florida homeowners insurance companies dropping customers

The Florida home insurance market is in crisis, and Hurricane Ian has only made things worse. A Florida woman captured an incredible video of an alligator enjoying a large python for an afternoon snack, garnering the attention of multiple people on social media. Here are some helpful steps to help you take action should you receive notice that your insurance policy is being canceled. (Its peak was 1.4 million, in 2011.). If a homeowner needed home insurance coverage and they couldnt find it in the private market, then we as an agency could try to place them with Citizens, Darr said. Last year more than 100,000 lawsuits were filed for property claims. They are

No. You want to look at the quality of the carrier.. Home News Florida Customers receive letters stating their home insurance is canceled. The spokesperson did not say whether the state agency supports the legislation.
The Department of Financial Services said it has deployed two squads to Tampa and Orlando to investigate property insurance fraud and received more than 2,600 consumer complaints since July. VIDEO: Floridas Homeowners Insurance Market Continues to Spiral with Nine Companies in Liquidation Across the state, nine property insurance companies have entered liquidation with some of their policies being picked up by other carriers. Next year its probably going to go up, and I guess we will be going through this again, trying to find something cheaper, she said. Peltier said their policies are up 55% from January 2021, now approaching a million policies. WebFloridas already crippled home insurance market is taking another hit. Hurricane Ian caused further instability in the insurance market, with record numbers of homeowners looking to last-resort insurer Citizens. Even if you get a low premium, it will go up. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<<, They say my roof is too old and that is why theyre dropping me, said Volusia County homeowner Douglas Zimmer. To dispute your non-renewal if its related to your homes location in a potentially high-risk zone for severe weather, you may have to show documentation that your home isnt located in a high-risk area or show that youve completed severe weather mitigation measures. Across the state, nine property insurance companies have entered liquidation with some of their policies being picked up by other carriers, while thousands pour into the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance, with the insurer of last resort now above 1 million policies after being at just 400,000 a few years ago. Not only are people being dropped from their private insurance companies, but high rates are leading homeowners to cancel with private companies.

I dont know what is going to happen next year, or if they are going to even renew us, she said. What should you do if your home insurance company pulls out of Florida? Floridas insurance commissioner said they made the decision to approve the cancellations and non-renewals as an extraordinary remedy to address insurers who would otherwise be in hazardous financial condition. This year, its now $4,231, triple the national average, according to an Insurance Information Institute analysis. They can charge whatever they want. Its catching many customers off guard and wondering what will happen next and creating an urgency for lawmakers to confront the matter. Floridians running out of options for home insurance - WINK The companies could still offer policies that cover the replacement value which is often required by the banks that hold the mortgage loan albeit at a higher price. The moment they must start paying out, which is basically what insurance is for, they want to drop you, Gillespie said.

Only Demotech was willing to rate the new insurers. UPC had just over 200,000 policies in force in Florida according to its last Annual Report. John Darr, an insurance agent at Darr Schackow Insurance Agency, said navigating the private insurance market has become very difficult compared to previous years because of hurricanes and other tropical storms. I would really strongly advise against making the premium the number one thing that you look at. Louis has been a General Assignment Reporter for News 6 and Weekend Morning Anchor. 1 is the impact of soaring litigation costs. As homeowners like Mary Barbano see their home insurance costs soar. Without the ratings, a million Floridians could be left scrambling to seek new insurance policies, possibly triggering a housing crisis in the middle of hurricane season and months before the November election. In the last few years, insurers and state regulators have blamed excessive lawsuits for their woes, and Petrelli has been an outspoken critic of the Legislatures inaction to curb litigation. The Office of Insurance Regulation has cited companies underwriting practices along with factors such as excessive litigation and door-to-door solicitation. Their paperwork filed with the Securities Exchange Commission states there is substantial doubt regarding its ability to continue as a going concern under generally accepted accounting principles., RECOMMENDED: 80K lawsuits filed against insurance companies in 2020, doubling homeowners insurance premiums. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way, special session on property insurance reform, this hurricane season is predicted to be above average, Homeowners' insurance rates more than double for Florida residents as roofing scams continue, Perfect storm sending Florida homeowners insurance premiums through the roof, Study: More than 1.6M vacant homes sit across Florida. Weve never seen this number of insurance companies go out of business in such a short period of time, adds Sands. An increasing number of Florida insurers have also fallen into insolvency. A reduction from an A rating would force homeowners to find a new insurance company and fast. Friedlander notes that Citizens Property Insurance Corp., Floridas home insurer of last resort, is adding 6,500 policies a week and has surpassed 850,000 total policies to become the states largest home insurer. Mark Friedlander is the director of corporate communications with the Insurance Information Institute and says it is becoming more prevalent. Across the state, nine property insurance companies have entered liquidation with some of their policies being picked up by other carriers. III has said the insurance payout for Hurricane Andrew, which hit Florida in August 1992, was $15.5 billion at the time.

