A bill requiring Citizens Property Insurance Corp to offer wind-only policies for all Florida homes and commercial residential structures has been introduced in the Florida House of Representatives Subcommittee on Insurance and Banking.
The proposal, filed on Jan. 6, aims to expand the availability of windstorm coverage across the state.
If enacted, the bill would take effect on July 1 and mandate that Citizens' wind-only policies include coverage for both the structure and its contents, irrespective of the property/casualty carrier providing protection against other perils. Homeowners would still be required to purchase coverage for non-wind perils from private insurers.
As per a report from AM Best, the legislation specifies that windstorm coverage would be available to homeowners, condominium associations, and other residential structures, including mobile homes that meet tie-down standards set by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
House Bill 13 was introduced by Rep. Hillary Cassel, a Republican representing Florida’s 101st district. Cassel sponsored a similar measure during the 2024 legislative session. The earlier proposal faced opposition from industry groups, which argued that it could increase taxpayers' financial burden and expand the role of Citizens as Florida's insurer of last resort.
Critics of the 2024 bill, including Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute, raised concerns about its potential financial impact, suggesting it could expose the state to significant financial risk.
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. was the largest home insurer in Florida in 2023, with an 18.57% market share. Other leading insurers included Universal Insurance Holdings Group (8.47%), State Farm Group (6.88%), Florida Peninsula Group (4.88%), and Tower Hill Group (4.35%).
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