Florida Senate Blocks Attempt to Roll Back Property Insurance Reforms

Florida’s Senate has decisively rejected a House-led amendment that sought to reverse key legal reforms impacting property insurance litigation. The proposed change would have reinstated one-way attorney fees, forcing insurers to cover legal costs even in marginally successful lawsuits against them. This effort, led by Rep. Berny Jacques, was attached to a separate bill unrelated to insurance and swiftly sent back by the Senate without concurrence.

Industry leaders, including Florida Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky, warned that the proposed amendment would undo the stabilization achieved through 2022–2023 tort reforms. These reforms have led to a 23% drop in lawsuit filings and attracted 12 new insurers to the state’s once-distressed property market. Additionally, nearly 40% of insurers filed for rate reductions in 2024, with average homeowners insurance premiums dropping 5.6%.

Proponents of the amendment argued that legal balance had tipped too far in favor of insurers, leaving policyholders at a disadvantage. However, pre-reform Florida was an outlier, representing only 8% of U.S. homeowner claims but over 76% of litigation. That imbalance contributed to inflated premium rates—up to three times the national average.

With the 2025 legislative session nearing its end and Governor Ron DeSantis pledging to veto any bills that undermine tort reform, the legal changes appear secure. Other states, like Georgia, are now following Florida’s lead in addressing legal system abuse to protect insurers and policyholders from escalating costs.