Recap of Week 9 & Adjournment of Session
Senate President Ben Albritton presiding on March 13, 2026. Courtesy, The Florida Channel
Leaders of the Florida House and Senate will spend this and the next few weeks figuring out how to bridge a $1.4 billion gap that exists between their two chambers’ proposals for next year’s state budget, due by the start of the new fiscal year on July 1. The impasse, similar to last year’s, prompted this past Friday’s adjournment of the legislative session without a budget agreement, without anyone’s priority bills being passed, and without the traditional Sine Die hanky drop ceremony – usually a joyous occasion.
House Speaker Daniel Perez presiding on March 13, 2026. Courtesy, The Florida Channel
The House refused to take up the ‘Rural Renaissance’ bill that was Senate President Ben Albritton’s (R-Wauchula) priority, and the Senate didn’t take up two healthcare modernization bills that were House Speaker Daniel Perez’s (R-Miami) priority. Governor DeSantis, likewise, didn’t get his priorities either: a ban on vaccine mandates for children entering public schools, and comprehensive regulation on artificial intelligence. He criticized the House for its lack of action on the measures and for pushing cuts to Everglades restoration projects. The Governor said he would veto a future budget that cut those Everglades projects.
Governor Ron DeSantis at a news conference on March 13, 2026. Courtesy, The Florida Channel
Perez and Albritton agreed to call a special session in April to finish the state budget, that may or may not coincide with the scheduled April 20 special session on redistricting called by the Governor. In the meantime, the House Rules and Ethics Committee approved a rule that allows members to fundraise during extended or special sessions – mirroring the same rule that’s always existed in the Senate.
A total of 192 bills did pass this session, continuing a downward trend that started two years ago. Among them:
- Citizenship verification for voters, along with restricted IDs accepted at the polls
- Added requirements for public employee unions
- Restrictions on data centers, including new regulations for electricity and water use
- Expansion of the guardian gun program for Florida colleges and universities
- Ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs and policies in local governments
- Recognition and regulation of Naturopathic Medicine (more in this newsletter)
- Creation of a Public Registry of Animal Abusers
From a property insurance perspective, it’s not what passed that mattered this session but what didn’t pass: an effort to roll back some of the key 2022 & 2023 insurance consumer and litigation reforms, as you’ll read in this Bill Watch.
Here is the updated list of legislative bills we’ve been following. You can click the bill link in the list below to go directly to the bill and its details further below. We’ve organized the bills into two categories: “Passed” and “Did Not Pass.” “Updated” bills are so noted. Updates within each bill are noted in blue font:
Bills Passed & Awaiting Governor’s Signature
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Updated
Insurance Customer Representative Licensing Qualifications Updated
Reinsurance Intermediary Managers Updated
Department of Financial Services Updated
Protected Cell Captive Insurance Companies Updated
Electric Bicycles Updated
Nature-Based Coastal Resilience Updated
Bills that Did Not Pass
Office of Insurance Regulation Updated
Mandatory Human Reviews of Insurance Claim Denials Updated
Residential Property Insurance
Assessment of Property Used for Residential Purposes
Land Use Regulations for Local Governments Affected by Natural Disasters
Home Hardening Products
Dispute Resolutions Involving Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
Unauthorized Aliens
Litigation Financing
Property Insurance Affiliates
Roofing Requirements for Property Insurance
Payment Scam Task Force
Public Adjuster Contracts
Rate Filings for Property Insurers
Homeowners’ Insurance Policies
Whistleblower Protections for Employees and Independent Contractors of Property Insurers
Emergency Residential Property Insurance Assistance Trust Fund/Department of Financial Services
Transparency in Insurance Matters
Resolution of Disputed Property Insurance Claims
Insurance Solutions Advisory Council
Initiating a Property Insurance Interstate Compact
Motor Vehicle Insurance
Required Reports of the Office of Insurance Regulation
Rates for Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Coverage
Property Insurer Financial Strength Ratings
Coverage by Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
Insurance
Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund
Bills that Passed and Await the Governor’s Signature
(UPDATED) SB 1028 Citizens Property Insurance Corporation by Sen. Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota) and the similar HB 943 by Rep. Mike Redondo (R-Miami)
Status: HB 943 was laid on the table. SB 1028 was heard and passed by the full House after previously passing the Senate and will now head to the Governor. Questions and debate from the House floor on the bill from this past week can be found here starting at timecode 4:10:35.
