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Property insurance a top issue for Florida voters. What candidates for state house, senate think

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5

FILE - Members of the Florida House of Representatives work during a legislative session at the Florida State Capitol, March 8, 2022, in Tallahassee, Fla. The Florida Legislature has started a special session focused on fixing the state’s turbulent property insurance market. Lawmakers on Monday, May 23, 2022 began considering sweeping legislation to create a $2 billion reinsurance fund and place new rules around attorney fees and coverage denials as lawmakers attempt to stabilize a market plagued by rising rates and insurer insolvencies. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee, Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida has some of the most expensive property insurance in the country.

According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, the admitted market average homeowners insurance premium was $3,600 as of Aug. 1, 2024.

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A mix of issues contributed to the soaring prices and companies leaving the state – hurricanes, the cost of materials for repairs going up, the cost of reinsurance, and roofing claims among them.

[RESULTS 2024: Complete Coverage | Voter Guide for the Nov. 5 election | Here are the 6 amendments that will be on the Florida ballot in November]

Over the last two years, the Florida Legislature has passed several changes meant to stabilize the market.

  • Repealed one-way attorney fees related to property insurance claims.
  • Repealed assignment of benefits, which means you could no longer sign over your insurance benefits to a third-party
  • Added provisions to reduce the time it takes to resolve and pay out insurance claims faster
  • Allows for higher rate increases for those on Citizens Insurance
  • Created an optional reinsurance assistance program to help insurance companies buy reinsurance at a lower rate.

Insurance experts say they see signs that the insurance market is stabilizing, but prices are still high.

Auto insurance rates are also through the roof. As News 6′s Louis Bolden reported earlier this year, auto insurance rates in Florida went up 24% compared to last year, higher than the national average.

Viewers say insurance costs, particularly property and auto insurance, but also health insurance, were a top issue informing their vote this election in Florida.

So what do the candidates for the Florida House and Senate think about insurance policy in the state?

We asked all of the candidates. The following are the ones who responded to our emails. If more candidates respond, we will add those responses to this story.

Florida Senate

DISTRICT 7

Tom Leek, Republican - Campaign website

“The Florida Legislature has taken steps to attract insurance providers – while reigning in frivolous lawsuits – and we are starting to see results. Since the 2022 and 2023 legislative reforms, eight new companies have joined Florida’s property insurance market, 10 companies filed a zero percent increase, and 13 companies filed for rate decreases, which is expected to take effect in 2024. Homeowners also have taken the initiative in hardening their homes in anticipation of hurricane season to protect their property through the Hurricane Relief Sales Tax Holiday and My Safe Florida Home Program. Related to health insurance, I am proud to have sponsored the Canadian ‘Prescription Drug Importation Programs’ signed into Florida law by Gov. DeSantis in 2019. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved it just this year, it will reduce the price of prescription drugs for many of us, so no longer do we have to choose between paying a mortgage, putting food on the table, or buying medications. This is a major first step in bringing down the cost of health insurance.”

George T. Hill, Democrat - Campaign website

“I would push for laws that require insurance companies to prepare for those ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ weather events that are happening more and more. Legislation must be introduced and passed at the state level to reduce home insurance rates by guaranteeing companies Florida homes will not provide losses due to poor construction and we must tackle climate change head-on to mitigate the effects on our state.”

DISTRICT 9

Sylvain Dore, Democrat - Campaign website

“If elected, I would work tirelessly to ensure we reform our insurance regulations in a way that balances consumer protection and industry accountability. The current system is broken—Floridians are paying far too much, and that’s largely due to the lack of regulation and oversight. I’d push for greater transparency from insurance companies, making sure they can’t exploit loopholes to raise premiums unjustifiably. In addition, I would support creating a consortium of states along the southern side of the country, from California to Florida, to spread out the risk and show insurers that coming into our markets would be a stable move. For health insurance, expanding Medicaid should be a top priority, which will help lower healthcare costs for working families and the uninsured. For auto insurance, I support cracking down on fraud, but not at the expense of higher premiums for consumers.”

