Tallahassee, Fla. - Today, State Senators, Representatives, Alianza for Progress and Víctimas de Maria called on Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier to investigate MAPFRE, a Spain-based insurer looking to expand business in the State of Florida after leaving thousands of claims unanswered in Puerto Rico.

Senator Annette Taddeo, Representative Amy Mercado, Senator Victor Torres, Representative John Cortes, Marcos Vilar, Adriana Rivera and Milton Vazquez held a press conference at the Florida State Capitol to make it clear that MAPFRE should not be allowed into the Florida market without question.

A major story recently published by the New York Times revealed the issue of $1.6 billion in unpaid insurance claims by in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Two-and-a-half years after the storm, tens of thousands of hurricane victims have been either offered nothing or pennies on the dollar to repair the devastating damage of the hurricane.

“My mother would call me crying... saying I can't do this anymore.  In the end, my household was given a 600 dollar check. We never cashed it because it was an insult. I urge that MAPFRE be investigated and not allowed to open up operations here because they will do the same thing to the people of Florida,”said Alianza for Progress Communications Director Adriana Rivera.

"As you all know the population of Puerto Ricans in Orange and Osceola counties has exploded because of the turmoil on the island and because of hurricanes Irma and Maria... that means that it's up to us to work together to fight for the needs of our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters as they arrive here and attempt to provide for their families here and on the island,” shared Florida Representative Amy Mercado.

"Florida serves as one of the primary destinations for those displaced by Maria. Here in Florida we cannot let these private insurance companies now be a part of Florida's insurance market... because we will end up in the same situation that Puerto Ricans are dealing with on the island,” said Florida Representative Annette Taddeo.

"Folks still have $1.6 billion in unpaid claims. This is unacceptable.  So, we're here today to tell folks we're paying attention, and we're going to have our elected officials hold MAPFRE accountable so that we can get these claims paid back on the island,” said Victimas de Maria spokesperson Milton Vazquez.

“We need to step up to the plate and start suing or locking these people up for fraud. We can't sit here and do nothing. We have to do something," urged
Florida Representative John Cortes. 

By Ivan Usero, ¡PRESENTE!, February 28, 2020 
https://presentepgh.com/en/its-time-for-a-change/
https://presentepgh.com/es-hora-de-un-cambio/

For Victims of Hurricane Maria

On September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 155mph.  This was the strongest hurricane to make landfall in Puerto Rico since 1932.  The aftermath of the event caused widespread devastation, an estimated $90 billion in damages and nearly 3,000 fatalities. The inability to get critical disaster funding into the hands of those affected has been widely reported.

Despite the resiliency of the Puerto Rican people and their best efforts to rebuild, insurance companies have delayed and denied payments, resulting in a challenging recovery. Policyholders remain cash-strapped and ill-equipped to battle large insurance carriers who have the luxury of deep pockets and an army of lawyers. While the picture appears bleak, the Puerto Rican people have not quit, with many policyholders preserving their rights to continue fighting for fair payment.