The 2025 Florida Legislative Session was a whirlwind! It was record-breaking in volume, yet surprisingly light in output. With over 2,300 bills filed, the state saw one of the lowest percentages of passed legislation in recent history. But even with a low pass rate, a handful of proposals demanded our full attention, especially those with the potential to dramatically impact Florida’s fragile insurance market.
At Ricci Insurance Group, we’ve been following these developments closely so we can continue to advocate for our clients and help you navigate any potential changes. One major win this session? A high-profile attempt to undo recent litigation reforms that helped stabilize the insurance market was successfully defeated. We’re grateful to trusted experts like Lisa Miller (former Florida Deputy Insurance Commissioner, now one of the state’s top insurance advocates) for providing ongoing updates during every legislative session. The following is excerpted directly from her May 2025 recap. You can read more of her work at www.lisamillerassociates.com.
From Lisa Miller & Associates:
Attorney Fee Awards in Insurance Actions – DID NOT PASS
HB 1551 by Rep. Hillary Cassel (R-Dania Beach), an attorney, and the similar SB 426 by Senator Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers), another attorney, would essentially undo the 2023 session’s elimination of one-way attorney fees signed into law two years ago. Even the bill analysis states it would increase insurance premiums. On April 25, HB 1551’s provisions were folded into SB 832 on the House floor by amendment. SB 832 was a totally unrelated phosphate mine liability bill that was a Senate President priority. But last week, the bill was never brought up in the Senate before adjournment and died. So LMA is pleased to report the attempt to reverse the good litigation reforms have not materialized.
Governor DeSantis reiterated his pledge to veto any bill that would have rolled back the legal reforms of 2022 & 2023 that he signed into law. “If you didn’t know anything else about the House and you just saw what they were pushing, you would think that they are all sponsored by Morgan & Morgan,” DeSantis said in an interview with a Jacksonville television. “You might as well put the billboard on the top of the Florida House of Representatives.”
Citizens Property Insurance did its own analysis of the impact of HB 1551, finding it “effectively reinstates the one-way attorney’s fee provision… because HB 1551 incorrectly measured a ‘win’ at trial.” Citizens cited an analysis by former Florida Supreme Court Justice Ricky Polston that explored exactly how HB 1551 would work as written. The Citizens analysis concluded:
“Complete trial victories happen, but often the winner is the party who gets a verdict closest to its pre-trial expectation. Under HB 1551, the winner, or ‘prevailing party,’ at trial would be measured against the insurance company’s offer only; the policyholder’s pre-trial demand is completely disregarded. Further, HB 1551 added the policyholder’s attorney’s fees and costs to the judgment, all but guaranteeing the policyholder would recover fees in most cases.”
Florida Insurance Commissioner Yaworsky issued the following about the attempt the House was making to reverse tort reform and he referenced HB 947 when it had the same harmful language added to it as HB 1551, writing that it would:
- Return to a legal framework that incentivizes aggressive litigation tactics;
- Remove the practical application of offer of judgment statutes, eliminating tools that currently encourage early and fair settlements;
- Expand the admissibility of inflated medical expenses, which will likely inflate damage awards and claims costs;
- And signal to capital markets and reinsurers that Florida is backtracking—undermining investor confidence in our risk environment.
Since the 2022–2023 reforms, Florida has seen measurable and unprecedented improvements:
- Reinsurance rates have declined. In 2024, risk-adjusted costs dropped by 1.70%—a stark reversal from the 27.03% increase in 2022.
- Twelve new insurers have entered the Florida market since the reforms—an unmistakable vote of confidence in our stabilized landscape.
- Lawsuit filings are down 23% year-over-year, reducing systemic legal pressure on carriers.
- Homeowners are seeing relief:
- 19 insurers have approved rate reductions;
- 37 insurers filed no increase at all;
- And per S&P Global, Florida had the lowest average homeowners insurance rate increase in the nation for 2024.
Yaworsky concluded:
“Florida cannot afford to go back. The very reforms that have restored market stability risk being dismantled. This is not risk management—it’s policy-induced crisis creation.” Read more from Lisa Miller & Associates at: https://lisamillerassociates.com
What This Means for Our Clients
If you’ve noticed more insurers re-entering Florida and slightly softening rates, this is why. It’s not an accident. These changes are the direct result of reforms designed to reduce lawsuit abuse and rebuild trust in our insurance system. Had HB 1551 passed, it would have been a major step backward, with higher premiums and fewer carrier options for homeowners and business owners alike.
We’re proud to advocate for our clients, not just in our day-to-day service, but by keeping a close eye on legislation that affects your wallet, your coverage, and your peace of mind. We’ll continue to track these issues, and we encourage you to follow experts like Lisa Miller for real-time updates.
