For Floridians, property insurance has shifted from a routine expense into a defining force shaping homeownership, business stability, and the state’s economic outlook. Yet despite skyrocketing costs and widespread consumer struggles, some legislative leaders indicate they may not address the crisis this session — a stance many residents see as unacceptable.
According to the Orlando Sentinel’s Editorial Board, that inaction is wildly out of touch with the reality Floridians face daily. Florida now holds the unwelcome title of most expensive state in the nation for property insurance — with rates averaging nearly three times the national cost.
Premiums Up, Coverage Down, and Consumer Rights Shrinking
Premiums exceeding $10,000 per year are becoming disturbingly common, even for modest homes in coastal counties. Worse, homeowners are paying more for less coverage, facing higher deductibles, and confronting increasingly restrictive claims processes.
In 2024, hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton ravaged parts of Florida — yet insurers closed 47% of homeowner claims with no payout. Nearly half.
And appeals? Not much better. Over 90% of claim denial appeals are rejected, a sharp consequence of recent reforms that removed insurers’ obligation to cover attorney fees even when they’re found liable.
The system isn’t just strained — it’s stacked. And the Sentinel argues it’s stacked exactly as intended.
The Laws That Were Supposed to “Fix” the Problem
Lawmakers passed major industry-friendly reforms in 2021 and 2022, promising stability and lower premiums. Instead, rates continue to climb, while consumers have fewer protections and fewer paths to challenge unfair decisions.
Yet Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and other leaders insist the laws “need more time to work.” For Floridians facing displacement, financial strain, or foreclosure, that call for patience is becoming harder to accept.
There Are Solutions — They’re Just Not Moving
Two bills that could offer real relief haven’t even been assigned to committees:
SB 128 by Sen. LaVon Bracy-Davis — allows property owners to use a qualified inspector before insurers deny a roof claim.
SB 320 by Sen. Carlos Guillermo-Smith — requires insurers to disclose financial data used to justify rate hikes.
Neither bill has advanced. Without hearings or debate, most homeowners never realize how much their struggles are shaped not only by insurers, but by the laws that govern them.
Real Estate Professionals Feel the Shockwaves
For real estate agents, brokers, and investors, the insurance crisis is far from abstract. Deals collapse when buyers receive shocking premium quotes. Sellers lose value as insurance availability becomes a neighborhood stress test. Coastal listings stall or disappear entirely.
At Cameron Academy, we hear these stories every day from Florida real estate professionals. Clients are overwhelmed, confused, and often discouraged. Today, understanding property insurance is as essential as understanding contracts, ethics, or appraisals — which is exactly why we continue to integrate real-world market challenges into our licensing and continuing education courses.
Time for Lawmakers to Step Up
As the Sentinel’s editorial board argues, leadership requires prioritizing what genuinely matters. While lawmakers push forward bills on unrelated cultural issues and development agendas, millions of Floridians watch their homeownership dreams erode under unmanageable premiums and evaporating coverage.
This is more than a policy debate — it’s a full-scale crisis. For many families, it’s the difference between staying in their homes and walking away forever.
The Orlando Sentinel’s Editorial Board — Krys Fluker, Roger Simmons, and Jay Reddick — offers a powerful call for legislative action. You can read their full editorial at the source linked above.
More Articles
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!
Long Island’s commercial real estate market just smashed every previous record, hitting an unprecedented $4.1 billion in 2025 deal volume—up a massive 71.5 percent from the year before. A surge in specialty-use properties like assisted living centers and self-storage facilities fueled the boom, alongside hundreds of new transactions across Nassau and Suffolk counties. With investor confidence rebounding, interest rates easing, and new buyer profiles entering the scene, the region has become one of the hottest real estate markets to watch.
Federal cuts to housing oversight in 2026 are creating a nationwide regulatory scramble, with states—especially California—rapidly stepping in to fill the gap. As the CFPB reduces its enforcement role, lawmakers and agencies across the country are crafting their own rules on mortgage compliance, consumer protection, affordability, and even AI‑driven underwriting. For real estate, mortgage, and finance professionals, the message is clear: state regulations are becoming just as influential as federal policy, making ongoing education and compliance awareness more critical than ever.
The insurance industry poured an eye‑opening $172 million into federal lobbying in 2025, making it the fourth‑largest lobbying sector in the country. Medical insurers led the spending, but property and casualty giants weren’t far behind, with APCIA, Nationwide, Liberty Mutual, and Allstate all landing among the top contributors. And this is only federal spending—state‑level influence, where regulations are truly shaped, remains vastly underreported. For professionals in insurance, real estate, and finance, these lobbying efforts play a powerful role in shaping regulations, costs, and the competitive landscape.
Florida’s home insurance market saw a 3.35% non-renewal rate last year—a small percentage that translated into hundreds of thousands of homeowners suddenly losing coverage. Driven by repeated storm damage, soaring construction costs, heavy litigation, and insurers pulling back from high-risk areas, the state’s insurance landscape is rapidly shifting. Homeowners now face higher premiums, fewer options, and tougher underwriting, while professionals in real estate, mortgage, and insurance must stay informed to guide clients through a tightening market.
Florida’s recent tort reforms are doing far more than reshaping the state’s legal system—they’re driving down property and casualty insurance costs by an average of 14.5% and injecting over $4.2 billion into the state’s economy each year. With nearly 30,000 jobs supported and state and local governments seeing hundreds of millions in new tax revenue, the changes are already transforming Florida’s insurance market. Lawsuits have dropped, insurers are returning, and businesses and homeowners alike are reaping the benefits of a more balanced, competitive, and financially resilient environment.
Major commercial real estate firms are reporting strong revenue and renewed market activity, signaling a rebound in dealmaking and office demand. Yet even with record earnings, CEOs from CBRE, Colliers, and Marcus & Millichap spent much of their earnings calls addressing a growing concern: whether artificial intelligence could threaten traditional brokerage and valuation roles. While leaders insist that complex transactions still rely on human relationships and negotiation, AI‑related market jitters briefly pushed some CRE stocks down before they recovered.
