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 frivolous lawsuits” that were once brought over property insurance claims, Albritton said at a press availability Wednesday morning, broadcast on the Florida Channel. 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 requests 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 Representatives 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 owners. The two-year-old program provides matching grants for condominiums that undertake wind-mitigation measures designed to lessen the impact of hurricanes 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 median 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, established 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 other areas, including adjusters and insurance agents. It would require public adjusters to respond to insureds within 14 days of receiving written communications or emails. The bill passed the committee 10-0. A bill analysis can be seen here.
SB 618, also sponsored by Truenow, would allow insurance carriers to charge excess rates for up to 20% of their workers’ compensation policies. Current law limits excess rates to just 10% of policies. Mark Askins, the CEO of BrightFund, the workers’ comp program for the Florida Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association, said at the meeting that the change would give employers in high-risk classifications more flexibility. The current limitation forces some employers into the assigned-risk market, which often saddles them with a “scarlet letter,” keeping their comp rates high even after they have re-entered the voluntary market later, Askins said. The bill was approved 10-0.
SB 990, offered by Sen. Tom Leek, would allow protected-cell captive insurance companies in Florida. The cells, popular in several states, allow corporations to take advantage of captive insurance coverage without the expense of the full set-up of a standalone captive insurance company. Leek’s bill specifies that protected-cell captives would be allowed to insure only certain types of risk. The bill passed the committee by a10-0 vote.
SB 158, by Sen. Shevrin Jones, would require agents who sell pet insurance to complete two hours of continuing education courses every two years, and would require insurers to provide a summary of key policy features to pet owners. Pet insurance companies also would have to submit annual reports to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
Related: Florida Approves 6.9% Average Cut in Workers’ Comp Rates But Roofers Are Worried
Top photo: Albritton at the Senate in 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
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