New Florida Legislative Leaders Talk Tough on Property Insurance, But No Specific Plans

Florida’s newest legislative leaders on Tuesday rattled some sabers about property insurance rates and claims but offered no agenda for the upcoming session that begins in March, according to state news reports.

Incoming Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, warned insurers that claims should be paid promptly, the Miami Herald and other news outlets reported.

“I want to make sure that impacted Floridians and insurance companies hear me loudly and clearly — we are watching,” Albritton said as lawmakers rose in their seats. “I’m not going to sit idly by if legitimate claims get denied while rates continue to rise. Period.”

The leaders did not outline any changes they plan to shepherd through the session next spring, according to news reports.

Albritton’s remarks came at the Legislature’s organizational meetings, held ahead of the regular session, and came two years after lawmakers enacted historic reforms designed to tamp down runaway insurance claims litigation. Those reforms could be seen as a giveaway to the insurance industry, said incoming House Speaker Danny Perez, R-Miami, the Herald and the Tallahassee Democrat reported.

The remarks also came after several years of premium spikes for homeowners and after reports that some Florida insurers, including the state-created Citizens Property Insurance Corp., have denied or have not paid thousands of claims from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. But Citizens officials and independent adjusters have said that many of those claimed losses were below property owners’ deductible levels or were due to storm surge or inland flooding, which is not covered by most property policies.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reported that as of Nov. 12, more than 285,300 claims had been filed due to Hurricane Milton. Some 119,000 of those had been closed without payment.

For Hurricane Helene, which hit Florida in late September, 135,500 claims have been filed and 26,200 have been closed without payment, as of Nov. 18.

Photo: Outgoing Senate President Kathleen Passidomo passes the gavel Tuesday to Albritton. (The Florida Channel)