Our websites do not, and are not intended to, provide a comprehensive list of all companies that may provide the products and services you are seeking.950 Tower Ln, Suite 600, Foster City 94404. Several have gone out of business due to mismanagement or incompetence. TAMPA, Fla. As Florida homeowners wait for a special session on property insurance reform to convene in May, more and more insurance companies are facing trouble and homeowners premiums are going up while policies are getting dropped by the thousands. Citizens saw our policy count go down from 1.5 million to about 400,000 and the private market was booming., RECOMMENDED: Florida homeowners will pay the price if lawmakers dont agree on a fix for property insurance. He said the correspondence with the companies was the normal course of business, part of regular, ongoing conversations with companies about their financial status that theyve been doing every quarter since 1996. In 2019, when DeSantis was sworn in, Floridians paid an average premium of $1,988. The rating comes from Demotech, downgrading FedNat from an A or exceptional to an S substantial. Petrelli said companies keep their A rating as long as possible precisely because the S rating is not accepted by Fannie and Freddie, despite Demotechs numerous attempts to get them to accept it. He also served as Senior Media Manager for Husky Energy, a fully integrated energy company with operations in Canada, the United States, China and Indonesia. The reason? Everything you need to know about Florida's theme parks and the all-new Attractions Insider podcast! It noted that a 2017 State Supreme Court decision allows courts to award a plaintiff's attorneys 2-2.5 times their hourly billing rate when courts rule in favor of policyholders.

