Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida, said that insurance and tort reforms have attracted new companies to the market and have begun generating rate reductions and rebates for policyholders. He expects this momentum to continue.
“Give credit to the members of the Legislature who pushed these reforms through,” said Ronald Dion Desantis. “Florida now has companies eager to enter our market to offer new policies and policyholders are starting to see reductions and rebates. With no major hurricanes this year, the positive momentum is expected to continue.”
Florida lawmakers enacted a series of insurance and civil justice reforms in 2022–2023, notably through HB 837. This legislation overhauled liability rules, limited one-way attorney fees against insurers, shortened filing deadlines, and shifted the state to a modified comparative negligence standard. Supporters argued these changes were necessary to curb lawsuit abuse and “social inflation” that had significantly increased premiums and reinsurance costs. Analysts now describe Florida as an emerging case study in how coordinated tort and insurance reform can stabilize a stressed market. DeSantis and legislative leaders point to fewer lawsuits, renewed reinsurer interest, and early premium relief as evidence that the strategy is effective.
Market data indicate a surge of new insurer entrants following Florida’s reforms. By late summer, regulators had approved at least 15 new property carriers to provide homeowners and dwelling fire coverage. The newest entrant, Viceroy Preferred Insurance Company, was described as directly linked to “historic legislative reforms.” Subsequent approvals brought the total to 17 new companies, contributing more than $500 million in fresh policyholder surplus to support growth and competition in the state. Trade and reinsurance publications note that these additions reverse years of retrenchment and suggest that global capital increasingly views Florida as a viable investment market again.
Auto and property policyholders are also experiencing measurable financial benefits. According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, the state’s top five auto insurers, representing about 78% of the market, are implementing average rate cuts of approximately 6–6.5%, a significant change from previous double-digit increases. DeSantis has highlighted nearly $1 billion in Progressive auto insurance refunds—about $300 per driver statewide—as an example of how lower litigation costs and improved profitability are being returned to consumers. Independent editorials and industry analyses label this easing of premiums and issuance of rebates as a “tort reform dividend” for Florida families.
Ron DeSantis is the 46th governor of Florida, first elected in 2018 after serving as a U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer and a three-term Republican member of Congress. A native Floridian, he graduated from Yale University and Harvard Law School before deploying to Iraq in support of SEAL Team operations, earning the Bronze Star. As governor, he has emphasized low taxes, school choice, public safety, and aggressive economic development while branding Florida as a “blueprint” for pro-growth governance focused on freedom.
