‘Right now, it doesn’t look like Tallahassee is focused on the insurance crisis,’ Edmonds says

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear earlier this week that lawmakers will not be tackling any more issues in the near future.

“I have no plans to call a special session,” DeSantis said at a bill signing event along the Space Coast.

That statement was disheartening to state Rep. Jervonte Edmonds, D-West Palm Beach.

“It’s truly disappointing,” Edmonds said. “Residents are still feeling the burden.”

There had been speculation that a special session might be called on immigration, and some lawmakers had also suggested taking the opportunity to also look at homeowners insurance.

“Right now, it doesn’t look like Tallahassee is focused on the insurance crisis,” Edmonds said. “Tallahassee is not as burdened as South Florida in the insurance crisis.”

lorida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, a Republican, has been traveling the state to explain that progress on insurance is now happening after litigation reforms from a special session in December 2022.

“We are trying to turn the corner,” Patronis said at an insurance roundtable in Clearwater in April.

He pointed to at least eight new insurers entering the state and even some companies asking for small rate reductions as proof of the turnaround.

However, many Floridians are still seeing rate hikes and even cancellations come renewal time.

United Policyholders, a nonprofit consumer-focused organization, acknowledged that the new funding of $200 million for the My Safe Florida Home program is a positive step, but they say more needs to be done.

“I think the whole thing has been highly politicized, which is unfortunate for the residents of the state,” Amy Bach, the group’s executive director.