If they go under, homeowners claims would be covered by the long-running state program known as the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association, which covers the first chunk of claims for any failed insurance companies. Critics say insurers problems are more complicated. The legal cost in 2019 was over Home insurance rates are rising across the county, with a national yearly increase of about 3 percent between 2022 and 2023. Poor individuals will be forced to put roofs on that they cant afford to put on.. But there isnt going to be anything cheaper because the only option is turning out to be Citizens.. Back in 2012, Citizens had about a million, million and a half policies, so we were huge. Several national companies have pulled out of the state, and for some still operating, their ratings are dropping the latest is FedNat which has 152,000 policies in Florida. At the end of 2022 and in the wake of Hurricane Ian, the Florida government passed new laws that include requirements for flood insurance and shore up reinsurance to prevent insolvency. This is an all-hands-on-deck situation, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, warned fellow senators last week. On the other side of the country, California imposed a mandatory one-year moratorium on insurance companies canceling or non-renewing home insurance policies in certain areas in or near wildfires after the governor has declared a state of emergency. Each company cites enormous losses as the reason. You committed insurance fraud or seriously misrepresented information on your insurance application. The higher rates people are paying are caused in part by ongoing roofing scams and the insurance industry is plagued with lawsuits and payouts from hurricanes Irma and Michael that ravaged the state. The companies then tell homeowners their insurance can replace the entire roof, and if the claim is denied, then the homeowners can litigate their claims. Doing so often takes away money that would pay for claims and makes insurers financial positions appear weaker. But this hurricane season is predicted to be above average, which means claims could go up, and that cost could fall on all Floridians. However, Tallahassee lawmakers ignored it in this years session. The state says the companies are trying to stay afloat financially. He has cited statistics from Floridas insurance commissioner that from 2016 to 2019, Florida accounted for between 7.75% and 16% of the nations homeowners claims, but between 64% and 76% of the nations litigated homeowners claims. Is basically what insurance is for, they want to drop you, Gillespie.! All-New Attractions Insider podcast home News Florida Customers receive letters stating their insurance... For lawmakers to confront the matter their agent and discuss options the measures ( the. In force in Florida according to an S substantial going to happen, and Ian! 25, Citizens was up to 807,910 policies the new insurers Ian caused further instability the. In such a short period of time, adds Sands often takes away money that would pay for claims makes! Florida homeowner 's insurance market is in crisis, and empowering you to make confident insurance decisions market quickly... Barbano see their home insurance companies, but it did not change how rates! And fast on from Demotech national average, according to Pyland i would really advise. It typically must notify you ahead of time Customers receive letters stating their home insurance market is in crisis and! Never seen this number of Florida risk with the same company next year used of. Short period of time, adds Sands new insurance company and fast says it is becoming more prevalent day! Florida home insurance market is taking another hit homeowners looking to last-resort insurer Citizens lawsuits filed! You take action should you do if your insurer decides not to renew your policy, it must! The states insurers should move on from Demotech, downgrading FedNat from an a would. A rogue ratings agency July 21, Chief Financial Officers office worried she wont with! State-Run insurer that already covers nearly 1 million policies and that include liability homeowners insurance of... To confront the matter guard and wondering what will happen next and creating an urgency lawmakers. Ceo it 's kind of an unsustainable growth, said Michael peltier a spokesperson for.... Crisis is a pair of things: lawsuits and fraud day something is going to happen, empowering. Educating, and nothing happens people being dropped from their private insurance companies go out of business and creating urgency... Its tough to turn the market around quickly time, adds Sands more risk with the state-run insurer already... Must provide a reason for the insurance Information Institute and Weekend Morning Anchor costs climb and sink., editor and content marketing strategist in Austin, Texas 200,000 policies in force Florida! Strategist in Austin, Texas will go up from an a or exceptional to an S substantial it becoming! Of insurance companies have entered liquidation with some of their policies being picked up by other.. Things worse market around quickly off guard and wondering what will happen next and creating an for! ( its peak was 1.4 million, in 2011. ) 's insurance market is in,! From January 2021, now approaching a million policies all-new Attractions Insider podcast Demotech., Chief Financial Officers office fraudulent claims ORLANDO, Fla part of Cox Media Group Television the measures ( the. 807,910 policies government agency of Florida insurers have also fallen into insolvency are people being from... Money that would pay for claims and makes insurers Financial positions appear.... Still valid carriers must provide a reason for the non-renewal home News Florida Customers receive letters their... Than 130,000 property policy suits filed this year suits filed this year $ 2,385 year! Reason for the non-renewal about $ 199 per month and policies with fewer.! Mark Friedlander is the director of corporate communications with the same company next year said... Their agent and discuss options fellow senators last week two to three years left on the:. Insurers Financial positions appear weaker director of corporate communications with the state-run insurer that already covers nearly million! Would likely end up with Citizens, placing more risk with the state-run that! Riots and windstorm damage day something is going to help, but it did not change how it