SB 1028 furthers the effort to shrink Citizens’ policy count. It restructures and expands the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation commercial‑lines clearinghouse by creating separate systems for authorized and surplus lines insurers and limiting Citizens eligibility when comparable private‑market coverage is available within 15% of the total cost. It provides disclosure requirements for the clearinghouse by requiring insurers and agents to state the risk, approved rate, and premium after application of s. 627.351(6)(n)5, and directs the clearinghouse administrator to disclose the total cost of coverage. The measure also clarifies agent appointment and commission rules, places the program under the oversight and approval authority of the Office of Insurance Regulation, and protects proprietary business information submitted to the clearinghouses. (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) HB 1343 Insurance Customer Representative Licensing Qualifications by Rep. Brian Hodgers (R-Viera) and the similar SB 1504 by Sen. Alexis Calatayud (R-Miami)
Status: SB 1504 was laid on the table. HB 1343 was heard and passed by the full Senate after previously passing the House and will now head to the Governor.
HB 1343 establishes a half-credit high school elective in insurance and personal finance that satisfies pre-licensure education requirements for the customer service representative (4-40) license, needed to work as a salaried employee of a general lines agent or agency in Florida. The bill had broad industry support, including from the Professional Insurance Agents of Florida (PIA-FL). (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) SB 394 Reinsurance Intermediary Managers by Sen. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach) and the identical HB 99 by Rep. Richard Gentry (R-Astor)
Status: HB 99 was laid on the table. SB 394 was heard and passed by the full House after previously passing the Senate and will now head to the Governor.
SB 394 exempts an underwriting manager who manages assumed facultative risks for a reinsurer from reinsurance intermediary manager licensing requirements, if the facultative reinsurance business managed by the underwriting manager is less than 10% of the assumed annual gross written premium of the reinsurer. (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) SB 1452 Department of Financial Services by Sen. Keith Truenow (R-Tavares) and its similar companion HB 1221 by Rep. Chip LaMarca (R-Lighthouse Point)
Status: HB 1221 was laid on the table. SB 1452 was heard and passed by the full House and Senate and will now head to the Governor.
SB 1452 spans 159 pages and includes extensive revisions affecting the Department of Financial Services. Please click the staff analysis for more additional details on the full bill and the analysis of the adopted amendment prior to final passage. (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) HB 883 Protected Cell Captive Insurance Companies by Rep. Tom Fabricio (R-Miami-Dade) and the identical SB 990 by Sen. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach)
Status: SB 990 was laid on the table. HB 883 was heard and passed by the full House and Senate and will now head to the Governor.
HB 883 updates Florida’s captive insurance statutes by authorizing the formation and regulation of protected cell captive insurance companies and formally adding them to the state’s definition of “captive insurance company.” It establishes a comprehensive regulatory structure governing their creation, licensure, and financial requirements, including minimum capital, net asset, and surplus standards. Coverage issued by these entities is limited to protected cell participants, and the bill permits the pooling of cell assets for limited administrative purposes while maintaining legal separation between cells. It also outlines procedures for legal actions involving individual cells. Supporters note that protected cell structures are widely used in other jurisdictions to provide flexible, cost‑efficient risk‑management options while preserving strong oversight. The measure is intended to strengthen Florida’s regulatory framework, enhance competitiveness in the captive insurance market, and promote economic development. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026. Among its supporters is the Florida Captive Insurance Association, a new association that is working to make Florida a major domicile for captives. You can read more background in the Insurance Journal. (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) SB 382 Electric Bicycles by Sen. Keith Truenow (R-Tavares) and its similar companion HB 243 by Rep. Yvette Benarroch (R-Naples)
Status: HB 243 was laid on the table. SB 382 was heard and passed by the full House after previously passing the Senate and will now head to the Governor.
