Poll: Virtually all Florida homeowners say their insurance rates are going up

Less than 1% of 800 likely voters say their rates are going down.

Despite much-publicized reforms in the homeowners’ insurance market, a new survey of 800 likely Florida voters suggests that renters are the only ones dodging higher rates.

The poll conducted by Cygnal between Nov. 11 and Nov. 13 shows that just 0.5% of all respondents say that their rates have decreased in the last year.

Meanwhile, 76% of all respondents say their rates have gotten higher. And 56% of all respondents claim the coverage price is “much higher” than a year prior.

Another 17% say they don’t own homes, while 2% are unsure whether their rates have increased.

Only two cohorts deviate from a full majority, saying the cost is “much higher,” in fact. Among men under 55 and residents of North Florida, only 49% make that claim.

Regarding whether voters are “concerned” about higher rates, the numbers are also startling, with 91% of respondents saying yes and just 5% saying no.

The polling comes as the state also brings new insurers into the market, including Orange Insurance Exchange, Orion180 Select Insurance Company, Orion180 Insurance Company, Mainsail Insurance Company, and Tailrow Insurance Companies. Those insurers take a burden off the state insurer of last resort; Citizens Property Insurance is seeing hundreds of thousands of so-called “takeout” policies being absorbed from its books.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has warned about Citizens’ bloat in the past. He noted last year that Citizens was “unfortunately undercapitalized” and that the company could go “belly up” if it had to weather a significant storm.

Questionable messaging isn’t just a thing of the past, though. DeSantis, on successive days this summer, blamed the Legislature for not implementing insurance reforms he wanted, then refused to say what those reforms were when asked directly.

The Governor also made news earlier this year when he suggested homeowners should “knock on wood” and hope the state didn’t get hit by a storm.

While hurricane season is all but over in Florida until next spring, the Cygnal survey should signal to policymakers that most of their constituents aren’t enjoying the benefits of reforms just yet.

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6 comments

Michael K
November 20, 2023 at 2:51 pm

My homeowner policy increased 20% for the next year, thanks to Ron and the Republican legislature that was more focused on punishing Disney and drag queens, flooding our communities with more guns, banning Black history, and restricting women’s rights.
TJC
November 20, 2023 at 3:14 pm

We’re not the only state to get whacked by hurricanes, but we do stand apart from all other states in one thing…

From Insurancebusinessmag.com:
A recent analysis by Triple-I has found that despite accounting for less than a tenth (9%) of all homeowners’ claims in the US, Florida leads the country in insurance-related litigation, taking up almost four-fifths (79%) of the nation’s total.
The institute attributed the situation to a “legal system that invites litigation.”

Knocking on wood won’t fix that litigation problem, but the Governor and the Florida Legislature could. And will, I’m sure, just as soon as they finish saving Confederate monuments, banning all books that aren’t by or about people they like, suppressing voters’ rights, etcetera.
- Datahound6
  November 20, 2023 at 4:09 pm
  
  TJC — the legislature fixed that last December — its effective for loss incidents occurring on or after January 1, 2023.
  - TJC
    November 21, 2023 at 10:35 am
    
    So “the legislature fixed that,” and the fix started January 1, 2023?
    Here another look at the current situation. Note the dates.
    
    (from CNNBusiness, June 1, 2023. Matthew Carletti is an insurance industry analyst for JMP Securities):
    Carletti said that while Florida’s recent legislation should help the market, it won’t be enough to roll back premiums…
    “The reforms at a minimum should result in less increases than would otherwise be the case in Florida,” he said.
    
    (Insurancebusinessmag.com, June 28, 2023):
    Florida insurance rates are going up and there seems to be no letting up…According to data gathered by this report, home insurance is costing Florida homeowners an estimated $6,000 per year compared to the national average of $1,700, in what the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) described to be a “man-made crisis.”
    
    And, while data from just one guy isn’t worth much, I’ll add that my insurance premiums went up this year and USAA has already warned they most likely will go up again.
    Your faith in our Florida Legislature might be misplaced.
Vicki Kelley
November 24, 2023 at 2:09 pm

Insurance rates are insane. Only once have I ever used it and it was due to Hurricane Charlie Damage 20 years ago. I had 9 small holes and one basketball size hole in my roof. After paying in for over a decade I was given an $87 check to fix my roof. I couldn’t even purchase a tarp to cover the damage for that. I only carry insurance because with a mortgage I am required to do it. I feel it is a complete waste of money, particularly at the rates they charge now.
Andy
November 29, 2023 at 11:29 am

Yet, None, no media outlet is reporting this while our absent Governor flies on the donations from the increases of these companies that are raping citizens! Great job ‘Little D’!