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A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Florida's 2011 Sinkhole Law Revisions Provide Needed Clarity
Residential sinkhole-related claims have risen dramatically in Florida. Insurance companies are required to evaluate each case on a per-claim basis to determine if they are valid or if they are less than legitimate, as determined by the existence of sinkhole-related damages and/or by perceived damages as sometimes interpreted by misinformed homeowners and/or their representatives. Many sinkhole claims are initiated simply due to minor cosmetic issues, inappropriately categorized as damage from/or related to a sinkhole or sinkhole activity. In 2011, the Florida Legislature enacted revisions to the sinkhole statutes related to residential insurance contracts and property loss claims. Revisions and clarifications were deemed necessary due to the fact that sinkhole claims totals had risen so dramatically over the past decade. As technical consultants, professional engineers are often times asked to coordinate, manage, and investigate sinkhole claims for insurance companies, law offices and/or private individuals. Investigations typically follow the sinkhole investigation protocols set forth in the Florida Geological Survey (FGS), Special Publication No. 57 (SPN 57), "Geological and Geotechnical Investigation Procedures for Evaluation of the Causes of Subsidence Damage in Florida", (Schmidt, 2005, FGS SPN 57). The intent of this document is to educate the reader on sinkhole issues, on Florida sinkhole insurance intent, and to provide a discussion regarding the 2011 sinkhole statute revisions, their implications and their modified level of definition and clarity.
Florida's 2011 Sinkhole Law Revisions Provide Needed Clarity
Residential sinkhole-related claims have risen dramatically in Florida. Insurance companies are required to evaluate each case on a per-claim basis to determine if they are valid or if they are less than legitimate, as determined by the existence of sinkhole-related damages and/or by perceived damages as sometimes interpreted by misinformed homeowners and/or their representatives. Many sinkhole claims are initiated simply due to minor cosmetic issues, inappropriately categorized as damage from/or related to a sinkhole or sinkhole activity. In 2011, the Florida Legislature enacted revisions to the sinkhole statutes related to residential insurance contracts and property loss claims. Revisions and clarifications were deemed necessary due to the fact that sinkhole claims totals had risen so dramatically over the past decade. As technical consultants, professional engineers are often times asked to coordinate, manage, and investigate sinkhole claims for insurance companies, law offices and/or private individuals. Investigations typically follow the sinkhole investigation protocols set forth in the Florida Geological Survey (FGS), Special Publication No. 57 (SPN 57), "Geological and Geotechnical Investigation Procedures for Evaluation of the Causes of Subsidence Damage in Florida", (Schmidt, 2005, FGS SPN 57). The intent of this document is to educate the reader on sinkhole issues, on Florida sinkhole insurance intent, and to provide a discussion regarding the 2011 sinkhole statute revisions, their implications and their modified level of definition and clarity.
Florida's 2011 Sinkhole Law Revisions Provide Needed Clarity
Underwood, Mel (author) / Cichy, Neil (author) / Granica, Robert (author)
Sixth Congress on Forensic Engineering ; 2012 ; San Francisco, California, United States
Forensic Engineering 2012 ; 736-745
2012-11-13
Conference paper
Electronic Resource
English
Understanding Florida's Sinkhole Hazards: Hydrogeological Laboratory Study
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2017
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 2018