Florida Office of Insurance Regulation releases overview of property and casualty insurance market

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has released a new overview detailing the state's property and casualty insurance market, highlighting shifts in insurer participation and policy volume.

According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (FLOIR), reciprocal insurance exchanges, which are unincorporated associations where policyholders insure each other, have participated in Florida’s property insurance market amid ongoing financial pressures and catastrophic loss exposure. The office reports that reciprocal carriers were among the entities experiencing underwriting losses during the multi-year period from 2017 to 2022 due to elevated reinsurance costs and storm-related claims. Their mutual structure, while offering policyholder alignment, also made them vulnerable to capital strain without external equity sources, particularly in years with concentrated loss ratios.

As reported by FLOIR, as of May 2024, reciprocal insurers in Florida operate under the same regulatory framework as other domestic carriers, with premium data reported through QUASR and overseen by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Despite increasing average homeowner premiums, reported at $3,600 in 2024, reciprocals continued to face challenges in achieving consistent underwriting profitability due to their dependency on subscriber surplus contributions rather than retained earnings. In years of heavy storm activity, reciprocals often experienced disproportionate impacts on surplus levels given their obligation to assess subscribers for capital replenishment.

According to FLOIR, following market reforms initiated in 2022 and 2023, reciprocal insurers have shown renewed interest in expanding Florida operations. The office reports approval of more than ten new property and casualty entities entering the market, including structures involving reciprocal exchanges. These reforms improved judicial efficiency in claims resolution and reduced one-way attorney fees, which had previously eroded reciprocal carriers’ operating margins during litigation-heavy periods. As a result, reciprocals now have a more viable pathway to regain cumulative underwriting losses accrued in prior years; however, sustained surplus restoration remains essential to maintain their subscriber obligations.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation is the state agency responsible for regulating the insurance industry in Florida, including life, health, and property and casualty insurers. Established under the Florida Cabinet in 2003 following a constitutional reorganization, FLOIR oversees licensing, rate approvals, solvency assessments, and market conduct examinations for over 4,500 insurance-related entities. Headquartered in Tallahassee, the office plays a central role in safeguarding policyholders and ensuring financial stability across Florida’s complex and catastrophe-exposed insurance market.