Florida’s property insurance market continues to collapse. As Republican State Senator Jeff Brandes put it during the special session back in May, Florida’s property insurance market is like a medical patient with “stage four cancer and failing.” Governor Ron DeSantis responded to this crisis by giving insurance companies a $2 billion bailout that has done nothing to stabilize the market or bring down premiums. Floridians now pay more than three times the national average for property insurance, a 112.8% increase since the Governor took office in 2019.
As more companies continue to go into liquidation or leave the market, every homeowner in the state with property insurance will be paying a 2% assessment added onto their already sky high bills. Today, DeSantis Watch is releasing a new video, entitled “Ron’s Insurance Tax,” in order to highlight the Governor’s failure to lower property insurance costs for homeowners and the toll it is taking on everyday Floridians.
While rates continue to rise, Governor DeSantis received nearly $155,000 in campaign contributions in one day last month from State Farm insurance agents.
“As Floridians continue to see their property insurance premiums skyrocket, they should know they have Ron DeSantis to thank for their increased costs every month,” said DeSantis Watch Constituencies Director Natasha Sutherland. “While our property insurance market was in freefall, Ron DeSantis couldn’t be bothered to deal with a real issue impacting our state, instead choosing to spend all of his time dividing Floridians to advance his own political ambitions. Ron’s Insurance Tax is adding even more insult to injury on top of the Governor giving a $2 billion bailout to the insurance industry as they continue to price gouge workers and seniors throughout our state who are in desperate need of relief.”