- The Florida Senate Democratic Caucus announced a suite of bills designed to tackle a top concern of Floridians — the rising cost of property insurance. “Affordability is the number one issue for Floridians, and I speak for everyone here when I say that addressing it is our number one priority for the upcoming session. The out-of-control property insurance market affects all of us, whether you own your home or rent it from somebody else,” said Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman. The proposed policies will:
- Prohibit property insurance rate increases of more than 10% to 15%
- Permanently eliminate taxes on impact-resistant doors, garage doors, and windows.
- Create an Insurance Solutions Advisory Council, which will analyze and compile data on Florida’s property and auto insurance market and submit an annual report with recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor.
- Help Floridians avoid costly litigation by requiring mediation for disputed property insurance claims.
- Require an insurance company to notify a homeowner of the right to an inspection before nonrenewal due to the age of the home’s roof, and require an insurer to reimburse the homeowner if an inspection shows that the roof has 5 years or more of life left.
- Increase whistleblower protections for employees and contractors of insurance companies who disclose unethical or illegal conduct.
