Florida faces a dire home insurance crisis, forcing over half a million homeowners to rely on Citizens Property Insurance Corporation as the state's insurer of last resort. However, an alarming disparity has been uncovered in the legal process, revealing a system heavily favoring the insurer and leaving homeowners at a disadvantage. Amid a legislative push in 2023, disputes with policyholders were rerouted to the Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH), stripping homeowners of their right to a jury trial and tilting the balance of power in favor of Citizens.
The share of lawsuits against Citizens Property Insurance Corp. originating from South Florida has declined sharply. Lawsuits against the so-called insurer of last resort have declined statewide from 6,251 between January and July of 2021 to 3,600 during the same period this year, according to Citizens research. The percentage of cases filed in state circuit courts against Citizens from Broward, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties declined from 88% in 2020 to 55% during the first seven months of 2025, the research shows.