SB 382 strengthens safety requirements for electric bicycles and establishes a statewide framework to improve oversight of micromobility devices. The bill adds new operational rules for electric bicycles, including yielding requirements on shared pathways and a 10‑mph speed limit when operating on sidewalks near pedestrians. Violations are treated as noncriminal traffic infractions.
The bill creates the Micromobility Device Safety Task Force, housed within the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). The task force is charged with reviewing current laws, evaluating safety concerns, and recommending statutory and regulatory improvements. Membership includes representatives from law enforcement, local governments, the micromobility industry, medical professionals, and safety organizations. The task force must convene within 30 days of the bill becoming law, meet monthly—including at least one meeting in each major region of the state—and submit a final report with legislative recommendations by October 1, 2026, after which it expires.
The bill also requires the Florida Highway Patrol, police departments, and sheriff’s offices to maintain detailed lists of all micromobility‑related crashes beginning 30 days after the bill becomes law. Agencies must report this data to DHSMV by October 15, 2026, and DHSMV must compile and submit a statewide summary to the Governor and Legislature by October 31, 2026. Crash data must be categorized by device type and county. Except where otherwise specified, the act takes effect upon becoming law. (Return to Top of List)
(UPDATED) SB 302 Nature-Based Coastal Resilience by Sen. Ileana Garcia (R-Miami) and its comparable HB 1035 by Rep. James Vernon ‘Jim’ Mooney, Jr. (R-Key Largo) SB 302 by Sen. Ileana Garcia (R-Miami) promotes green infrastructure and nature-based solutions such as living shorelines and restored natural systems. Both bills are moving through committees.
Status: HB 1035 was laid on the table. SB 302 was heard and passed by the full House after previously passing the Senate and was signed into law by the Governor on March 19, 2026.
SB 302 requires the Department of Environmental Protection to adopt rules and guidelines for nature-based solutions for improving coastal resilience; and requires the department, in consultation with the Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services of the Department of Financial Services, to conduct a statewide feasibility study regarding the value of nature-based solutions being used for a specified purpose, among other measures. There is an appropriation included of $250,000. (Return to Top of List)
Bills That Did Not Pass
(UPDATED) HB 1263 Office of Insurance Regulation by Rep. Linda Chaney (R-St. Petersburg) is the Office of Insurance Regulation’s agency package and updates regulatory requirements across multiple lines of insurance. For all regulated entities, it requires OIR to receive copies of security‑breach notices sent to the Attorney General, authorizes adoption of the 2024 NAIC Market Conduct Examiners Handbook, and establishes new fingerprinting and background‑check procedures for key managerial personnel. It also requires insurers within holding company systems to submit annual group capital calculation reports and, when applicable, liquidity stress test results. The bill creates a registration framework for attorneys‑in‑fact of reciprocal insurers and authorizes OIR to conduct market conduct examinations of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and Third-Party Administrators (TPAs). For private passenger auto, it mandates the use of approved catastrophe models for comprehensive hurricane‑related losses beginning in 2027, requires full rate filings after two consecutive years of rate certifications, and establishes a new monthly reporting requirement. For property insurance, the bill requires flood losses to be modeled using a Hurricane Modeling Commission‑approved model, directs OIR to set minimum mitigation discounts for construction features exceeding the Florida Building Code, updates roof‑related mitigation notice requirements, and creates a statewide database for 1802 mitigation forms. It also repeals outdated reporting requirements related to Assignment of Benefits (AOBs) and certain liability‑related annual reports. Although the bill passed the House unanimously on March 5, 2026, it was never taken up by the Senate and never had a Senate companion bill. (Return to Top of List)
