Florida prepares for homeowners insurance changes in next legislative session

Homeowners insurance - Legislation - Changes

Several ideas have been proposed by lawmakers to help the state repair its current crisis. As Florida state lawmakers take on the annual legislative session, one of the top issues their constituents have been pushing to tackle has to do with the homeowners insurance crisis there. Lawmakers and industry officials aren’t currently in alignment about the changes required for this outcome. Governor Ron DeSantis already proposed a budget in December in which he intended to cut taxes to homeowners insurance. That said, this type of move would have only a…

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Can Floridians afford another 40% property insurance rate hike?

Property insurance Hikes Florida

Some experts are saying that premiums could experience another massive spike this year. Homeowners in Florida are already paying some of the highest property insurance rates in the United States, but experts are cautioning that even these high levels are likely to see significant increases this year. Some homeowners are already paying three times the national average for their coverage. The Florida Legislature recently passed a number of measures in the hopes of making a long-term impact that will gradually reduce property insurance rates. That said, while those advantages have…

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Florida Senate gives the nod to homeowners insurance overhaul

Homeowners insurance - Policy

The changes will involve new lawsuit limits, among others to ease the burden to property owners. This week, the Florida Senate gave its approval to overhauling homeowners insurance in the state, targeting the areas causing property owners – and therefore insurers – the largest amount of pain. The industry in the state will be undergoing a number of critical changes to help lift it out of crisis. Among the changes to the homeowners insurance industry that received approval include a new limit on lawsuits. There are also changes designed to…

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Florida insurance market reaches crisis point with another insurer bankruptcy

Florida insurance - Bankruptcy Sign

As insurers rapidly depart the market, even recent legislation isn’t having a fast enough impact. The Florida insurance market for property coverage has been rapidly stumbling again following storms in recent years. As a result, the insurers that aren’t withdrawing are going bankrupt. FedNat is the latest of the insurers to cancel the homeowners’ policies it’s been selling in the state. Florida insurance has reached a desperate level. This latest withdrawal of FedNat will cancel another 68,200 policies in the state, following a massive trend of coverage cancellation there. Homeowners…

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Florida property insurance could get special legislative session

Florida property insurance - Florida on map

Lawmakers are calling for the opportunity to work on this critical state in the issue. Senator Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg) has formally asked his colleagues to support the call he made to hold a special legislative session to focus on the Florida property insurance crisis. The state has been losing insurers as they withdraw or go into liquidation. “We can no longer wait on this issue,” said Brandes, who issued a “template letter” to his colleagues so those lawmakers could send it to the Department of State. The goal is…

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