DISTRICT 11

Marilyn Holleran, Democrat - Campaign website

“Affordability is a huge issue here in Florida, especially insurance and housing costs. In recent years, the state legislature has not seriously addressed the homeowners insurance issue, and the back to back hurricanes we are experiencing is really shining a light on this problem. One possible way to deal with the homeowners insurance crisis is to implement a system where any insurance company that wants to write car, boat, motorcycle insurance in the state also has to write homeowners and renters insurance.

“Another affordability issue is the high cost of rentals, as corporations buy up properties in a particular area, which allows them to pretty much set the rent as high as they can get away with. This drives middle income and younger folks out of the housing market. One solution could be to set a limit on the percentage of rental properties a corporation (or individual) owns in a specific area.”

DISTRICT 19

Randy Fine, Republican - Campaign website

“The Bidenflation promoted by Democrats has crushed our insurance rates. Insurance costs are complicated – they are based on the cost of claims. When thanks to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, the cost of homes, home materials, medical services, and auto repairs soars, so does the cost of insurance. At the federal level, we need a president who can bring down the cost of living, and with that, insurance costs will go down. But in Florida, what we can do is work to ensure that we minimize the number of fraudulent claims as well as reduce the cost to complete a claim. We need to ensure that insurers pay legitimate claims quickly, so that lawyers don’t have to get involved, driving up the cost of claims. And we need to make sure those doing the repairs do it at reasonable cost.”

Florida House

DISTRICT 26

Jackie Arndt, Democrat - Campaign website

“Health - We must have low-income Medicare in this state. It is unacceptable that Florida does not have this. I will push to have the amendment for Medicare that is currently being circulated for signatures to be approved and placed on the ballot.

“Property — With the rising storms, flooding, and wind damage, claims will continue to increase. We must ensure transparency in how insurance companies handle costs and covered claims. Fraud and deceit by bad actors should be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

“Auto - Insurance companies must offer both property and auto insurance. If the insurance companies do not provide property insurance in Florida, they should not be able to offer auto insurance. All insurance costs should be fair, efficient, and transparent for fraud.”

DISTRICT 27

Andy Ferrari, Democrat - Campaign website

“Honestly the first step to fixing all three of the above listed problems is simply that we MUST ELECT DEMOCRATS to State Legislature to end the Republican Super Majority. The republican party has had 30 years. THIRTY YEARS they’ve been the majority and in power (in) Tallahassee and LOOK AT THE MESS they’ve allowed to happen. We need to end the Citizens insurance crisis, allow women to handle their own medical health decisions, including abortions, and we need to keep the money earmarked for affordable housing.”

DISTRICT 28

John Navarra, Democrat - Campaign website

“The new legislators should meet with experts in the field to get ideas from all stakeholders and experts on what to do about insurance. We need to know where we are now and the best path for the future. We also need to have a path for honest home owners to be able to appeal if their adjuster doesn’t settle for a fair amount of compensation. There is a super majority of Republican legislators representing the insurance companies. We Democrats need to make sure that home owners are treated fairly.”

Joe Hannoush, Libertarian - Campaign website

“The reason health insurance premiums have gone up is in part due to health care providers charging higher prices for insured patients vrs uninsured patients, knowing the patient won’t see what their insurance company is being charged to pay. In addition to that, even premiums are being paid due to subsidies by government. That further allows the insurance companies the ability to raise premiums knowing many customer’s cost is covered by government. The solution I will bring to the State Legislature is for price transparency for health care providers.

“Property insurance premiums have gone up because local governments have zoned land use for development that is literally on wetlands. This leads to flooding of other properties and streets causes property damage which lead to more insurance payouts and higher premiums to cover the payouts. Further, government tries to defy Mother Nature by bandaid patchwork. For example, beach erosion restoration at the cost to taxpayers. The solution is getting the government out of the business of deciding a wetland property is somehow ok to build a commercial or residential neighborhood on.”

DISTRICT 29

Matt Johnson, Libertarian - Campaign website

“The root cause of skyrocketing insurance costs—whether health, property, or auto—lies in government intervention and regulation that stifles competition and inflates costs. From a libertarian perspective, the best way to rein in these costs is by removing unnecessary government mandates and allowing a truly free market to function. In health insurance, I support removing barriers to competition across state lines and eliminating mandated coverage requirements that force insurers to include services people may not want or need. For property and auto insurance, we need to reduce state regulations that inflate costs and give special benefits to specific industries. By allowing more competition and choice, insurers will have to provide better service at lower costs to attract consumers.”

