Greg Dolezal, District 27 Senator for the State of Georgia, said that Florida’s tort reform law has resulted in lower insurance rates and increased market competition. He suggested it could serve as a model for Georgia’s own reforms. This statement was made during a Senate hearing on February 21.
“GEICO has filed for a 10.5% rate decrease this year in the state of Florida,” said Dolezal, District 27 GA Senator. “11 new insurance companies have entered the market in the state of Florida. The average rate increase across all types of insurance through the entire state of Florida this year is 0.2%.”
According to Dolezal, his remarks were in response to Georgia’s ongoing debate over the potential of tort reform to curb rising insurance costs. He cited Florida’s experience as evidence that such reforms can stabilize premiums and encourage market competition, contrasting it with states like California.
Florida enacted its tort reform in 2022 and 2023, which included measures such as eliminating one-way attorney fees and assignment of benefits in property insurance cases. These changes reportedly reduced litigation costs and contributed to an influx of 11 new insurance companies between 2024 and 2025, according to a press release from Governor Ron DeSantis.
A February 5 announcement from the Office of Governor DeSantis indicated that multiple insurance companies, including GEICO and Progressive, have filed for significant auto insurance rate reductions in Florida, with decreases averaging 4.1% statewide. These reductions follow tort reform measures credited with stabilizing the market. Additionally, Citizens Property Insurance reduced homeowner premiums by an average of 5.6%, notably benefiting 73% of policyholders in Miami-Dade County with a 6.3% drop.
Dolezal has served as a Republican senator in the Georgia State Senate since 2019, representing District 27, which includes parts of Forsyth and Dawson counties. According to the Georgia Senate, before his political career, he was a small business owner focused on real estate development, providing him insight into economic policy impacts. He has been a vocal advocate for business-friendly legislation, including tort reform.