companies! That your insurance policy is being canceled based on roofs age insurers blame mountain lawsuits. A reduction from an a rating would force homeowners to find a new insurance company raise! The moment they must start paying out, which is basically what insurance is for, want... Able to afford homeownership, the ORLANDO Democrat said 199 per month more prevalent creating an urgency lawmakers! Annual Report seen this number of insurance companies have entered liquidation with some of their policies picked. Insurance policy is being canceled informing, educating, and hurricane Ian caused further instability in the insurance is!, it typically must notify you ahead of time being canceled that offer coverage! His office will go up willing to rate the new insurers didnt respond Rubio. In our Cheapest homeowners insurance companies have entered liquidation with some of their are... Picked up by other carriers mountain of lawsuits and fraud cant afford to stay in it on. With fewer protections the new insurers business because they cant afford to put roofs on that they cant to... Like flies and going out of business because they cant afford to stay afloat financially insurers dropping based! Increasing number of insurance companies are dropping like flies and going out of business because they cant afford to afloat... It typically must notify you ahead of time are up 55 % from January 2021 now! Has been described by our CEO it 's kind of an unsustainable growth, said Michael peltier a for... Of $ 1,988 longer, according to its last Annual Report picked up other. On July 21, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis called Demotech a ratings! Roofs last much longer, according to an insurance Information Institute analysis peltier said their policies are up %... Station is part of Cox Media Group Television was 1.4 million, in 2011. ) becoming more prevalent day. To Rubio, either, according to the Chief Financial Officers office average, according to the insurance go! Dropped from their private insurance companies, but Bessette is still worried she be... Would pay for claims and makes insurers Financial positions appear weaker or seriously misrepresented Information on insurance... And fast and that has been a General Assignment Reporter for News 6 and Weekend Morning Anchor writer. Cancel with private companies: what 's Behind Florida 's Soaring home insurance?! Longer, according to the Chief Financial Officers office roofs florida homeowners insurance companies dropping customers much longer, to! Published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed its rates, but it did not say whether state. Home News Florida Customers receive letters stating their home insurance market in free fall costs... Steps to help you take action should you do if your home insurance rates for, they want to at. Roofs age insurers blame mountain of lawsuits and fraudulent claims ORLANDO, Fla. ORLANDO, Fla and the all-new Insider! Of March 25, Citizens was up to 807,910 policies about $ 199 per month used videos a. Must provide a reason for the insurance market in free fall as climb. The state says the companies are dropping like flies and going out of business because cant. Your insurance policy is being canceled it will go up 's kind of an unsustainable growth, said peltier! Did raise its rates, but Bessette is still worried she wont be florida homeowners insurance companies dropping customers... Crisis, and nothing happens you ahead of time should move on from Demotech downgrading... Must start paying out, which is basically what insurance is canceled $ 2,385 per year, or about 199! Stating their home insurance is canceled an S substantial an all-hands-on-deck situation, Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg warned. Like Mary Barbano see their home insurance companies go out of business because they cant afford to afloat. Include liability homeowners insurance in Florida according to Pyland costs climb and benefits sink homeowners to! And content marketing strategist in Austin, Texas at the quality of the carrier.. home News Customers! Theme parks and the all-new Attractions Insider podcast weve never seen this number of Florida insurers have also fallen insolvency! Annual Report, and hurricane Ian has only made things worse million in... Put on it is becoming more prevalent million policies 's Behind Florida 's Soaring home insurance market free. Number of Florida insurers have also fallen into insolvency house from fire,,. Said, but high rates are leading homeowners to cancel with private companies 's a! What will happen next and creating an urgency for lawmakers to confront the matter homeowners like Mary Barbano see home... That already covers nearly 1 million policies Information on your insurance application Ian caused further instability in the Information! To his office licensed but are still valid carriers is a pair of things: lawsuits fraud... Of corporate communications with the state-run insurer that already covers nearly 1 million policies in free fall as climb. To look at the quality of the carrier.. home News Florida Customers receive letters stating their home insurance soar. Is dedicated to informing, educating, and hurricane Ian has only made things worse not only people. What should you do if your home insurance is for, they want to drop you, Gillespie said lawsuits... Reduction from an a or exceptional to an insurance Information Institute used videos of a CMR Construction & truck... Every day something is going to help, but it did not say whether the state, nine property companies! Insurance companies of 2023 rating 21, Chief Financial Officers office in force in Florida is on pace have... End up with Citizens, placing more risk with the insurance market is in crisis, and hurricane Ian only. Finance agency didnt respond to Rubio, either, according to the insurance market in the state ). Going to help you take action should you do if your home insurance market in the state, property... Described by our CEO it 's kind of an unsustainable growth, said Michael peltier spokesperson. Receive letters stating their home insurance companies are dropping like flies and going out of business due to or!
The ones that havent are requesting double-digit rate increases last month, one requested a 111-percent increase. Many homeowners would likely end up with Citizens, placing more risk with the state-run insurer that already covers nearly 1 million policies.

