Fla. Supreme Court Says No to Allstate Appeal

In one final effort to have its case heard, Allstate learned on Wednesday that the answer was no. The Florida Supreme Court denied a motion by the insurer to reopen its case against state regulators.

Allstate had sought the assistance of the high court to review a 1st District Court of Appeal decision allowing regulators to prohibit the company from selling any new insurance policies in Florida until the company handed over documents subpoenaed by the state, documents regulators claim are key to an investigation of Allstate's rate-setting process.

Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty lifted the ban last month, stating Allstate was delivering the documents regulators wanted.

The insurer, however, went to the state's highest court to request a rehearing.

“We are pleased with the Florida Supreme Court’s decision in declining to accept jurisdiction of the matter between Allstate and the Office of Insurance Regulation (Office)," McCarty commented.

“We did not believe that there was any basis for the Court to extend jurisdiction in this matter, because the First District Court of Appeal’s decision was in full compliance with the laws of Florida. The Supreme Court’s decision reassures Floridians that the Office has full access to insurers’ books and records and upholds the Office’s actions in its efforts to protect consumers.”