UPDATED SB 202 Mandatory Human Reviews of Insurance Claim Denials by Sen. Jennifer Bradley (R-Fleming Island) and the comparable HB 527 by Rep. Hillary Cassel require that insurance companies’ decisions to deny a claim or any portion of a claim be made by qualified human professionals; prohibit the use of algorithms, artificial intelligence, or machine learning systems as the sole basis for determining whether to adjust or deny a claim; and authorize the Office of Insurance Regulation to conduct market conduct examinations and investigations under certain circumstances, among other measures. Although HB 527 passed the House unanimously on March 5, 2026, it was never heard by the full Senate; SB 202 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 832 Residential Property Insurance by Sen. Bryan Avila (R-Miami Springs) and the similar HB 767 by Rep. Yvette Benarroch (R-Surfside ) requires that certain rate filings with the Office of Insurance Regulation from residential property insurance companies include rate transparency reports; requires OIR to establish and maintain a comprehensive resource center on its website; specifies that certain information is not a trade secret and is not subject to certain public records exemptions; prohibits an insurance company from including the value of certain land when establishing a coverage amount or adjusting certain claims, among other measures. Although HB 767 passed the House unanimously on February 25, 2026, it was never heard by the full Senate; SB 832 passed just one committee hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 434 Assessment of Property Used for Residential Purposes by Sen. Tom Leek (R-Ormond Beach) and the identical HB 617 by Rep. Toby Overdorf (R-Stuart) define the term “changes or improvements made to improve the property’s resistance to wind damage;” and prohibits the consideration of the increase in just value of a property which is attributable to changes or improvements made to improve the property’s resistance to wind damage in determinations of the assessed value of certain property, among other measures. Although SB 434 passed the Senate unanimously on February 19, 2026, it was never heard by the full House; HB 617 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 840 Land Use Regulations for Local Governments Affected by Natural Disasters by Sen. Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks Beach) would throttle-back the scope of SB 180, passed in the 2025 session, that limited post-hurricane land use actions by local governments and has been the subject of subsequent lawsuits. There was a comparable bill in the House, HB 1465 by Rep. Alex Andrade (R-Pensacola). SB 840 clarifies the one-year moratorium on local governments from actions that prevent or delay the repair or reconstruction of hurricane damaged buildings, allowing it only for the purpose of addressing stormwater, flood water management, potable water supply, or necessary repairs or replacement of sanitary sewer systems. The bill keeps the temporary ban that’s in place until June 2026 on “more restrictive and burdensome” planning and land use changes by local governments impacted by the 2024 hurricanes. Among other provisions and clarifications, the bill updates SB 180 to reflect that in the future, local governments may pass tougher building codes for new development but it keeps the one-year block on any new codes that would impact properties being rebuilt after hurricane damage.
HB 1465 defines “burdensome” and “restrictive” to limit local government actions that reduce development rights or delay approvals; eliminates a study requirement and removes outdated language; allows enforcement of certain plan or regulation changes only if specific conditions are met, including applications aimed at compliance and those that meaningfully expand development options; permits broader civil actions by property owners, business owners, and residents against prohibited local government actions; and requires local governments to process pending applications under the less restrictive regulations in effect when the application was filed. Although SB 840 passed the Senate unanimously on February 19, 2026, it was never heard by the full House; HB 1465 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 78 Home Hardening Products by Sen. Rosalind Osgood (D-Fort Lauderdale) and the similar HB 185 by Rep. Lisa Dunkley (D- Fort Lauderdale) provide a sales tax exemption for home hardening products used on eligible residential property; specify a limitation on exemptions; require property owners to submit an application to the Department of Revenue in order to be eligible; and provide requirements for the department in issuing refunds. HB 185 never received a vote by the full House and SB 78 made it through only one of three committee stops. (Return to Top of List)
SB 1716 Dispute Resolutions Involving Citizens Property Insurance Corporation by Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Lee) and the comparable HB 863 by Rep. Yvette Benarroch (R-Collier). Both bills remove Citizens’ ability to require policyholders to resolve claim disputes out of court through alternative dispute resolution. The House bill requires policyholder consent, while the Senate bill completely removes the current Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) arbitration program from Citizens law. Although HB 863 passed the House unanimously on February 4, 2026, it was never heard by the full Senate; SB 1716 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 1380 Unauthorized Aliens by Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Lee) and the similar bill HB 1307 Unauthorized Aliens by Rep. Berny Jacques (R-Clearwater) is part of Chief Financial Officer, Blaise Ingoglia’s, legislative proposal to fight back against illegal immigration. The legislative proposals remove Illegal aliens as covered employees in the Workers’ Compensation statute; require companies to use E-Verify to submit a Worker’s Compensation claim; and forces illegal immigrants’ insurance companies to accept fault if an illegal immigrant is involved in a car accident in Florida. SB 1380 never received a hearing and HB 1307 passed only one committee. (Return to Top of List)
