Filing Number: 785129
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| Filing Accepted: 10/1/2024 |
| Last/Business Name
*
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KEELER
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First Name |
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JENNIFER & MATTHEW |
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| Street Address
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6785 COLUMBIA AVENUE |
| City, State Zip
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LAKE WORTH,
FL
33467
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| Email Address
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MATTKEELER136@GMAIL.COM |
| Complainant Type:
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Insured |
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| Last/Business Name* |
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KEELER |
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First Name |
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JENNIFER & MATTHEW |
| Policy # * |
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12-1084863-01 |
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Claim #* |
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12-3006760-22 |
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Attorney is Applicable
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| Last Name* |
BUTZ
First Name *
KYLE
Initial
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| Street Address* |
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333 SE 2ND AVE, SUITE 2000 |
| City, State Zip* |
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MIAMI
,
FL
33131
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| Email Address * |
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KBUTZ@DKLAWFL.COM |
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| Insurer Type
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Authorized Insurer
Unauthorized Insurer
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| Insurer Name |
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| Insurer Name* |
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TYPTAP INSURANCE COMPANY
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| Insurer Name* |
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| Street Address* |
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| City, State Zip* |
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,
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NAIC Company Code 15885 |
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| Name of individual responsible for violation (if any):*
CLAIMS DEPARTMENT AND/OR KRYSTAL MATHIS
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| Type of Insurance
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Residential Property & Casualty
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| Reason for Notice
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Claim Delay
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Unsatisfactory Settlement Offer
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Unfair Trade Practice
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Statutory provision(s) which the insurer allegedly violated.
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| 624.155(1)(b)(1) |
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Not attempting in good faith to settle claims when, under all the circumstances, it could and should have done so, had it acted fairly and honestly toward its insured and with due regard for her or his interests.
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| 626.9541(1)(i)(3)(a) |
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Failing to adopt and implement standards for the proper investigation of claims.
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Specific policy language that is relevant to the violation.
Enter all words or phrases (one at a time) that should be used to filter.
These actions from the carrier as set forth above violate the following Florida Statutes: 624.155(1)(b)(1), Not attempting in good faith to settle claims when, under all the circumstances, it could and should have done so, had it acted fairly and honestly toward its insured and with due regard for her or his interests; 626.9541(1)(i)(3)(a), Failing to adopt and implement standards for the proper investigation of claims. The Carrier’s actions set forth above also violated the following policy provisions: Section I- Perils Insured Against, subsection 1, providing coverage for direct loss to property unless the damage was caused solely by an excluded or excepted cause of loss; and the loss payment provision under Section I- Conditions requiring payment of a claim within 90 days.
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Facts and circumstances giving rise to the violation.
Enter all words or phrases (one at a time) that should be used to filter.
September 30, 2024,
Sent Via U.S. Mail & Email
TYPTAP INSURANCE COMPANY
(Attn: Claims department and/or Krystal Mathis)
P.O. BOX 1120
OCALA, FLORIDA 34478
(844) 289-7968
claims@typtap.com
RE: Insured(s) : Jennifer Keeler & Matthew Keeler (“insured(s)”)
Policy # : 12-1084863-01
Claim # : 12-3006760-22
Property Address : 6785 Columbia Ave. Lake Worth, FL 33467
Insured(s) Email : mattkeeler136@gmail.com and
Dear TYPTAP INSURANCE COMPANY, (“carrier”):
Please find enclosed the civil remedy notice filed for the above referenced claim. As discussed in greater detail in the notice, the carrier has not attempted in good faith to settle the insureds’ claim when, under all the circumstances, it could and should have done so, had it acted fairly and honestly toward its insureds and with due regard for their interests. The carrier is required to properly investigate and adjust claims and cannot place that burden upon the insureds.
On July 11, 2022, the insureds reported the claim to the Carrier, putting the Carrier on notice of the damages occurring on or about May 29, 2022. After being put on such notice, the carrier initially sent a representative, Brad Holmes, to inspect the property. Mr. Holmes inspected the property on July 23, 2022. Mr. Monteleone observed cracked tiles to the roof. Further, he observed water damage, from a roof leak.
On July 11, 2022, the Carrier received a letter of representation from the insured’s public adjuster, ClaimPros. On August 10, 2022, the Carrier received documentation from the public adjuster including a sworn proof of loss and estimate of damages. Despite having completed their inspection and having documentation for their review, TypTap failed to make a coverage determination within 90 days pursuant to Florida Statute 627.70131(7)(a). As of 90 days from August 10, 2022, there were no pending requests for documents or information. TypTap’s corporate representative testified in deposition that TypTap retained an engineer to inspect the property on July 28, 2022. It is unclear why the engineer retained by TypTap waited nearly 3 months to perform their inspection of the property. Nevertheless, the engineer inspected on October 25, 2022. An engineering report was then provided to TypTap on November 16, 2022. TypTap’s corporate representative testified that there was no further investigation between TypTap receiving the report on November 16, 2022, and finally making a coverage determination on January 18, 2023. There was nothing preventing TypTap from making a coverage determination within 90 days of receiving the public adjuster estimate. Even if TypTap contends that they were waiting on the engineering report, it is absolutely inexcusable that TypTap sat on the report for an additional two months without making a coverage determination. In blatant disregard for Florida Statute 627.70131(7)(a), TypTap waited until January 18, 2023, more than six months after the claim was reported, to finally make a coverage determination for this claim.
The carrier engages in this practice of delaying claims with such regularity and frequency as to indicate that it is a general business practice of this carrier, in reckless disregard for the rights of the insureds. The carrier outright ignores the parameters set forth by Florida Statute. Rather than evaluating the damage in a prudent manner or making any good-faith effort to investigate the claim, the carrier delays the claim and frustrates the process. The carrier’s actions have significantly delayed the resolution of this claim. The carrier has a pattern of drastically delaying claims. This investigation by the carrier was not done in good faith and is in direct violation of the statutory requirement for carriers to promptly and properly investigate all claims. These actions from the carrier as set forth above violate the following Florida Statutes: 624.155(1)(b)(1), Not attempting in good faith to settle claims when, under all the circumstances, it could and should have done so, had it acted fairly and honestly toward its insured and with due regard for her or his interests; 626.9541(1)(i)(3)(a), Failing to adopt and implement standards for the proper investigation of claims. The Carrier’s actions set forth above also violated the following policy provisions: Section I- Perils Insured Against, subsection 1, providing coverage for direct loss to property unless the damage was caused solely by an excluded or excepted cause of loss; and the loss payment provision under Section I- Conditions requiring payment of a claim within 90 days.
All the aforementioned are part of what appears to be an ongoing pattern and practice of behavior of the carrier that it demonstrates a wanton and reckless disregard for the insureds’ rights and a pattern and practice of bad faith claims practices to its insureds across the state of Florida. Therefore, to cure the defects outlined in this Civil Remedy Notice, the carrier must: 1.) Pay the complete covered loss in the amount of $79,358.19; 2.) Pay the statutory interest on the amount of unpaid damages from the date of loss to the date payment is finally made. A copy of this letter and filed form submitted to the FDFS has been printed out and mailed.
Please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Kyle Butz, Esq.
Attorneys at Law
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The submitter hereby states that this notice is given in order to perfect the rights of the
person(s) damaged to pursue civil remedies authorized by Section 624.155, Florida Statutes.
Before submitting a Notice using this system, please verify that all text has been entered
correctly and completely. Once the Notice has been submitted, the text cannot be changed
or deleted.
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DFS-10-363
Rev. 10/14/2008
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