Florida’s Insurance Market Surges as Private Carriers Reduce Citizens’ Load

As Florida’s hurricane season winds down, the state’s insurance landscape shows renewed strength and stability. According to the Office of Insurance Regulation, the nation’s largest state‑based insurance market—and the seventh‑largest globally—is experiencing a decisive shift as private insurers take on a growing share of the policies once carried by Citizens Property Insurance Corporation.

Private Companies Step Up

During a briefing before the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee, Commissioner Michael Yaworsky revealed that nearly 1.6 million policies have recently transitioned from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation into private hands. Citizens’ policy count now stands at roughly 516,000 as of September.

Yaworsky added that this number could drop to nearly 300,000 by year’s end—one of the smallest totals in modern history. For the first time in years, State Farm now holds more Florida policies than Citizens.

Litigation Down, Market Confidence Up

Legislative reforms have reshaped the legal landscape. Property‑insurance‑related litigation has dropped by 30%, empowering private insurers and reviving profitability. Yet consumers still maintain full legal recourse when necessary.

Even with the decline, Florida still experiences more property insurance lawsuits than all other states combined—twice over. Legal avenues, Yaworsky emphasized, remain “quite vibrant.”

Rates Begin a “Negative Glide Path”

The Commissioner described Florida’s premium trend as entering a gentle decline. With just a 0.8% annual increase—one of the lowest nationwide—homeowners can save even more by investing in mitigation measures such as home hardening. These upgrades help both individuals and the broader risk pool.

Auto Insurance Also Showing Strong Improvement

The positive momentum extends into personal auto insurance. In 2025, 40 insurers submitted 69 filings for lower rates, with reductions ranging from -0.2% to a remarkable -17.6%. Over half have already been approved.

Original reporting sourced from Florida Politics: Read the full article here .