WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A proposal to dramatically change Citizens Insurance is now part of a growing stack of bills at Florida's Capitol in 2025.
House Bill 13, sponsored by state Rep. Hillary Cassel of Broward County, would make Citizens Insurance available to all property owners in Florida and cover only windstorm damage.
WPTV was not able to reach Cassel on Monday for comment on the bill.
Cassel, who recently switched political parties from Democrat to Republican, has been a supporter of the idea for almost a year.
Real Estate News
These are the Florida bills targeting insurance relief next year
Former state Rep. Spencer Roach, R-Fort Myers, brought up this proposal back in February. He told a committee that the plan would be modeled after California's insurance program.
"It provided insurance for all claims and only claims related to natural disasters and left the private market to pick up the rest. The result is rates dropped like a stone," Roach said Feb. 7.
Despite the claims, the proposal went nowhere in the last session as many in Tallahassee remain skeptical of the idea.
"If we went down that road of being the wind-only provider of first resort in Florida, we would have to have about $3.2 trillion in insured value," Citizens CEO Tim Cerio told WPTV during a "Coverage Collapse" special in June."The price tag is untenable."
Matt Sczesny is determined every day to help you find solutions in Florida's coverage collapse. If you have a question or comment on homeowners insurance, you can reach out to him any time.
Read WPTV's latest "Coverage Collapse" stories below:
-
How Palm Beach County will penalize condos on inspection violations
We're looking into the milestone mandate from Florida state leader as the deadline for condos buildings to have their inspections ended at the end of last year.
Could special session help Florida condo owners?
Now, Gov. Ron DeSantis wants condo reform to be a part of a special session he wants to take place later this month, something that residents are optimistic about.
Why you might want to 'look past' asphalt shingles
As Florida homeowners continue to pay for new roofs under pressure from insurance companies, the state's top insurance regulator is suggesting the most affordable option may not be a solution.
CONDO CONCERNS: Will Florida hold special session amid rising costs?
Pressure is mounting on Florida lawmakers to address the rising costs for condo owners. A special session of the legislature could potentially provide a solution.
