SB 266 protects Florida seniors and veterans from predatory public adjuster contracts.
Before serving in the Florida House and beginning a career partnering with leaders across Florida to care for the state’s most vulnerable citizens, I volunteered for service in the United States Marines. Alongside countless other Americans, I served with soldiers, sailors, aviators, and fellow Marines from 1967 to 1968 in Vietnam.
During my service, including time in Da Nang during the Tet Offensive, I witnessed courageous men and women working together to defend freedom, often under extraordinarily difficult conditions.
Fast forward to 2026. Many of those same veterans are now retired, including thousands who call Florida home. Florida has a long history of caring for seniors, and on behalf of our veterans, as well as all seniors and retirees, I urge lawmakers to support commonsense reforms to public adjuster practices. This is a practical step that builds on Florida’s tradition of protecting vulnerable residents.
From expanded homestead exemptions to elder abuse laws and financial exploitation protections, Florida has earned its reputation as a national policy leader.
SB 266 addresses an all-too-common problem. After suffering serious damage to their homes from fires, plumbing failures, or storms, seniors, retirees, and veterans are often at risk of signing predatory public adjuster contracts.
Many elderly residents live alone. Their adult children may live out of town or out of state and are often unavailable to help navigate time-sensitive and complex contracts. In these moments, pressure to sign quickly can be overwhelming, particularly for seniors or veterans who are hospitalized after a serious incident.
SB 266 creates an exception for vulnerable seniors, retirees, and veterans who sign contracts they do not fully understand. It allows them to cancel public adjuster agreements without penalty. Ethical public adjusters have nothing to fear. This bill does not affect legitimate practices.
SB 266 is a smart consumer protection measure. On behalf of Florida’s veterans and senior citizens, I respectfully urge legislative support.