Florida’s insurance market is showing signs of steady improvement after years of challenges, according to Governor Ron DeSantis. Speaking at the APCIA Annual Meeting in Orlando, DeSantis outlined how legal reforms passed in 2022 and 2023 have helped bring more stability to the state’s insurance scene. He pointed to more competition, lower rate increase requests, and fewer lawsuits as clear signs the changes are benefiting consumers.
When DeSantis took office in 2019, Florida’s insurance market was struggling partly because of a legal environment that many saw as unfriendly to businesses. The state had just 8% of the country’s property insurance claims but a staggering 78% of litigation related to those claims. This imbalance made insurance more expensive and discouraged insurers from doing business in Florida.
To fix this, DeSantis focused on appointing judges who would support reforms and reduce what he called “activism” in the courts. These efforts include laws that discourage excessive lawsuits and limit legal costs linked to property and auto insurance claims.
Two years after these reforms, the market is shifting. Seventeen new insurers have entered Florida, and existing companies are investing more money. Homeowners’ insurance rates are starting to trend down, with regulators seeing many filings requesting no increase or actual cuts. In fact, in 2024, Florida had the lowest homeowners’ insurance rate increases nationwide. So far in 2025, the average requested change is down by 1.4% compared to last year.
Lawsuits linked to homeowners’ insurance have also dropped by about 30%. Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-backed insurer of last resort, has seen its lawsuit numbers fall nearly 50%, and roughly 214,000 policies have moved from Citizens to private insurers. This shift reduces the financial load that taxpayers might otherwise bear after big storms.
Auto insurance is also seeing improvements. Major auto insurance groups in Florida reported an average 6.5% rate cut in 2025. This contrasts with double-digit rate hikes seen in many other states. DeSantis highlighted that Florida’s personal auto liability loss ratio at the end of 2024 was 53.3%, the lowest in the country.
Despite these positive signs, DeSantis noted several challenges remain. Risks from hurricanes, inflation, and reinsurance costs still impact insurance pricing, and these are beyond the state’s control. Still, he emphasized that controlling lawsuit-related costs and supporting a competitive market are the best tools Florida has to keep insurance affordable.
DeSantis also addressed recent political efforts to roll back some of the reforms. He criticized a 2025 legislative proposal that could have increased premiums by up to 50%. That effort ultimately failed in the Senate, and DeSantis said he expects the reforms to stay intact moving forward.
Looking ahead, DeSantis plans to focus on protecting the legal changes, finishing resilience grant programs aimed at strengthening homes, and urging insurance companies to translate lower legal and loss costs into lasting rate relief for customers.
In short, Florida’s insurance market is moving in a better direction after years of struggle, thanks to legal reforms and greater market activity. But with natural disasters and economic pressures still looming, the state will need to keep an eye on risks while maintaining the gains it has made.