WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida homeowners hoping for additional insurance relief will have to wait, as state lawmakers have made it clear they won't be addressing the issue during this legislative session.
Senate President Ben Albritton indicated this week that insurance reform is not on the agenda as the legislative session reaches its halfway point. The decision comes despite ongoing frustration from homeowners struggling with high insurance costs.
WATCH BELOW: Homeowners won't see insurance relief from lawmakers this year
"Well, we're looking at moving, we're not sure if we will stay in state or out of state, but we're looking at moving, it's not affordable for us to stay here anymore," said Lisa Riggi, a Broward County homeowner, told WPTV this week.
Republicans, who maintain firm control of the Florida legislature, appear satisfied with previous reforms and believe the market is stabilizing on its own. They point to litigation reforms implemented several years ago as evidence that insurance rates are beginning to decline.
However, Democrats are pushing back against the inaction. Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, expressed disappointment with the Republican leadership's stance.
"I am disappointed the Senate president said we're not going to address insurance this session," Berman said.
Democrats have introduced 11 insurance-related bills at the Capitol, with a key proposal focusing on creating an interstate risk-sharing compact.
"We would require a minimum of 14 states that would part of this compact then we would all share the risk that's what happens now on a nationwide level with flood insurance," Berman said.
Despite Democratic efforts, all of these proposals have been stalled and shelved by the Republican majority.
Some industry experts support the Republican position that Florida's insurance marketplace is showing signs of improvement. Stacey Giulianti from Windward Risk Managers believes rates will continue to decrease if economic conditions remain stable.
"Let's be completely realistic if inflation stays solid and you don't have some kind of crazy inflation; you're going to see rates come down again," Giulianti said.
With insurance reform off the table, state leaders are now focusing their attention on finding ways to reduce property taxes, which they acknowledge have risen too high in recent years.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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.