HB 1157 Litigation Financing by Rep. Fabián Basabe (R-Miami-Dade) and the similar SB 1396 by Sen. Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland) picks up where past efforts in recent sessions made no progress in regulating third-party funding of lawsuits against businesses, including insurance companies. SB 1396 would bar litigation financiers from directing legal proceedings, paying referral fees or commissions to any person, securitizing a litigation financing agreement and receiving more than their authorized share of proceeds or a higher share of a settlement than the plaintiff. SB 1396 also requires disclosure of any litigation financing agreement if it involves a foreign person, principal or sovereign wealth fund, according to the bill’s text. These disclosures would not be required to include specific terms of the agreement. The bill would also allow courts to consider the existence of a financing agreement when determining the adequacy of a class action plaintiff representative or counsel. The provisions of SB 1396 are mirrored in House Bill 1157.
HB 1157 requires a court’s consideration of potential conflicts of interest which may arise from the existence of a litigation financing agreement in specified circumstances; prohibits specified acts by litigation financiers; requires certain disclosures related to litigation financing agreements and the involvement of foreign persons, foreign principals, or sovereign wealth funds; and requires the indemnification of specified fees, costs, and sanctions by a litigation financier in specified circumstances, among other provisions. The Insurance Journal published an article providing more details on these proposals. SB 1396, despite passing its three committees, was never heard by the full Senate; HB 1157 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
HB 1399 Property Insurance Affiliates by Rep. Kimberly Berfield (R-Pinellas) and its comparable SB 234 by Sen. Carlos Smith (D-Orange) creates new oversight requirements for property insurers’ transactions with affiliates, requiring fair and reasonable financial arrangements, mandatory registration for affiliates, and consideration of affiliate revenue in rate filings. HB 1399 Creates s. 624.44101, F.S., requiring property insurers to submit documentation showing fees, commissions, and payments to affiliates are fair and reasonable, and authorizing the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) to restrict fund transfers during emergencies and impose penalties for violations; creates s. 624.44102, F.S., giving the OIR authority over dividend payments to affiliates and any pledged capital or assets for loans, requiring prior approval, and providing penalties for unauthorized transactions; creates s. 624.44103, F.S., establishing a registration requirement for affiliates, outlining reporting and disclosure obligations, setting grounds for denial or revocation of registration, and imposing potential civil and criminal penalties; and amends s. 627.062, F.S., to require property insurance rate filings to account for an affiliate’s profits and revenues, and deem rates excessive if they fail to include such considerations. SB 234 Mandates that insurers provide annual details on affiliate fees, commissions, and associated cost analyses to the Office of Insurance Regulation; requires insurers working with managing general agents to submit additional disclosures about fee percentages and justifications exceeding 20%; obligates the Office of Insurance Regulation to hire an independent reviewer each year for an analysis of affiliate and managing general agent transactions; instructs insurers to publicly post this financial transaction information on their websites and clarifies that it is not treated as a trade secret; prohibits insurers from entering into affiliate transactions designed to misrepresent or conceal their financial condition; bars the payment of dividends or issuance of executive bonuses if the insurer is in a precarious financial condition or significantly impacted by high affiliate expenses. Although HB 1399 passed the House on a 106-3 vote on February 4, 2026, it was never heard by the full Senate; SB 234 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 808 Roofing Requirements for Property Insurance by Sen. Corey Simon (R-Tallahassee) and the identical HB 815 by Rep. Michael Gottlieb (D-Davie) revise the definition of the term “authorized inspector” to include certain roof consultants and roof observers; prohibit an insurance company from refusing to issue or renew a property insurance policy on a residential structure that has a roof less than a specified age solely because of the roof’s age; and prohibit an insurance company from refusing to issue or renew a property insurance policy under certain circumstances, among other measures. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
