Committee adopts amendments making unauthorized alteration of adjuster repair estimates a fraudulent act

The House Insurance Committee on May 28 adopted amendments to Senate Bill 34 and reported the measure to the full House. The bill, carried in the Senate by Sen. Luno, would make altering or amending a property and casualty adjuster’s original repair estimate, a revision, or a supplemental estimate without documentation in the claim file or notification to the issuer a fraudulent insurance act under state law.

Ms. Keith read the bill and explained the amendment set (3,554), which contains four amendments. “Amendments 1 and 4 are relative to providing an effective date of July first of 2026,” Ms. Keith said; amendments 2 and 3 revise the substantive language to require documentation in the claim file or other notification to the issuer when an estimate is altered.

Representative Jordan summarized the bill’s purpose as protecting policyholders in the wake of hurricane damage and adjusting‑report alterations that favored insurers over policyholders: “What Senator Luno is doing with this bill is gonna add a provision to existing law that provides that amending or altering a property and casualty adjuster's report without the written permission of the adjuster, it's gonna be a fraudulent insurance act.” Kellen Matthews of the State Farm forum (testifying in support) said the amendment will create a documented record so “If anybody ever wants to look back and see what changes were made, they'll be able to see when they were made and by whom.”

The amendment set 3,554 was adopted by voice vote after a quorum was reached and the committee reported Senate Bill 34 with amendments; there was no recorded roll‑call vote on the motion in committee. The bill’s sponsor said it passed the Senate 39–0. The committee’s action forwards the amended bill to the House floor for further consideration.