Florida gubernatorial candidates clash over property insurance fixes a month before the midterm elections

With the election a little more than a month away, candidates for Florida governor are refining their messages to sway voters on the state's property insurance crisis.

On Monday, Democratic candidate David Jolly held a virtual presentation to outline his proposed property insurance reforms.

"The insurance companies are protected by a broken system," Jolly said.

Jolly pledged to stop insurers from sending profits out of state, stating he would use executive action to accomplish the goal. He also proposed creating a new state catastrophe fund to handle windstorm damage, which he said would reduce most insurance costs by over 60%. He expects the fund to be sustained through taxes on insurance companies, real estate transactions, and tourism.

During the presentation, two West Florida residents detailed their frustrations with insurance payouts following the 2024 hurricanes. Resident Katie North stated she sustained $400,000 in damages from Hurricane Milton, but her insurance company paid just $6,000 for roof repairs.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds criticized Jolly's proposal, contending that approach would leave homeowners footing the bill.

Donalds' plan instead calls for eliminating the state's current Catastrophe Surcharge, providing grants to help homeowners fortify their properties, and continuing to transfer policies from the state-backed Citizens Insurance to the private market.