Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida, announced that recent tort reforms have led to increased competition in the insurance market, resulting in a 4.1% reduction in auto insurance rates statewide and a 5.6% decrease in homeowners’ rates. Miami-Dade County experienced an average drop of 6.3%. The statement was made in a press release on February 5.
“Citizens Property Insurance will be instituting homeowners’ insurance premium decreases for three-quarters of Miami-Dade residents,” said DeSantis. “Several major auto insurance companies have filed rate decreases averaging 4.1% across the state. Florida’s strategic tort reforms have spurred competition among insurers.”
According to the Florida State Senate, House Bill 837, signed into law on March 24, 2023, significantly revised the state’s civil litigation framework. The legislation reduced the filing period for general negligence lawsuits from four years to two and adopted a modified comparative negligence model. This model prevents plaintiffs found more than 50% responsible from recovering damages. Additionally, the bill established the lodestar fee method as the default for determining fair attorney fees in most civil cases, aligning with federal practices.
A joint analysis by Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) estimates that excessive tort expenses cost Florida approximately $7.6 billion annually. Bill Herrle, NFIB’s Florida executive director, said that baseless lawsuits have resulted in the loss of about 126,139 jobs and $614.8 million in yearly state revenue. The study also emphasized the burden on small businesses, where even unfounded claims can lead to significant legal costs and potential closures.
Ronald Dion DeSantis has served as Florida’s 46th governor since taking office in 2019, according to the National Governors Association. Born on September 14, 1978, in Jacksonville, Florida, he was raised in a working-class family and excelled academically at Yale University before earning a law degree with honors from Harvard University. His career includes service as a U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, advising a SEAL commander during missions in Iraq.