DISTRICT 31

Joanne Terry, Democrat - Campaign website

“High insurance costs are a key driver of affordable living in Florida. Over the last 6 years, our property insurance rates have skyrocketed. The legislation passed in Florida has focused on attracting more insurance companies by ensuring private companies can be profitable in Florida. This approach has not worked. I will work to find solutions that more directly reduce insurance costs for Floridians.

“I want to remove the requirement for Citizens’ policyholders to purchase flood insurance even if they don’t need it. This has become an unnecessary expense for many homeowners and will impact all Citizens policyholders by 2027. I also support defining more types of insurance products, other than just the standard insurance policy, that provides homeowners more choice, adds private equity into the system, and expands competition while diversifying risk in the insurance market.

“We also need to expand the My Safe Florida Home Program. The current program does not provide for enough upgrades to reduce insurance premiums. Upgrades that protect homes from weather events are one of the best ways to reduce premium cost and reduce repair costs.

“Florida has one of the highest, if not the highest, auto insurance rates in the nation. Several laws have been passed in the last few years, but so far, are having little effect. We need more comprehensive policies that limit personal injury liability. When insurance companies pay large settlements, it’s the policyholders that ultimately pay for those through our premiums. We must make sure we have a system that incentives safe driving, provides for needed repairs, medical payments and lost wages, but does not unfairly take advantage of the system.

“Regarding health insurance, I support Florida accepting Medicaid Expansion. Florida is refusing billions of dollars of available federal funding that would provide healthcare access to hundreds of thousands of Floridians. This benefit helps people who work, make too much money for traditional Medicaid, but not enough to receive tax credits under the ACA. We must ensure that all Floridians have access to the tools they need to be economically independent, and access to affordable healthcare is critical to keep people healthy and engaged in the workforce. If we can’t get it done through legislation, then I support the current ballot petition initiative to put Medicaid Expansion on the 2026 ballot for the voters to decide.”

DISTRICT 33

Vernon Anderson, Democrat - Campaign website

“Reining in insurance costs (health, property and auto): As insurance companies are regulated by the state, it is important that we look at all drivers of costs which is everything impacting the risk analysis. For property insurance, we cannot get bogged down about what is or is not a cause of climate change, but acknowledge it and call it what it is so that we can address these risks, which may include halting development in high risk areas or requiring anyone who chooses to build in these areas to accept more risk themselves. For health insurance we should take a look at how our costs can be managed in a free market economy and at the same time eliminate senseless costs or fees within the supply chain to provide medicines or medical care. With auto rates, we can take a look at those who are abusing the insurance process, but this is also a great opportunity to connect with the climate change and build better public transportation systems that provide gains beyond the need for profitability - as there is no value greater than sustaining the quality of life for Floridians.”

DISTRICT 35

Erika Booth, Republican - Campaign website

“This problem was caused by both parties, Republicans and Democrats. First we must bring insurance company CEO’s to Tallahassee and have them testify under oath as to why there has not yet been rate relief. Second we must form a statewide investigative unit to find corruption, fraud and profiteering and charge individuals involved.”

Tom Keen, Democrat (incumbent) - Campaign website

“We need to hold insurance companies accountable. I will increase oversight to ensure that they pay claims after natural disasters strike our community.”

DISTRICT 37

Susan Plascencia, Republican (incumbent) - Campaign website

“My vote will always be to fight for our citizens. I believe it’s essential to hold insurance companies accountable and ensure they are acting in the best interest of Floridians. I would support reforms that help reign in skyrocketing costs of health, property and auto insurance. As mentioned above, we have adopted some reforms that have attracted more insurance providers, giving Floridians more options and competitive pricing. We have done the same for auto insurance. Prices have stabilized recently and will hopefully start to fall. A lot will of course depend on recent hurricanes. To help with health insurance costs, I have been advocating for higher reimbursements rates for Medicaid. That would give Medicaid recipients more doctor and healthcare options.”

Nate Douglas, Democrat - Campaign website

I would vote no on the $1 billion bailout and the bill stripping away a homeowners ability to hold their insurance provider accountable. We need to address the issues surrounding insurance companies’ ability to drop homeowners or raise premiums due to climate-related disasters and deal with the anti-competitive practices used by both insurance and reinsurance markets.

