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Many Florida condo buildings could lose state-run insurance coverage under new bill. Here's why

By and FOX 13 News Staff
Published  February 25, 2025 9:25am EST
Florida
FOX 13 News

Push to strip insurance coverage for some condos

FOX 13’s Kellie Cowan breaks down a bill filed in Tallahassee that would penalize condo associations that haven’t finished required safety checks following the deadly Surfside collapse in 2021.

The Brief

    • State Rep. Vicki Lopez (R-Miami) has filed a bill that would eliminate Citizens Property Insurance coverage for thousands of condo buildings.
    • The measure targets condo associations that have not complied with a new state law requiring a safety check in the aftermath of the 2021 Surfside condo collapse.
    • Many condo associations and residents argue they're being asked to put up too much money.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A Florida lawmaker has filed a bill that would strip condo associations of access to state-run Citizens Property Insurance if they don't comply with new building safety laws.

The backstory:

On June 24, 2021, a 12-story condo building in the Miami suburb of Surfside collapsed, killing 98 people.

Since then, Florida lawmakers have taken steps in hopes of preventing future tragedies, including requiring most condo buildings taller than three stories to complete a safety study by the end of 2024, along with setting aside reserves to ensure the structural integrity of their buildings in the future.

However, the state has found that more than half of those buildings haven't submitted proof showing these steps were completed.

Now, Republican State Rep. Vicki Lopez of Miami is proposing consequences, including kicking non-compliant buildings off their Citizens coverage.

What they're saying:

"We’re not in the business of bailing people out who did not do the right thing from the get-go. In addition to that, well, because it’s your tax money, by the way. It’d be you bailing them out," Lopez said during a recent summit for the Miami Association of Realtors.

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The other side:

Many condo associations and residents were upset last year when state lawmakers refused to extend the inspection deadline any further, saying they’re being asked to put up too much money. Some owners have even said they've been hit with five or six-figure assessments.

Lopez and other supporters of her bill, though, say those residents have options, like borrowing against the equity in their home or taking advantage of Miami-Dade’s interest-free loan program specifically set up to help with assessment fees.

What's next:

The bill, HB 913, will be considered during the annual legislative session, which begins next Tuesday, March 4.

The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Kellie Cowan.

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