Attorney General James Uthmeier has reached an agreement with Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company (UPCIC) for the return of tens of millions of dollars to the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF). The resolution addresses allegations that UPCIC submitted numerous ineligible claims for reimbursement, violating the Florida False Claims Act. This marks the first successful recovery of funds related to insurance fraud by the Office of the Attorney General.
Attorney General Uthmeier expressed gratitude for the efforts of his team, stating, “Thanks to the outstanding work of Associate Deputy Attorney General Nicholas Weilhammer, Director Liz Brady, and Assistant Attorney General Andrew Butler, our office secured the return of more than $30 million to the state’s hurricane fund from fraudulent insurance submission allegations following Hurricane Irma.” He emphasized the necessity of a fair insurance market and the adherence of insurance companies to regulations.
The FHCF, a tax-exempt state trust fund administered by the State Board of Administration, plays a crucial role in stabilizing Florida’s insurance market post-hurricanes. It provides reimbursements to residential insurance companies for a portion of their payments to homeowners affected by hurricane damage. During major hurricanes such as Hurricane Irma, FHCF acts as a financial safety net for insurance carriers facing significant losses.
The investigation into UPCIC was launched following a whistleblower lawsuit in Leon County. The Attorney General’s office examined the validity of UPCIC’s claims, confirming that several were unrelated to Hurricane Irma. Consequently, UPCIC agreed to cease reimbursement requests for these claims, reducing the payout from Hurricane Irma by more than $30 million. Additionally, UPCIC will pay over $4 million in fines and restructure its policies and procedures.
