BlogFriday, June 02 2017
The First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee has upheld the 14.5% rate increase in Florida workers’ compensation rates that was approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) in October of last year. The rate increase, which took effect for all new and renewal policies starting December 1, 2016, had been challenged in court but will now remain in effect as a result of the Court’s order. The District Court of Appeal overturned and reversed a Leon County Circuit judge who had ruled that NCCI’s rate filing and the Insurance Commissioner’s subsequent rate order approving the 14.5% increase was invalid because the process violated Florida’s Sunshine Law. In a lengthy opinion, the Court ruled that both NCCI and OIR had properly complied with the laws governing rate-making for workers’ compensation insurance in Florida. The effect of the Court’s Order is that the 14.5% rate increase that has been in effect since December 1, 2016, will remain in effect. |
