April 2026 Newsletter
Trusted Experience. Proven Success. Unmatched Service.
A blessed Holy week from my family to yours! We are in a season when many faiths around the world are celebrating High Holy days. Our Muslim sisters and brothers just finished their Ramadan. Our Jewish sisters and brothers are about to begin their Passover. And our Christian sisters and brother are soon to be celebrating Resurrection Sunday, also known as Easter Sunday. One of my favorite Easter traditions is to go down to the beach near our home and quietly join one of the many services which take place on Sunday morning. I then rush home to make my crew get up to attend our home church’s Easter service. You can catch me (and my daughter) wearing one of my many hats on that Sunday and trying to sit in the back to avoid blocking other parishioner’s views. (… and here you thought I was just obsessed with shoes! Ha!) Here are some fun examples below.
Karen Montas, Esq.
Legally Speaking...
Your Coverage Matters
As April brings a season of renewal to the Sunshine State, Florida’s insurance landscape is undergoing changes from grassroots legislative crusades to high-tech courtroom breakthroughs. The Eleventh Circuit explores how AI and Large Language Models may be able to bridge the gap between complex legal jargon and the ordinary meaning of insurance terms. Geico announces major rate reductions for over 700,000 Florida drivers. Lastly, a heart wrenching story out of Tequesta, where a mother is using a personal tragedy to push for changes in Florida insurance mandates.
AI and Insurance Policies:
In a notable concurrence in Snell v. United Specialty Insurance Co. (2024), Eleventh Circuit Judge Kevin Newsom proposed a modern shift in legal interpretation: using Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to help determine the "ordinary meaning" of insurance policy terms. While dictionaries have long been the standard, Judge Newsom argued that because LLMs are trained on hundreds of billions of words of real-world text, they may more accurately capture how everyday people actually use language in specific contexts such as distinguishing whether "landscaping" includes building a retaining wall. While acknowledging risks like "hallucinations," he suggested that LLMs offer a transparent, accessible, and empirically grounded "middle path" for lawyers and judges wrestling with undefined policy language. For insurance coverage attorneys, this signals a future where AI-driven linguistic analysis may become a standard tool alongside traditional dictionaries and canons of construction.
GEICO Press Release on Auto Rate Reductions in Florida:
GEICO has announced its latest round of auto insurance rate cuts for Florida drivers, set to take effect in April 2026 and benefiting over 700,000 customers. Attributing the decrease to the stabilization of the insurance market following the 2023 legal system reforms, the state’s second-largest insurer has now reduced annual premiums by more than $350 million over the last two years. While GEICO leadership acknowledged that inflationary pressures and severe weather remain ongoing challenges, they credited state-led efforts to curb legal system abuse as the primary driver behind these competitively priced products and their continued commitment to market stability in Florida.
Mother Pushes for Change with Auto Insurance Laws:
After a January car crash killed her 16-year-old daughter, Millie, and left 13-year-old Olivia with catastrophic injuries and over $1 million in medical bills, Tequesta mother Sarah Marquez is petitioning Florida lawmakers to overhaul the state’s "outdated" auto insurance requirements. Currently, Florida does not mandate bodily injury coverage and maintains minimum limits of $10,000 that have not been updated since the 1970s a gap that has left the Marquez family reliant on charities while providing 24/7 care for Olivia. Alongside her attorney, Marquez is calling on Governor Ron DeSantis and the legislature to increase these mandates to prevent future grieving families from being thrust into immediate financial ruin.
The heartbreak the Marquez family is enduring is a situation no one should ever face. While we wait for Florida's laws to catch up to modern realities, there is one vital step you can take today to protect your loved ones: Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM) coverage.
You cannot control the coverage other drivers choose, but by adding UM to your own policy, you ensure your family’s safety and financial future aren't left in a stranger’s hands. If you have questions about your policy, the team at Montas Turner is here to help.
Recent Accident?
Your insurance coverage can be affected by what you
do after a motor vehicle accident.
Montas Turner, P.A. in the Community:
Brevard County Bar Association Spring CLE Event
On March 13, 2026, Attorney Karen Montas shared an in-depth session on making an effective direct examination, including: elements, introducing evidence, using transcripts and redirect!
weWENTURE Women Who Rock Awards
On March 18, 2026, Associate Attorney Nicole Hosey was the recipient of the Excellence in Mentorship Award at the 2026 weVENTURE Women Who Rock Awards. Congratulations Nicole!!! We are very proud of Nicole and the significant impact she has made in our community.
Mother’s Day Giveaway
We're celebrating all the amazing moms out there with a special Mother's Day Giveaway!
Winners will be drawn on May 1, 2026. Scan the QR code to enter!!
Karen's Shoe of the Month!
If you know Attorney Karen Montas, you know she is a shoe connoisseur. These playful sandals are like a high fashion picnic for your feet. The bow is not just an accent, but a fun centerpiece.