Story By: Dominic Dacunto

There’s no question about it, insurance premiums have skyrocketed for car and homeowners in the state of Florida. Obviously climate change and the increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes is a factor, with the risks associated with owning a car and or a home in Florida increasing in tandem with climate change. However, in the background after Hurricane Ian in 2022, Florida insurance providers saw a spike in the amount of frivolous lawsuits brought against them. In an effort to combat this, the Florida House of Representatives passed House Bill 837, which made it considerably more difficult to fight insurance companies in court. Opponents of H.B. 837 though, say that it has made suing one’s insurance company too difficult and insurance providers are capitalizing on it by either denying claims outright or paying out incredibly low amounts. In response, opponents have drafted House Bill 1213 that would require state owned Citizens Insurance to provide windstorm coverage to all property owners it insures. Additionally, it would guarantee payouts to those covered by citizens in the event that one were to lose their home due to a hurricane. In the meantime, those that can’t afford the increase in premiums or have been dropped by their insurer have no option but to leave the state.