FloridaFlorida routes commercial property applications through insurer clearinghouses
By January 1, 2027, Citizens must use two commercial clearinghouses to seek offers from authorized and surplus lines insurers, if each has enough commercial support.
What it does
Citizens must use separate clearinghouses to seek commercial coverage offers from authorized insurers and approved surplus lines insurers. A lack of enough commercial support can pause its duties for a clearinghouse.
For commercial risks offered coverage through the surplus lines clearinghouse, Citizens may not issue new coverage if comparable coverage costs no more than 15 percent more. Higher-cost offers leave applicants and policyholders a choice.
A comparable offer from an authorized insurer can make a commercial risk ineligible for coverage from Citizens. For commercial residential risks, the offer must meet the applicable price threshold.
Argument forBusinesses could get offers from more types of insurers through the clearinghouses before seeking coverage from Citizens.
Argument againstInsurers may not provide enough support to keep a commercial clearinghouse operating, which could pause Citizens’ duties for that clearinghouse.
More detail
Citizens must set up separate clearinghouses to seek commercial coverage offers from authorized insurers and approved surplus lines insurers. The clearinghouses handle new and renewing commercial residential and commercial nonresidential risks. Commercial risks go first through the authorized-insurer clearinghouse. If no comparable offer at or below the eligibility threshold arrives within five days, the risk may go to the surplus lines clearinghouse. If a clearinghouse lacks enough commercial support, Citizens’ duties for it pause until support is sufficient. Citizens must implement both commercial clearinghouses on or before January 1, 2027.
Citizens may not issue new commercial coverage when an approved surplus lines insurer offers comparable coverage at a total cost no more than 15 percent higher. This applies to commercial residential and commercial nonresidential risks offered coverage through the surplus lines clearinghouse. Total cost includes the annual premium and all required fees, taxes, assessments, surcharges, and other charges for the full proposed policy period. If the offer costs more than 15 percent above Citizens’ total cost, the applicant or policyholder may accept it or accept or continue coverage with Citizens. The rule applies when an approved surplus lines insurer makes an offer through the program.
An offer from an authorized insurer can make a commercial risk ineligible for coverage from Citizens. This applies to new commercial nonresidential applicants and new or renewing commercial residential applicants and policyholders. For commercial nonresidential coverage, a comparable offer makes an applicant ineligible. For commercial residential coverage, the offer must be at or below the applicable eligibility threshold. At renewal, a commercial residential risk is ineligible when a comparable offer is at or below that threshold. For commercial residential risks, the price comparison must happen before Citizens shares its coverage terms and costs with the clearinghouse administrator.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 17Chapter No. 2026-150Latest
- Jun 16Approved by Governor Ron DeSantisBecame Law
- Jun 15Signed by Officers and presented to GovernorTo Governor
- Mar 17Ordered enrolledMinor
- Mar 9CS passed; YEAS 88, NAYS 19Passed House
- Vote recorded Passage, Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 9Read 3rd timeMinor
- Mar 9Added to Third Reading Calendar
- Mar 9Read 2nd timeMinor
- Mar 51st Reading (Engrossed 1)Minor
- Mar 5Bill added to Special Order Calendar (3/9/2026)
- Mar 5Bill referred to House Calendar
- Mar 5In Messages
- Mar 4CS passed as amended; YEAS 33 NAYS 1Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Third Reading. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 4Read 3rd timeMinor
- Mar 4Amendment(s) adopted (241162)
- Mar 4Read 2nd timeMinor
- Feb 26Retained on Special Order Calendar
- Feb 25Retained on Special Order Calendar
- Feb 23Placed on Special Order Calendar, 02/25/26
- Feb 18CS/CS by Fiscal Policy read 1st time
- Feb 16Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
- Feb 16Pending reference review -under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
- Feb 12CS/CS by- Fiscal Policy; YEAS 18 NAYS 0
- Vote recorded Favorable with Committee Substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 9On Committee agenda-- Fiscal Policy, 02/12/26, 9:00 am, 110 Senate Building
- Feb 5Now in Fiscal Policy
- Feb 4Favorable by Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; YEAS 11 NAYS 0Minor
- Vote recorded Favorable. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 30On Committee agenda-- Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, 02/04/26, 3:45 pm, 412 Knott Building
- Jan 22CS by Banking and Insurance read 1st time
- Jan 16Now in Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government
- Jan 15Pending reference review under Rule 4.7(2) - (Committee Substitute)
- Jan 13IntroducedMinor
- Vote recorded Favorable with Committee Substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 13CS by Banking and Insurance; YEAS 10 NAYS 0
- Jan 8On Committee agenda-- Banking and Insurance, 01/13/26, 4:00 pm, 412 Knott Building
- Jan 7Referred to Banking and Insurance; Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government; Fiscal PolicyMinor
- 2025
- Dec 30FiledIntroduced
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