DISTRICT 38

Sarah Henry, Democrat - Campaign website

“The insurance crisis can be tackled by the state legislature in several crucial ways, first the state needs to increase the transparency of how state funds are spent to bail out insurance companies. There are limited regulations on how those funds are allocated and as a result insurance companies are taking these funds and leaving the state without addressing residents’ claims. Additionally, I would further explore HB1213, introduced in January 2023 by Representatives Cassel and Roach. This legislation offers an innovative approach to Citizens coverage and is worth additional exploration and development.”

DISTRICT 39

Marsha Summersill, Democrat - Campaign website

“Florida families are struggling with rising insurance costs, especially in health and property insurance. As someone who has personally experienced the devastating consequences of inadequate healthcare—having lost my brother due to a lack of access to affordable healthcare—I understand firsthand the urgency of addressing these issues. One of my top priorities will be to expand Medicaid to cover more uninsured Floridians. This move would bring in federal dollars to help fund the expansion with minimal impact on the state budget. Providing access to preventive care and managing chronic conditions before they escalate will reduce overall healthcare costs for everyone. When it comes to property insurance, Florida’s market is in crisis. We need to reform regulations to make it more attractive for insurance companies to operate in Florida while holding them accountable to ensure they don’t pass excessive costs onto consumers. We must also strengthen state-level oversight to prevent predatory practices that make homeownership more unaffordable. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach.”

DISTRICT 40

BeBeFord, Republican - Campaign website

“Reining in insurance costs (health, property and auto) Property insurance Property tax I would like to see more competitors. I support private health insurance. Medicaid needs to work more cohesively with providers. I will work hard to streamline this effort. We need legislation that will put more money back into the pockets of constituents, and not auto insurance companies.”

DISTRICT 42

Gregory Pull, Republican - Campaign website

“Homeowner insurance costs and homeowner insurance renewals are key areas of focus in my campaign. I would go to work for homeowners to attract more insurance carriers to the state so when more options are made available, competition occurs. This naturally drives down premiums so homeowners will be saving money while also having better coverage options made available. Further, I would work to standardize the replacement of items (i.e. hot water heaters) that insurance carriers typically require to be replaced in many renewals far sooner than the end of the regular useful lifespan.

“The property insurance situation we face has compounded the affordability for condominium owners statewide. Condo Boards as well as HOA Boards are now forced to fund their condo reserve funds which have been neglected and voted down over the past three decades. In a rush to respond without much consideration as to whether the citizens of Florida could even afford this requirement, a hasty rush to voting in favor of condominium owners being required to fund reserves has resulted in many seeing their condo monthly dues increasing substantially - doubling their monthly dues. In order to satisfy this abrupt requirement, many are draining their savings while others are trying to sell their units at a loss (a.k.a. short sale) or even consider foreclosure. I would only have supported this Reserve Requirement mandate only if A.) a no interest loan option had been provided for condo owners cover this unforeseen expense or B.) I would have given them more time to seek alternative options to comply. For now, condo owners statewide are leveraging all their savings and impossible increases to their condo dues, escalating taxes and insurance premiums which have spiked in the past year leaving many condo owners trapped.”

Anna Eskamani, Democrat (incumbent) - Campaign website

“The skyrocketing cost of property insurance in Florida is a serious crisis, and the most transformative solution would be creating a public, nonprofit insurance company open to all Floridians. This would allow any homeowner to purchase hurricane (windstorm) insurance from Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-backed nonprofit. Private insurers would continue to cover other aspects of homeowners’ insurance like fire and theft. This approach would dramatically lower premiums and is a bipartisan idea that has been supported by both Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature. Experts agree that this model would be effective, safer for policyholders, and could accumulate savings during years without major hurricanes to better prepare for future claims. Additionally, it would reduce Florida taxpayers’ current burden of subsidizing private insurers, who are allowed to pick profitable properties while leaving high-risk homes to the public system. We also need to address the financial shell games played by some private insurance companies to unfairly pocket profits. Strengthening regulations and increasing transparency in the industry will help catch these accounting tricks. Finally, it’s crucial to continue making Florida more resilient by funding home-hardening programs, improving building codes, and addressing climate change through renewable energy and responsible growth.