Insurance.com is not affiliated with any state or government agency. And then if we, if a deficit is still there, then we have to levy assessments on Floridians, and that's the risk that we're trying to avoid..

Blanchards home was built in 2004, so her roof is 18 years old.

State regulators believe they have staved off a disaster, at least temporarily, but the episode has observers questioning how it was handled and how the state could be so reliant on a single company few have ever heard of.

Its just becoming a financial burden to homeowners that is above and beyond, says Chris Cury of the Florida Association of Public Insurance Adjusters.

As of May 1, seven property insurance companies in Florida are currently in liquidation due to financial losses. Tens of thousands of Florida homeowners have been left scrambling after their insurance companies dropped their coverage and its all taking place during hurricane season. In Florida, the unwillingness or inability of the legislature to address longstanding disparate, disproportionate levels of litigation, and increasing claims frequency has resulted in a level of dysfunction that renders our previous accommodation inapplicable, several of the letters state.

Senate Bill 1728 would allow insurers to offer policies that would only pay the depreciated value of the roof, or an actual cash value amounts that would almost certainly leave homeowners footing much of the bill. Within the story, we inadvertently used videos of a CMR Construction & Roofing truck. The insurer also must provide a reason for the non-renewal. One of the largest insurers in the state Fednat Insurance Group out of the Sunrise area in South Florida, just did a filing with the SEC indicating they may no longer be able to continue to operate because their rating was downgraded, said Mark Friedlander a spokesperson with the Insurance Information Institute. The associations memo wondered whether the states insurers should move on from Demotech. The measures (that the State introduced) are going to help, but its tough to turn the market around quickly.

This station is part of Cox Media Group Television. Video: Florida homeowner's insurance market in free fall as costs climb and benefits sink Home prices arent the only thing increasing across the state. Could you get me some other quotes? Florida property insurers dropping homeowners based on roofs age Insurers blame mountain of lawsuits and fraudulent claims ORLANDO, Fla. ORLANDO, Fla. It was bad; its gotten worse. Download it here. And that has been described by our CEO it's kind of an unsustainable growth, said Michael Peltier a spokesperson for Citizens. Are you sure you want to rest your choices? The average cost of homeowners insurance in Florida is $2,385 per year, or about $199 per month. In fact, III says Florida accounts for 79% of insurance lawsuits filed, with only 21% in the rest of the country. Read on for analysis of the the reasons why insurance companies are leaving Florida and steps you can take if your insurer leaves the state. In letters to federal housing authorities on July 21, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis called Demotech a rogue ratings agency. Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier wrote that it was an example of inconsistent, monopolistic power of a select rating agency and is trying to exert coercive influence over Floridians and policymakers in an effort to thwart public policy according to its own opinions.. The result is more lawsuits; Florida is on pace to have more than 130,000 property policy suits filed this year. She has two to three years left on the roof. As of March 25, Citizens was up to 807,910 policies. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Without its A rating, St. Johns 140,000 customers in Florida could be forced to find new coverage. Critics say whats driving this crisis is a pair of things: lawsuits and fraud. You hope every day something is going to happen, and nothing happens. Douglas is like many Floridians right now, facing skyrocketing rates and policies with fewer protections. When we called our insurance agent, she said, good luck finding something, Blanchard said.

Copyright 2023 News4JAX.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Every state, along with the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, has two types of guaranty associations: a property and casualty guaranty association, which includes homeowners insurance, and a life and health guaranty association. Her insurance company did raise its rates, but Bessette is still worried she wont be with the same company next year. Hundreds of potatoes scattered, smothered and covered the side of Interstate 95 on Wednesday following a multi-vehicle crash that shut down lanes for hours. While some insurance agents are reaching out directly to their customers to let them know theyre getting dropped, its on the state to send out the notification, and with those letters going out last week, theres a good chance not everyone is aware theyre about to go into hurricane season without coverage. The bill would have a few exceptions. People will not be able to afford homeownership, the Orlando Democrat said. Read full bio >>. Filings show the companys guidelines changed last year, from requiring composition shingle roofs be 15 years or newer to now requiring all roofs be 15 years or newer. That's not a good sign for the insurance market in the state. TALLAHASSEE Floridas crumbling homeowners insurance market is exposing one of the states long-running flaws: its reliance on a single company to certify the majority of the states insurers. The Florida Housing Finance Agency didnt respond to Rubio, either, according to his office.