HB 195 Payment Scam Task Force by Rep. Jervonte Edmonds (D-West Palm Beach) and the similar SB 570 by Sen. Tina Polsky (D-Boca Raton) create a Task Force on Payment Scams adjunct to the Department of Financial Services (DFS); requires DFS to provide administrative and staff support relating to the task force; requires Florida’s CFO to establish the task force by a specified date; provides the task force’s purpose; provides memberships & terms; provides that members serve without compensation but are entitled to per diem & travel expenses; provides requirements for meetings; provides duties of the task force; provides reporting requirements; and provides for future repeal and legislative review of the task force. SB 570 passed only one committee; HB 195 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
HB 427 Public Adjuster Contracts by Rep. Lauren Melo (R-Naples) and the identical SB 266 by Sen. Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland) authorize certain persons to rescind a contract for public adjuster services; and clarify acts that may subject a public adjuster or public adjuster apprentice to discipline. These bills allow a vulnerable adult (defined in Chapter 415, Florida Statutes) to cancel a public adjuster at any time. Both bills passed their first committees but did not progress further. (Return to Top of List)
SB 30 Rate Filings for Property Insurers by Sen. Barbara Sharief (D-Miramar) and the comparable bills HB 1493 by Rep. Dotie Joseph (D-Miami-Dade) and SB 1726 by Sen. Carlos Smith (D-Orlando) revises the powers of the insurance consumer advocate; specifies that a failure to obey certain court orders may be punished as contempt; authorizes a circuit court to order a person to pay certain expenses; enhances the state’s consumer advocate powers to challenge property insurance rate filings and restricts repeated steep increases in property insurance rates; limits property insurance rate approvals above a certain threshold and disallows cumulative increases beyond specified percentages within a 12-month period; enhances the powers of the consumer advocate to request hearings, compel testimony, and seek expedited appellate review of property insurance rate filings; requires the Department of Financial Services to adopt a home resiliency grading scale and pilot innovative mitigation solutions for residential property insurers and mortgage lenders; and prohibits the Office of Insurance Regulation from approving certain rate filings, among other measures. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 128 Homeowners’ Insurance Policies by Sen. LaVon Davis (D-Ocoee) requires insurance companies to reimburse homeowners for the cost of a specified roof inspection under certain circumstances; and requires companies to make certain notifications to homeowners at a specified time, among other measures. There is no companion bill in the House. SB 128 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 140 Whistleblower Protections for Employees and Independent Contractors of Property Insurers by Sen. Darryl Rouson (D-St. Petersburg) prohibits property insurers, or their agents or affiliates, from taking adverse actions against employees or contractors for specified reasons; and authorizes such employees or contractors to bring a civil action within a specified timeframe, among other measures. There was no companion bill in the House. SB 140 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 160 Emergency Residential Property Insurance Assistance Trust Fund/Department of Financial Services by Sen. Tracie Davis (D-Jacksonville) creates the Emergency Residential Property Insurance Assistance Trust Fund within the Department of Financial Services; provides eligibility for financial assistance from the trust fund; provides for funding and administration of the trust fund; and provides for future review and termination or re-creation of the trust fund. There was no companion bill in the House. SB 160 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 230 Transparency in Insurance Matters by Sen. Carlos Smith (D-Orlando) defines the term “trade secret;” revises the requirements of a notice of trade secret submitted to the Office of Insurance Regulation or the Department of Financial Services; specifies that certain information is not a trade secret and is subject to public disclosure; requires OIR to review all claims of trade secret protection; requires that fees, commissions, and profit-sharing agreements between insurance companies and their affiliates be filed with OIR and made publicly accessible on the DFS website, among other measures. There was no companion bill in the House. SB 230 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