“Rising healthcare costs directly affect premiums, and we need to address the root causes of those increases. I would work to expand access to affordable healthcare by pushing for the expansion of Medicaid in Florida, which could bring federal dollars into the state and cover more uninsured residents. This would reduce pressure on emergency care costs, which often drive premiums up for everyone. I would also advocate for increased transparency in healthcare pricing so patients know what they’re paying for and can make more informed choices, thereby encouraging competition and lowering costs.

“I would champion efforts to reform personal injury protection (PIP) laws to reduce fraudulent claims while ensuring injured drivers receive the care they need. Additionally, I would push for stronger consumer protections to prevent predatory pricing and ensure fair competition in the market so that Floridians can get better deals on their auto insurance policies. Increasing access to health insurance would also reduce the cost of auto insurance and address the high costs associated with car repair materials and labor.

“Finally, we need to elect consumer-focused leaders willing to challenge special interests who often profit from these broken systems. This combination of a public insurance option, cracking down on corporate abuses, and long-term resilience planning will help stabilize property insurance costs for Floridians.”

DISTRICT 43

Joe Melendez, Republican - Campaign website

“When it comes to insurance, I believe it is crucial to sit down with insurance companies that have left the state of Florida to see what incentives can be created to bring them back to the state while at the same time look to see how we can ensure that the community has more affordability when it comes to insurance. I would also like to sit down with insurance companies from outside of the state of Florida to see how we can bring them to our state. This is in hopes of creating competition which will help reduce the high cost of insurance.

DISTRICT 45

Carolina Amesty, Republican (incumbent) - Campaign website

Insurance costs are a real challenge for families. I support reforms that promote competition, increase transparency, and hold insurers accountable while maintaining high-quality coverage.”

Leonard Spencer, Democrat - Campaign website

“Reining in insurance costs (health, property and auto) I would vote for bills that increase transparency and accountability, while reducing fraud and waste. I would also vote to help consumers get through this crisis by expanding home repair assistance programs.”

DISTRICT 47

Paula Stark, Republican (incumbent) - Campaign website

“I voted for HB 1D because some action needed to be taken on behalf of our citizens.. The AOB portion assisted in reducing fraud which was a driver of some of the issues. It was understood at the time that it would take a minimum of 18 months for things to progress. We are now past that bench mark. A report was published just last week announcing multiple new insurers in the state with the continued commitments of Progressive, State Farm and USAA. Fifteen companies have made a total of 22 filings for rate decreases and 42 filings have been for 0 increases. While this is encouraging we are still uncertain of the overall effect. Continued monitoring needs to be done to see where and how quickly this is moving. Perhaps we should have our municipalities be diligent in approving certain development locations that put buildings at risk. Another avenue would be to reach out to our congressional leaders to propose an initiative to have insurance companies use a national average for all states.”

Maria Revelles, Democrat - Campaign website

“The rising costs of health, property, and auto insurance are creating unbearable strain on Florida’s families and small businesses. If elected, I will advocate for policies that protect consumers from steep premium increases, while holding insurance companies accountable. Health insurance costs are a critical concern for working families, and I believe we need transparency in pricing and strong regulations to prevent exploitative practices. For property insurance, we must address the climate crisis, which intensifies weather risks and drives up premiums. This means investing in climate resilience, while working to attract more insurers into our market, ensuring they offer fair and affordable coverage. Auto insurance reform, too, is essential, especially for our working families who rely on transportation daily, and we need policies to curb unjustified premium hikes and ensure access to fair coverage for all.”

DISTRICT 52

Ash Marwah, Democrat - Campaign website

“We need to change how we handle insurance radically. A second hurricane is almost upon us this year and the losses are going to be overwhelming.

“We need to create a true non-profit insurance company to cover windstorm and hurricane losses. This taxpayer funded company will build reserves during the years there is no hurricane and pay damages when there is a hurricane. This system was presented by a group of bi-partisan legislators 15 years ago and then again this year and rejected again in the Insurance and Banking Subcommittee.

“The current laws passed in 2022 are too favorable to insurance companies and leave the policyholders in a bind. The premiums keep going up and the Claims are not getting paid. We have to change this scenario drastically if we are ever going to have control over the homeowners insurance issue.”


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