New Reforms, Old Problems: Florida’s Insurance Market Still on Shaky Ground
Florida’s home insurance market has always been unpredictable, but recent reforms meant to stabilize the system appear to be repeating history rather than rewriting it. With insurers exiting, premiums rising, and new companies stepping in with questionable backgrounds, many homeowners and real estate professionals are once again navigating a landscape filled with uncertainty.
The latest developments trace back to Gov. Ron DeSantis’s 2022 legislative package—described by some as a seasonal gift to the insurance industry. Similar efforts followed Hurricane Andrew decades ago, and just like then, the result has been a wave of small, lightly capitalized insurers entering a market still trembling under the weight of catastrophic risk.
In 2023, Florida began aggressively depopulating Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state’s insurer of last resort. Citizens is required to shift policyholders to private carriers if the premium difference is within 20 percent. For many Floridians, this meant being moved into newer, more costly policies with companies that often lacked long-term financial strength.
According to the Insurance Fairness Project, some private insurers now assuming Citizens policies have ties to previous insolvencies. One notable example is Viceroy Preferred Insurance Company, sharing board members with Monarch National—an insurer fined $325,000 for mishandling hurricane claims and linked to the now‑insolvent FedNat Insurance.
“Many of the same conditions that left homeowners exposed in the last crisis are being reproduced.” — Insurance Fairness Project
Checkered Pasts and Rating Gaps
While many new insurers have been approved to take on Citizens’ policies, several carry histories of claim denials or financial instability. Some, like Patriot Select (formerly Anchor Insurance), reentered the market after prior restructuring. Others, such as Apex, emerged from the remnants of insurers that failed in earlier decades.
Compounding the uncertainty is the influence of Demotech—Florida’s most widely used private ratings agency. Despite awarding many insurers “A” ratings, Demotech-rated companies have historically failed at much higher rates compared to major national agencies. Between 2017 and 2025, 17 insurers collapsed within a year of receiving top marks.
Homeowners Paying More for Less
New data from independent agency Weiss Ratings paints a troubling picture: 14 Florida insurers closed more than half of homeowner damage claims without payment in 2024. People’s Trust Insurance Company topped the list, denying an astonishing 75 percent of claims. Slide Insurance Company, another recent entrant, denied more than half—despite holding an “A” rating.
Slide’s leadership also raised eyebrows for multimillion-dollar executive payouts at a time when policyholders struggled. Their opulent lifestyle, including a 9,600-square-foot waterfront estate, has only intensified resentment.
Political Currents Beneath the Surface
Florida’s insurance industry has long been intertwined with state politics. Substantial donations from top executives to political committees and allegations of regulators softening findings on insurer profitability continue to raise questions about oversight and public protection.
Climate finance strategist Jordan Haedtler argues that fragmented oversight across various agencies only deepens the crisis. His team proposes consolidating insurance regulation, disaster recovery, land-use planning, and building codes into a single streamlined authority.
Calls for a True Overhaul
The Insurance Fairness Project asserts Florida must move “beyond cosmetic fixes.” Experts like Martin Weiss go further, suggesting the state may need to reconstruct its entire insurance system from scratch to restore stability and protect homeowners.
For real estate professionals, lenders, and homebuyers, insurance reforms—good or bad—shape the trajectory of Florida’s entire housing market. Understanding the shifting insurance landscape is now as essential as tracking inventory or interest rates.
That’s why institutions like Cameron Academy remain committed to helping professionals stay informed, licensed, and prepared. Whether you’re earning your first real estate certification or expanding your professional portfolio, staying educated is your strongest advantage in a rapidly evolving market.
Getting licensed or staying ahead in your career can be a journey—but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Grab your favorite coffee or tea, take a moment to relax, and browse through our articles. Whether you’re just starting out or renewing your expertise, we’ve got tips, insights, and advice to keep you moving forward. Here’s to your success—one sip and one step at a time!
After years of sluggish commercial real estate performance, falling interest rates may finally set the stage for a market rebound. As the Federal Reserve signals further cuts, investors are eyeing REITs—and especially the Direxion Real Estate Bull 3X ETF (DRN), a leveraged fund designed to triple the daily movement of major commercial real estate stocks. DRN offers powerful upside potential during a rally, but its high‑risk, short‑term nature means it’s best suited for experienced traders who understand volatility and the mechanics of leverage.
A new proposal in Florida’s legislature could reshape the path to homeownership for working residents. House Bill 311, championed by State Rep. Jervonte Edmonds, would require certain private employers to contribute up to $5,000 toward their first-time homebuyer employees’ down payments or closing costs. Backed by bipartisan support, the bill ties employer tax write-offs directly to helping workers purchase homes, marking a unique approach to housing affordability. Now moving through committee, HB 311 could become one of the nation’s most innovative employer-assisted housing programs.
Artificial intelligence is pushing the real estate industry to confront a long‑standing problem: its data is fragmented, inconsistent, and nearly impossible for AI systems to interpret. From leases and rent rolls to county records and work orders, nothing is standardized, making AI adoption costly and inefficient. Industry leaders are now turning toward shared data standards and ontologies—like OSCRE’s “smart data highway”—to create cleaner, interoperable information systems. As real estate evolves, professionals who understand data and AI will have a major advantage, and schools like Cameron Academy are helping prepare them for this shift.
The U.S. housing market stumbled into 2026 as January home sales tumbled 8.4% from December, hitting their lowest pace in over a year. With inventory still tight, prices rising, and market activity stagnating, NAR’s chief economist warns that Americans—especially renters—are “stuck” in a new kind of housing crisis. Despite improving affordability on paper, sluggish movement and regional declines signal a market demanding sharper strategy and adaptability from today’s real estate professionals.
A fresh 2026 analysis reveals the top home insurance companies in the U.S., breaking down which carriers offer the best value, coverage options, and customer satisfaction. State Farm leads for customer experience, American Family shines for first-time buyers, and Allstate, Farmers, and Nationwide each earn top marks in specialized categories. With Florida’s premiums surging to more than double the national average, industry pros and homeowners alike gain a clear advantage by understanding which insurers remain strong—especially as weather risks, insurer withdrawals, and rising reconstruction costs reshape the market.
A new Perryman Group analysis shows Florida’s 2022–2023 insurance reforms are paying off, lowering property‑casualty costs by 14.5% and generating more than $4.2 billion in economic activity. With over 29,000 jobs created and premium increases nearly flat in 2025, the state’s long‑troubled insurance market is finally stabilizing as major carriers reduce rates and return to the market.
