Florida's insurance market is uniquely volatile, characterized by the highest premiums in the nation—averaging over , which is triple the national average.
Deep-dive investigations have revealed troubling financial practices that go beyond simple "bad luck" with storms:
Large national insurers often create Florida-specific subsidiaries (colloquially called "pups"). These entities insulate the parent company's assets; if the Florida "pup" goes bankrupt, the parent company remains untouched.
The "deep story" of insurance in Florida is a complex saga of a market teetering on collapse, driven by a perfect storm of natural disasters, legal exploitation, and corporate maneuvers. Once a hallmark of the American dream, homeownership in the Sunshine State has become a high-stakes financial gamble.
Florida insurers rely heavily on "reinsurance" (insurance for insurance companies). As global catastrophe risks rise, these costs have skyrocketed, with some reinsurance layers doubling in price. Corporate Shell Games & Whistleblowers
Massive hurricanes like Ian (2022) and Michael (2018) caused billions in property damage, leading to six insurer insolvencies in 2022 alone.
A 2022 report uncovered that while companies were claiming financial ruin and hiking premiums, they were simultaneously transferring hundreds of millions of dollars to out-of-state affiliates and shareholders.
Despite accounting for only 9% of U.S. property insurance claims, Florida is the source of 79% of the country's home insurance lawsuits . This disparity was largely driven by "Assignment of Benefits" (AOB) abuse, where contractors and law firms would encourage homeowners to file suits to inflate repair costs.