required under paragraph (d), in at
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least 12-point type. At such time, the pet insurer shall also
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include a written disclosure with all of the following:
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1. Contact information for the Division of Consumer
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Services of the department, including a link and toll-free
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telephone number, for consumers to submit inquiries and
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complaints relating to pet insurance products regulated by the
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department or office.
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2. The address and customer service telephone number of
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the pet insurance agent.
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3. A summary of the key policy features, written in plain
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language and on a form adopted by the commission by rule,
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including, at a minimum, coverage limits and deductibles,
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waiting periods, exclusions, preexisting condition rules, and
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whether the policy includes wellness benefits.
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(10) Each pet insurer authorized to transact pet insurance
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under this section shall file with the office by March 1 of each
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year a report containing all of the following information for
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the preceding calendar year:
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(a) The number of pet insurance policies issued, renewed,
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and canceled.
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(b) Aggregate premium and claims data.
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(c) Data on policy denials and rescissions, including the
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reason for each denial or rescission.
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(d) Information on waiting periods, exclusions, and
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wellness program offerings.
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(e) Any other information required by rule of the
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commission.
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Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026.