WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The cost of property insurance in Florida is expected to be a topic of discussion when lawmakers convene in Tallahassee next year. But it's still up in the air if anything new might happen.
"Do we have a perfect solution for it? No," incoming Speaker of the House Daniel Perez, R-Miami, said. "But are we going to discuss it and continue to try and find a solution that can better that problem, absolutely."
State lawmakers last took major steps on insurance in December 2022 when they passed reforms to curb insurance litigation.
Those reforms have been credited with a slow turnaround of the insurance market, with new companies coming into Florida and some rolling back rates for 2025.
"I think the Legislature needs to tread carefully," former state Sen. Jeff Brandes of the Florida Policy Project told WPTV. "The market is still in recovery and probably the best thing they can do is some minor tweaks around the edges."
State lawmakers will return for their regular session in March and the new speaker said affordability of housing and insurance will be a priority.
"I don't want to lose that next generation of talent to another state because the affordability of (Florida) has gotten too high," Perez said.
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:
-
'A scary time': Residents brace for longer lines if SNAP benefits lapse
WPTV found in Palm Beach County, since 2022, 64,176 households receive SNAP benefits, helping feed 162,053 people.
Save on expensive cold and flu medicine, as sniffle season begins
A box of cold medicine can now cost $30 or more. Pharmacists reveal how to save on expensive over-the-counter meds.
This coalition is offering incentives to employers to help with traffic
Running into traffic in South Florida feels inevitable. With projections it's only going to get worse, local governments and grassroots groups are looking at ways to help alleviate the gridlock.
DoorDash, restaurants offer free help as SNAP funding lapses during shutdown
Businesses are working to minimize the potential damage from SNAP benefits not going out at the beginning of November due to the federal government shutdown.
