Florida insurer accused of fraudulently backdating storm claims to return $30M to state

Lawrence Mower, Miami HeraldMiami Herald

One of Florida’s largest homeowners insurance companies will pay back $30 million to the state to satisfy allegations it illegally backdated Hurricane Irma claims.

Fort Lauderdale-based Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Co. was accused of “fraudulently” submitting “numerous ineligible claims for reimbursement” from the state’s Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, the attorney general’s office said in a news release.

Insurance companies pay into the fund, which covers a portion of the companies’ hurricane-related claims.

Universal falsely dated an undisclosed number of claims as occurring as a result of 2017’s Hurricane Irma, an alleged violation of the Florida False Claims Act, according to the attorney general’s office.

Under an agreement with Florida’s attorney general, the company admits no wrongdoing but will pay more than $4 million in fines and change its policy and procedures.

“This office is committed to a healthy and stable insurance market for Florida homeowners, meaning insurance companies must play by the rules,” Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a statement Tuesday.

The agreement states it’s “more efficient and valuable” for both parties to settle the case instead of litigating it.

The allegations first came to light through a sealed whistleblower lawsuit filed in 2020, prompting the attorney general’s office to investigate.

In a statement, Universal said that it “fully and completely cooperated” with the state and “provided all requested information.” It said the former employee’s allegations contained “numerous fundamental factual inaccuracies and gross mischaracterizations.”

The disputed claims amounted to 1% of its Hurricane Irma claims, according to the company.

“We are pleased the review has come to a close and the state dismissed the case,” Universal CEO Stephen Donaghy said in a statement.

The fine is the largest against an insurance company since 2013, when Universal was fined $1.3 million by state regulators for canceling customers’ policies without justification and shifting profits to affiliate companies.