Florida lawmakers file home insurance bills, but chances of passage seem slim
As state lawmakers reconvene for the annual legislative session next week, one of the top issues they’re hearing from constituents about is the state’s homeowners insurance crisis.
Whether any will become reality is unknown. House and Senate Republican leaders haven’t unveiled what, if anything, they have planned for the upcoming session related to insurance.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, in the proposed budget he unveiled in early December, wants to cut insurance taxes, which would have a nominal effect on Floridians’ premiums. The state’s insurance regulator, Mike Yaworsky, said in mid-December that he was interested in legislation to increase insurers’ transparency.
In legislation filed so far, lawmakers are proposing other solutions, including giving direct subsidies to struggling Floridians and allowing the state-run Citizens Property Insurance to cover more homes.
Much of the legislation filed so far is sponsored by Democrats, who have offered up proposals to address the crisis in recent years. The Republicans who control the Legislature haven’t allowed any of them to pass, however. That’s likely to continue this year, Democratic lawmakers concede.
“They didn’t listen to us then. I suffer no illusion that they would listen to us now,” said Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, the leader of the House Democrats.
Here are some of the ideas lawmakers have proposed so far:
HB 41: Mortgage Loans and Insurance Payments Grant Program
Sponsored by: Rep. Jervonte “Tae” Edmonds, D-West Palm Beach
This bill would create a state-funded program offering Floridians one-time grants to help pay for their insurance or mortgages. Grants of $1,500 — or $2,500 for those 65 and older — could be used to pay for a mortgage loan or homeowners insurance. Floridians could also apply for grants of equal amounts for an auto insurance payment.
SB 102/HB 1017: Property Insurance
Sponsors: Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens and Rep. Jervonte “Tae” Edmonds, D-West Palm Beach
This wide-ranging legislation would make the state’s insurance commissioner elected instead of appointed and create a new six-member Property Insurance Commission to comment on and review state data. The bill makes several other changes, including limiting how insurers can deny a claim and requiring insurers to reduce rates when the Legislature passes laws reforming the industry.
SB 178: Resolution of Disputed Property Insurance Claims
Sponsor:Sen. Tina Polsky, D-Boca Raton
With insurers blaming lawsuits for driving up Floridians’ premiums, this legislation would require insurers to participate in mediation when policyholders have a dispute about their claim.
HB 329/SB 860: Financial Assistance for Homeowners
Sponsors: Rep. Jervonte “Tae” Edmonds, D-West Palm Beach and Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens
To prevent homeowner foreclosures and utility cutoffs, this bill would give Floridians unspecified amounts of money to help pay for utilities, mortgages and homeowners insurance payments.
SB 348: Insurance Rebate Program for Low-Income Seniors
Sponsor: Sen. Lauren Book, D-Davie
The leader of the Senate Democrats is also pitching a program to help low-income seniors afford their homeowners insurance. Under Book’s proposal, Floridians 65 and older could apply to the state for an insurance rebate equal to 10% of their premiums. It would apply to seniors with an income equal to or less than 200% of the federal poverty level, or about $39,440 for a two-person household.
HB 565/SB 604: Coverage by Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Sponsors:Rep. Jim Mooney, R-Islamorada, and Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral
These lawmakers from South Florida are proposing increasing the cap on the value of homes that state-run Citizens Property Insurance can cover in Monroe and Miami-Dade counties. The corporation could insure homes valued at up to $1.5 million, instead of the current $1 million, and annual rate increases in those counties would be capped at 10%.
SB 802/HB 655: Condominium Windstorm Pilot Program
Sponsors: Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez, R-Doral, and Rep. Hillary Cassel, D-Dania Beach
To help condo owners absorb rising homeowners premiums, these bipartisan lawmakers want to create a pilot program to allow state-run Citizens Property Insurance to offer a cheaper plan.
SB 1070/HB 809: Personal Lines Residential Property Insurance
Sponsors: Sen. Ileana Garcia, R-Miami, and Rep. Alina Garcia, R-Miami
Like SB 802/HB 655, this proposal would reduce premiums by allowing insurers to offer less coverage. In this case, insurers could offer policies that insure an amount equal to the unpaid principal balance of all mortgage loans on the home. Insurers would be required to warn customers that in the event of a loss to the home greater than the unpaid balance on the mortgages, “YOU WILL INCUR SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL LOSSES.”