Florida legislators passed laws to reduce runaway home insurance costs a few years ago. But with four new bills at the state House that could undo those laws, Florida leaders can’t seem to agree on the right way to lower Florida home insurance premiums.
Supporters lobbying for the 2022–2023 laws aimed at reducing insurance lawsuits argued that they improve struggling insurance markets and stabilize or reduce premiums. Others aren’t so sure. State Sen. Don Gaetz (R-District 1), who recently introduced a bill that would reinstate attorney fee awards, said his goal was also to lower insurance costs.
“There is no silver bullet that will automatically drive down property insurance costs,” Gaetz wrote in a news release. “But we need to do more than reduce litigation.” …
Opponents argue limiting lawsuits won’t help consumers
Supporters say the law aims to prevent inflated claims while protecting the rights of injured parties. But opponents argue it reduces transparency. The Center for Justice & Democracy at New York Law School, an organization dedicated to protecting the civil justice system, claims this legislation doesn’t reduce premiums and can even prevent valid lawsuits from wronged citizens.
The center writes that lawsuits against insurance companies aren’t frivolous and that policyholders must sue insurers if they don’t pay legitimate claims. The organization also lists raising awareness of “the dangerous campaign behind the so-called ‘tort reform’ movement” as one of its main aims.
After Florida passed its tort reform legislation in 2023, the Florida Justice Association (FJA) expressed dismay and concern for Floridians’ civil rights.
“In just three short weeks, Florida lawmakers rushed through some of the largest rights-grabbing legislation in recent history,” former FJA President Curry Pajcic wrote in a press release. “This bill significantly limits the ability of Floridians to hold wrongdoers accountable and effectively gives Big Insurance the keys to our state and our court process.”
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