-
Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, compared conditions in the industry to having “Stage 4 cancer and failing” but that the proposals were like treating “Stage 1 cancer.”
-
Insurers blame questionable, if not fraudulent, roof-damage claims for driving up costs.
-
They include creating three additional Anti-fraud Homeowner Squads to work and prosecute cases, and a $3 million anti-fraud and public education campaign.
-
The hearings will come less than a week before the May 23 start of a special legislative session that Gov. Ron DeSantis called to grapple with widespread problems in the insurance market.
-
The session would address rising property insurance rates — which Sen. Jeff Brandes claims are “out of control.” Gov. DeSantis voiced his support.
-
With lawmakers scheduled to return to Tallahassee on April 19 for a brief special session on congressional redistricting, Brandes announced Wednesday he would undertake the polling process to hold a special session on insurance if House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, and Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, failed to do so.
-
In a letter Wednesday to Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby, and House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, Brandes said “Floridians are suffering from skyrocketing rate increases” and that he might use a provision in state law to try to spur a special session.
-
House Speaker Chris Sprowls, R-Palm Harbor, said property-insurance changes made during the 2021 session haven't been given enough time to take effect.
-
The requested 11% increase aims to reduce the gap between the rates of Citizens and private insurers.
-
The Florida Department of Financial Services will liquidate the Orlando-based St. Johns Insurance Co. and is seeking court approval of a “transition plan” that would move policies to Slide Insurance Co.
-
The bill is aimed at reducing the number of Citizens policies, thus making it easier for private companies to come into the state.
-
Citizens was originally created as an insurer of last resort, but it has seen huge growth since mid-2020 as private insurers have raised rates and reduced policies to try to stem financial losses.