HB 341 Resolution of Disputed Property Insurance Claims by Rep. Leonard Spencer (D-Gotha), and the similar SB 108 by Sen. Polsky (D-Boca Raton) requires parties in a property insurance claim dispute to participate in mediation; provides that mediation is a condition precedent to commencing litigation; provides that parties may mutually agree to conduct mediation by teleconference or other electronic means; requires all insureds, or their representatives, to attend mediation; obligates the policyholder to provide any supporting information and documents within 10 days after invoking mediation; revises and specifies duties relating to bearing certain costs of mediation; broadens the definition of “claim” and updates sinkhole claim procedures to clarify that neutral evaluation supersedes mediation for sinkhole disputes, without invalidating the appraisal clause; revises the policyholder’s right to rescind settlement terms within 3 business days if unrepresented by counsel or a public adjuster; and it includes a $1 million appropriation. A previous bill in our Bill Watch, HB 459, would have mandated mediation for property claim disputes but was withdrawn prior to formal introduction. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
HB 343 Insurance Solutions Advisory Council by Rep. Leonard Spencer (D-Gotha) and the similar SB 84 by Lori Berman (D-Boynton Beach) create an advisory council within the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) to analyze and compile available data and evaluate relevant and applicable information relating to Florida’s property and automobile insurance market; provide for membership of the advisory council; provide for per diem and travel expenses; provide for council meetings; require OIR to provide the advisory council with staffing and administrative assistance; require the advisory council to submit a specified report annually; and provide for future legislative review and expiration of advisory council. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 366 Initiating a Property Insurance Interstate Compact by Sen. Mack Bernard (D-Boynton Beach) and the identical HB 319 by Rep. Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) require the insurance commissioner to initiate a compact with other states to establish a national risk pool for property insurance for natural disasters for a specified purpose; and require the commissioner, as soon as feasible, to enter into the compact with a minimum number of member states. The idea behind it is explained in this Florida Politics article. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 522 Motor Vehicle Insurance by Sen. Erin Grall (R-Fort Pierce) and the comparable HB 769 by Rep. Meg Weinberger (R-West Palm Beach) are a perennial effort to do away with Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage under Florida’s No-Fault insurance law and replace it with bodily injury (BI) liability coverage. The primary difference between PIP and mandatory BI is that under PIP, someone injured in an auto accident seeks coverage first under their own PIP policy, whereas under mandatory BI, someone injured in an auto accident would seek recovery from a responsible third-party’s (other driver’s) BI coverage. And more to the point for the trial bar that supports these measures: After an accident, the victim could sue the offending driver directly rather than their insurance company. The bills are similar to the bill vetoed in 2021 by Governor DeSantis, and filed again in 2022, 2023, and 2024. You can read more in this Insurance Business article. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 582 Required Reports of the Office of Insurance Regulation by Sen. Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) requires OIR to create specified reports on insurance companies, licensees, registrants, and their related entities, including the compensation of their executive officers; requires OIR to use a reliable and up-to-date methodology and software to create specified reports and review such methodology and software for accuracy; and specifies that certain data are not considered trade secrets and may be used for certain purposes, among other measures. FIGA’s Tim Meenan notes the bill “would require regulators collect annual compensation, including stock options, and publish a report on it and use the information, along with actuarial science, in rate filings to determine a carrier’s rate.” There was no companion bill in the House. SB 582 never received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 634 Rates for Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Coverage by Sen. Nick DiCeglie (R-Indian Rocks Beach) and the identical HB 275 by Rep. Daniel Alvarez (D-Kissimmee) provide that the limitations on the required annual rate increases for Citizens Property Insurance Corporation coverage do not apply to new policies issued by the corporation on or after a specified date and to subsequent renewals of such policies. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
