TALLAHASSEE · The state will extend Florida's no-fault automobile insurance law for two more years and spend more money on preventing and investigating vehicle insurance fraud, but Florida's insurers won't get the changes to the law they hoped for this year.

The legislation approved Wednesday by the House of Representatives will now go to Gov. Jeb Bush, who has signaled previously he might veto it. The House voted 118-1 to approve a Senate plan to re-enact the state's controversial Personal Injury Protection, or no-fault, law until Jan. 1, 2009. Rep. Don Brown, R-DeFuniak Springs, voted against the plan.

All Florida drivers are required to carry insurance that pays medical bills for car accident victims, regardless of who's at fault. Critics of the state's no-fault law contend the system is susceptible to fraud, while proponents argue it speeds up needed medical payments and keeps accident cases out of court.

While some insurers had pushed for an outright repeal of the law and others pushed for substantial changes, the Legislature opted instead to push off a decision for a future legislative session.

The bill passed Wednesday puts more than $1 million toward fraud prevention and investigation, but does not deal with many of the things the insurance industry had pushed for, including preventing attorneys from collecting large legal fees in certain no-fault cases.

"I think it's an issue that we're going to continue to watch and monitor through the Legislature," House Insurance Committee Chairman Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, said before the House voted.

Should Bush opt for a veto, the Legislature would have to tackle the issue next year, because the no-fault law had been scheduled to expire in October 2007.

Glenn Klausman, vice chairman of the automobile insurance subcommittee for the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers, said he was pleased with the Legislature's actions but expects to be back in a couple of years for another fight over the no-fault provisions.

"Basically, we have argued that PIP needed to go away because it's a rip-off for Florida consumers ... and if it's going to be kept it ought to have five major fixes to it," Delegal said. "What passed today has zero fixes."

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