Personal insurance litigation in Florida fell by nearly 25% in the first half of 2025, compared with the same period last year, according to data from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), which pointed to recent legal reforms as a key factor behind the continued decline.
The drop is part of a broader trend, with litigation rates decreasing 23% between 2023 and 2024. Since 2021, legal filings have declined by as much as 36%, with the smallest annual drop still reaching 15%, OIR said.
Florida began tracking the data in 2021 through a legal service of process system that requires policyholders to notify insurers at least 10 days before filing a lawsuit. Lawsuits filed without proper notice can be dismissed, and courts may order the policyholder to pay the insurer’s legal fees and court costs.
The decline comes amid a series of legislative measures aimed at stabilizing Florida’s property insurance market, including the elimination of one-way attorney fees and changes to the state’s bad faith litigation standards.
Erin Collins, senior vice president of state and policy affairs at the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, said the data reflects the impact of the state’s tort reforms.
“All of this again shows that the best way to address market challenges is to address the risks and cost drivers behind them,” Collins said in an email.
The reduction in legal filings has eased pressure on insurers, according to Mark Friedlander (pictured above), senior director of media relations at the Insurance Information Institute. In response, several companies have filed for rate reductions or kept rates flat over the past 18 months.
Friedlander added that the improving legal climate is also drawing new carriers to the market and helping reduce policy volumes at Citizens Property Insurance Corp., Florida’s state-backed insurer.
“New and existing insurers want to grow their market share in Florida because they are confident the improved litigation environment will enable them to write profitable business,” Friedlander said. “A competitive market is benefiting consumers with competitive pricing. Numerous insurance agents have reported they are generating significant year-over-year premium savings for their customers when shopping policies at renewal.”