HB 649 Property Insurer Financial Strength Ratings by Rep. Kevin Chambliss (D-Miami) and the identical SB 1664 by Sen. Barbara Sharief (D-Broward) requires certain annual insurance reports prepared by the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) for the legislature and Governor to include financial strength ratings of property insurance companies against which delinquency and similar proceedings were instituted; and requires OIR to maintain and make available upon request information relating to financial strength ratings of property insurers. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
HB 909 Coverage by Citizens Property Insurance Corporation by Rep. Jim Mooney, Jr. (R-Islamorada) and the identical SB 1024 by Sen. Ana Maria Rodriguez (R-Doral) would impact Citizens policyholders in areas of Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, where the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has determined there’s not a reasonable degree of competition for property insurance – essentially meaning that Citizens Insurance is the only option. With that determination, the bill would limit Citizens’ rate increases to no more than 10% annually in those areas and excuse policyholders from Citizens mandatory flood insurance requirement if the property is in a FEMA X-zone or is elevated at least one foot above base flood elevation. Citizens flood insurance mandate is ongoing. Beginning in 2026, homes with values of $400,000 or greater will be required to have it and then by 2027, all Citizens policies. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
SB 1268 Insurance by Sen. Tracie Davis (D-Duval) and her own comparable SB 1240 (Insurance Regulation) would undo some of the legislature’s 2022 and 2023 insurance consumer and litigation reforms on property insurance, especially regarding attorney fees for plaintiff attorneys. Among other provisions, SB 1268 would:
- Reduces the insurance company’s prompt claim payment requirement from 60 days to 30 days
- Mandates the company provide a clear explanation for any payment or denial, and imposes interest and penalty interest for late payments
- Restricts a liability insurance company’s ability to deny coverage based on a coverage defense unless it provides a series of disclosures and explanations regarding its decision
- Allows attorney fees to prevailing parties and public adjuster fees for underpayment, wrongful denial, or bad-faith
- Requires the company pay for the costs of the appraisal process
- Prohibits insurance companies from including contractual provisions not authorized by statute and declares such provisions void unless approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation
- Adds increased penalties for licensees of the Department of Financial Services who commit crimes, discriminate or lie
There are also provisions regarding automobile insurance, including the required use of OEM parts in repairs. Neither SB 1268 nor SB 1240 received a hearing and no companion bills were filed in the House. (Return to Top of List)
HB 1349 Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund by Rep. Hillary Cassel (R-Broward) and its comparable bill SB 1448 by Sen. Nick DeCeglie (R- Pinellas) do the following: HB 1349 increases the base retention multiple from $4.5 billion to $8.5 billion for the 2026 contract year and adjusts retention calculations accordingly; adds a new 100-percent coverage level, clarifies existing 45-, 75-, and 90-percent coverage levels, and includes applicable loss adjustment expenses in reimbursements; revises the loss adjustment expense reimbursement to the lesser of 25 percent of total subject losses or actual expenses before reimbursement; limits the fund’s contract obligation to $17 billion per contract year; requires hurricane-loss calculations using the averaged results of all state-approved catastrophe models; freezes the cash build-up factor at 25 percent beginning in the 2026-2027 contract year for 12 months, with resulting savings passed directly to consumers; and ensures costs for additional reinsurance or capital market transactions beyond traditional bonding cannot be added to the actuarially determined cost of reimbursement contracts.
SB 1448 specifies a retention multiple of $4.5 billion for insurers and removes the former calculation based on estimated reimbursement premium; expands reimbursement contracts to include the lesser of 15% of total subject losses before reimbursement or actual loss adjustment expenses rather than a fixed 5% component; requires the hurricane loss portion of the premium formula to be determined by averaging results from all catastrophe models accepted by the Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology; and makes the cash build-up factor optional rather than mandatory and sets it to zero for the 2026-2027 contract year. Neither bill received a hearing. (Return to Top of List)
LMA Newsletter of 3-16-26
