BROWARD COUNTY, FL – Broward Commissioners want survivors of the Holocaust era to have the right to sue insurance companies with whom they have legitimate claims.

Commissioners unanimously supported a resolution urging the United States Congress to enact the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2019.  The Act would allow survivors to claim unpaid 1940s-era policies by suing insurance companies in federal civil courts. 

“This is a very special item.  Decades of work has been done on this.  We must provide a way for Holocaust survivors to collect on insurance policies they rightfully own and have never been paid,” said Broward Commissioner Nan Rich who brought the item forward with full sponsorship of the Commission. 

Broward County is home to an estimated 3,300 Holocaust survivors, the largest concentration of survivors in South Florida.  South Florida has the largest population of Holocaust survivors in the United States. 

Broward’s resolution expresses the Commission’s support for creating a federal action that would provide survivors and their heirs the opportunity to seek justice through the American legal system. 

“These dollars keep growing and growing.  Insurance companies are playing a waiting game on this,” said Broward Commissioner Michael Udine. 

Holocaust-era survivors are currently precluded from bringing lawsuits in state courts under a 2003 Supreme Court decision. The current bill would allow survivors with legitimate claims to file in federal court.  The bill would cover any policy in effect from January 1, 1933 to December 31, 1945. 

The Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act of 2019 was introduced by U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida and U.S. Representative Lee Zeldin, R-New York.  A Senate companion bill was recently introduced by Senators Rick Scott, R-Florida, Marco Rubio, R-Florida and Senator Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada.

“I applaud the work that has been done here and thank those involved for doing this,” said Broward Commissioner Mark Bogen. 

The resolution directs the County Administrator to send a letter expressing the Commission’s support to the President of the United States, The Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and members of the Florida Delegation. 

DATE: December 10, 2019

MEDIA CONTACT:  Kimberly Maroe, Public Information Manager

Broward County Board of County Commissioners

PHONE: 954-357-8053

EMAIL: kmaroe@broward.org