Three weeks into the 2026 Florida legislative session, with bill deadlines approaching, Florida Senate President Ben Albritton said Wednesday that he expects no major changes to Florida’s property insurance laws this year.
The reason: Landmark legislation passed in 2022 and 2023 has essentially fixed the big problems that were causing insurance premiums to spike across the state. Those statutes have suppressed the “thousands of fr
ivolous lawsuits” that were once brought over property insurance claims, Albritton said at a press availability Wednesday morning, broadcast on the Florida C
hannel. He echoed with what other lawmakers, regulators and insurance industry representatives have said in recent months about low expectations for significant legislation this year.
Albritton, a citrus farmer, does expect Florida property insurers to continue rate reductions in coming months and years, as well as scrutiny of carriers’ rate requ
ests and profit levels. Florida law limits excessive profits by insurance companies, Albritton said.
“With the tort relief, and no storms this year, I expect we’ll see more relief on rates coming,” he added. “We’re moving in a great direction.”
Albritton’s observations have been reflected in committee actions so far in the session that began Jan. 13 and concludes March 13. The House of Representative
s is considering a bill that would force more regulation and transparency for carriers’ financial arrangements with affiliated companies, including managing general agents. But that bill is not expected to pass the Senate.
And a bill aimed at limiting the influence of litigation financiers is expected to pass the Senate but may not survive the House.
Albritton’s prognostications did not stop the Florida Senate Banking and Insurance Committee from unanimously passing a handful of relatively minor insurance-related bills on Wednesday:
SB 1706, sponsored by Sen. Jason Pizzo, would limit the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot program to less-affluent condo associations and ow
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ners. The two-year-old program provides matching grants for condominiums that undertake wind-mitigation measures designed to lessen the impact of hurrica
nes and to reduce insurance claims, in exchange for premium discounts. Pizzo’s bill would limit the grants to condos built before 2008 and that are 80% owner-occupied by owners whose income is at or below 80% of the area me
dian income. The committee approved the measure without opposition.
SB 1452, by Sen. Keith Truenow, would expand some homes’ eligibility for the My Safe Florida Home program. Like the condo program, the home program, establishe
d in 2023, provides millions of dollars in grant funding for single-family home wind mitigation. But some inspections and appraisers in recent years had classified detached homes as condos, making them ineligible for grants. Truenow’s
bill notes that detached homes of three stories or less may qualify for a full range of improvements, including roof replacements. The wide-ranging bill also addresses oth
er areas, including adjusters and insurance agents. It would require public adjusters to respond to i
nsureds within 14 days of receiving written communications or emails. The bill passed the committee 10-0. A bill analysis can be seen here.