HOMES BEFORE PROFITS

Put Florida Homeowners First

For too many Floridians, the biggest threat to owning a home isn’t just the next hurricane – it’s the next insurance renewal. When insurance premiums rise, mortgage payments rise. Rents rise. Condo costs rise. Small businesses pay more. Frank believes Florida’s property insurance crisis has become an affordability crisis – and fixing it will be one of his highest priorities as Governor. Frank brings more than 30 years of experience in the insurance industry. He understands how risk is priced, how insurance markets work and why reform has to do two things at once: lower costs for homeowners and maintain a financially sound system capable of paying legitimate claims.

Frank’s Plan

Create a Catastrophic Hurricane & Wind Protection Program

Hurricane risk is one of the biggest drivers of Florida's property insurance costs. Frank would pursue a statewide catastrophic hurricane and wind protection program providing up to the first $500,000 of eligible residential property coverage for hurricane and wind risk. The goal would be to reduce the hurricane-wind portion of eligible premiums by as much as 50% - but Frank's plan specifically makes that goal subject to independent actuarial review, financial solvency analysis, catastrophe stress testing, regulatory approval and sustainable claims-paying capacity. Frank's position is simple: bold reform, but no promises that the numbers can't support.

Create a Florida Homeowner Bill of Rights

Paying your premium should come with basic rights. Frank's plan includes stronger consumer protections and a Florida Homeowner Bill of Rights designed to give homeowners greater transparency and accountability when dealing with insurance companies. That includes making it easier for Floridians to understand why premiums increase and giving consumers stronger rights when challenging insurance decisions.

Help Floridians Harden Their Homes

Government shouldn't tell homeowners to make expensive improvements and then leave them to figure out how to pay for them. Frank would expand mitigation and home-hardening assistance, particularly for working families, seniors, veterans, teachers, first responders, lower-income homeowners and people living in high-risk communities. And when homeowners make verified improvements that reduce risk, Frank wants a transparent process for determining whether those improvements should translate into insurance savings. Safer homes mean fewer losses - and fewer losses create the foundation for lower insurance costs over time.

Put Accountability Where It Belongs

Frank believes Florida's Insurance Commissioner should answer directly to Floridians. His plan calls for pursuing a constitutional amendment to restore an elected Insurance Commissioner, rather than continuing with a position appointed through the current system. Ultimately, Florida voters would decide whether to make that change. He would also create a public Property Insurance Reform Dashboard and require greater transparency around actuarial studies, financial analysis and the implementation of major reforms. No major insurance program should be built on hidden assumptions.

First 100 Days

Start on Day One Frank isn't proposing to spend his first year studying the problem. On Day One, he would begin the People’s Choice Property Insurance Reform Initiative, including: Establishing a Property Insurance Affordability Working Group Beginning a comprehensive review of Florida's insurance market and Citizens Launching a statewide homeowner listening initiative Beginning development and actuarial modeling of the catastrophic wind proposal Preparing the People’s Choice Property Insurance Reform Act Establishing a public Property Insurance Reform Dashboard Beginning the process of pursuing an elected Insurance Commissioner Over the first 100 days, the administration would move from review and modeling to public hearings, independent actuarial analysis, catastrophe stress testing and ultimately a proposed legislative package. At the end of those 100 days, Frank's commitment is that Floridians should be able to see what has been completed, what still needs to happen, what requires legislative approval and what comes next.

View the Florida 9.9 Plan →

Experience Matters

Frank has spent decades working inside the insurance industry. But he doesn't believe that means defending the status quo. It means understanding where the system works, where it doesn't and what changes can realistically be made without putting homeowners or taxpayers at greater risk. Frank won't promise that a Governor can stop hurricanes, unilaterally set insurance rates or rewrite Florida law alone. But a Governor can lead. A Governor can demand transparency. A Governor can fight for homeowners. And a Governor can make sure Florida families are no longer an afterthought in decisions affecting their homes and their future.

The Goal Is Simple

Lower costs. Protect homeowners. Strengthen competition. Pay legitimate claims. Keep Floridians in their homes.

FRANK J. RUSSO

RACHEL RODRIGUEZ