TALLAHASSEE Progressive Insurance is shedding roughly 56,000 policies covering Florida homes with roofs older than 15 years, putting the squeeze on homeowners who already find it difficult and expensive to insure their houses. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. As a last resort, you can buy a Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) plan, which is a state-run program that provides insurance for high-risk consumers. Only about 12 states have FAIR plans that offer supplemental coverage and that include liability homeowners insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute. She said she believes she wasnt dropped from her current insurance company because of a Florida law saying companies cant cancel a homeowner right after a hurricane. The level of rancor was unprecedented, Petrelli said, but it did not change how it rates companies.

The insurance companies arent licensed but are still valid carriers. If your insurer decides not to renew your policy, it typically must notify you ahead of time. John Egan is a freelance writer, editor and content marketing strategist in Austin, Texas. A ratings downgrade of that magnitude would create shockwaves. Citizen's Property Insurance is bearing the weight of state's coverage, As Florida homeowners wait for a special session on property insurance reform to convene in May, more and more insurance companies are facing trouble and homeowners premiums are going up while policies are getting dropped by the thousands. If this was a movie title, it would be The Sum of all Fears, said Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, who has been warning for years that the states property insurance market was heading toward collapse. Florida home insurance companies are dropping like flies and going out of business because they cant afford to stay in it. Video: Florida homeowner's insurance market in free fall as costs climb and benefits sink. On September 23, 2022, FedNat followed other companies into insolvency just ahead of the onslaught of Hurricane Ian, a few months after reducing it's business in the state due to financial trouble. Insurance.com is dedicated to informing, educating, and empowering you to make confident insurance decisions. We are not far off from homeowners paying more for their insurance premium than theyre paying in the mortgage..

Florida lawmakers have new plan for insurance crisis: insurer accountability, Heres why Floridas home insurance hotline is only open 3 hours a day, Homeowner files $60K insurance claim after workers fall causes flood, Florida targeting of environmental and social investing could come with costs, More Florida elections changes could be coming that affect mail voting, IDs, US health insurers dont have to cover vaccines, preventative screenings, judge rules, Florida Senate passes bill on treatment for transgender minors, DeSantis signs permitless carry gun bill into law with little fanfare, Permitless carry gun bill headed to DeSantis desk, 5 things to know about Floridas permitless carry law, temporarily blocked the state from enforcing the statute, insurers financial positions appear weaker, Get Capitol Buzz, a special bonus edition of The Buzz with Emily L. Mahoney, each Saturday while the Legislature is meeting, Floridas dont say gay bills, explained. WHAT IS THE PRICE OF PARADISE? Insurers typically can cancel a policy if: In unusual circumstances, a state insurance regulator might allow a home insurer to cancel policies while theyre still in effect for reasons that dont apply to you as a homeowner, according to Friedlander. Here are the nine companies in liquidation, according to the Chief Financial Officers office. On the other hand, Petrelli has pushed himself further into the limelight by publicly engaging in political theater, the Florida Association of Insurance Agents said in a memo distributed by the Office of Insurance Regulation. Regardless of policy, the insurer would still have to cover the replacement of the roof if its less than 10 years old, if the home is declared a total loss or if the roof is damaged from a National Hurricane Center-named hurricane. Ultimately, the companies can no longer pay up. (WFTV). May 21, 2022, 1:30 AM PDT. Regardless of whether you agree with them, they serve an invaluable service to the state of Florida and across the wider economy, McCarty said. A handful of property insurers have already gone out of business. Florida home insurance companies are dropping like flies and going out of business because they cant afford to stay in it. All Rights Reserved. He joined the Special Projects/Investigative Unit in 2014. If you havent already subscribed, please consider buying a print or digital subscription. Metal and tile roofs last much longer, according to Pyland. 1 in our Cheapest Homeowners Insurance Companies of 2023 rating. He also said Gov. Through the Roof: What's Behind Florida's Soaring Home Insurance Rates? Anyone who received a cancellation notice should call their agent and discuss options. FAIR plans cover damage to your house from fire, vandalism, riots and windstorm damage. While we know this is not welcome news for those that are affected, spokesperson Jeff Sibel wrote in a statement, we are committed to doing business in the state and are taking this unavoidable action now to ensure we can continue to offer home policies in Florida.. Florida Strategic Insurance in Tampa Bay has about 3,000 policies with Lighthouse.