Non-Renewed in Florida? How to Get Homeowners Insurance Again (2026)

If your Florida homeowners insurance was non-renewed, you have a defined window (typically 120 days under Florida Statute 627.4133) to find new coverage, and you have a backstop: Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the state-created insurer of last resort. The Florida market has been brutal since 2021, with seven domestic insurers going insolvent and dozens more pulling back from the coast. You can still get a policy. The path is just different.

Key Takeaways
Florida Statute 627.4133 requires 120 days advance written notice of non-renewal for policyholders of more than 3 years, 90 days otherwise, with a hurricane-season delay on weather-tied non-renewals.
Seven Florida domestic insurers became insolvent between 2021 and 2023 (FedNat, UPC, St. Johns, Lighthouse, Avatar, Southern Fidelity, Weston), sending hundreds of thousands of policies to FIGA and Citizens.
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the residual insurer of last resort. You qualify if no admitted carrier will write you, or if the lowest private quote is more than 20% above Citizens premium.
Roof age is the single biggest underwriting trigger. Most admitted carriers will not write shingle older than 15 years, many cut off at 10.
Wind mitigation Form OIR-B1-1802 is the biggest cost lever you control: hurricane straps, hip roof shape, opening protection, and a deck nailed to current code can cut premium 30 to 60%.
Latent Insurance is an independent Florida broker. We shop your renewal across the admitted market, Citizens, and HNW carriers in one quote round before your old policy expires.

What Does "Non-Renewal" Mean in Florida?

A non-renewal is the insurer's decision not to offer you a new policy at the end of your current term. It is different from a cancellation, which terminates a policy mid-term. Under Florida Statute 627.4133, the carrier must give advance written notice before the renewal date:

120 days if you have been a policyholder for more than 3 years.
90 days if you have been a policyholder for less than 3 years.
Non-renewals based on hurricane risk cannot take effect during hurricane season (June 1 through November 30) without a 90-day post-season delay.

The notice must state the specific reason. Common reasons cited: roof age, prior claims, coast distance, a CLUE flag, an inspection finding, or a carrier-wide book reduction. A vague notice or one that misses the deadline may not be enforceable. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (FL OIR) publishes a consumer guide to the timing rules.

Why So Many Florida Homeowners Got Dropped (2021 to 2026)

Florida lost more domestic homeowners insurers between 2021 and 2023 than any other state in modern history. The dislocation traces to four overlapping pressures: hurricane losses, reinsurance pricing, roof-claim litigation, and assignment-of-benefits (AOB) abuse. The carrier collapses:

FedNat Insurance Company, insolvent September 2022, roughly 56,000 Florida policies.
United Property & Casualty (UPC), insolvent February 2023, the largest of the cycle at roughly 90,000 Florida policies. Insurance Journal covered the liquidation order.
St. Johns Insurance Company, insolvent March 2022.
Lighthouse Property Insurance, insolvent April 2022.
Avatar Property & Casualty, insolvent March 2022.
Southern Fidelity Insurance Company, insolvent June 2022.
Weston Property & Casualty, insolvent August 2022.

Each insolvency dumped policies into the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association (FIGA) for pending claims and pushed renewals to Citizens or the remaining admitted market. Citizens' policy count climbed from roughly 420,000 in 2020 to a peak above 1.4 million in 2023.

The legislature responded with SB 2-A in December 2022 (a $1 billion reinsurance fund, AOB restrictions) and HB 837 in March 2023 (tort reform restricting one-way attorney fees, bad-faith caps). Reforms slowed new insolvencies and brought a handful of new carriers in through 2024 and 2025, but did not reverse the existing book of non-renewals overnight. Hurricane Ian (2022) and Hurricane Milton (2024) added reinsurance pressure that kept rates elevated through 2026. For up-to-the-month tracking of carrier filings, depopulation rounds, and OIR market data, see our running Florida homeowners insurance market news tracker. If your carrier dropped you and you're starting from zero, our companion guide to what to do after being dropped by your homeowners insurance walks the national playbook.

If Your Carrier Just Went Insolvent: FIGA and Citizens

If your Florida insurer is declared insolvent, your policy is canceled by the order of liquidation issued by the Florida Department of Financial Services, typically 30 days after the order. FIGA handles pending claims, capped at $500,000 dwelling and $200,000 contents per claim, less deductible.

You will not stay covered automatically. You need to find a new policy before the cancellation date. Options: a takeout carrier (a healthy insurer absorbs a block of policies), Citizens (you typically qualify automatically after insolvency), or the private admitted market via a broker.

Florida DFS and FIGA both publish guides for policyholders of insolvent carriers. Call DFS at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO to confirm your liquidation date and FIGA claim status.

What to Do in Your 90 to 120-Day Notice Window

The 90 to 120-day window is enough time if you act in the first three weeks. The checklist:

1.
Get a wind mitigation inspection (Form OIR-B1-1802). Costs $75 to $150 and frequently saves 30 to 60% on premium. The inspector documents roof shape (hip pays better than gable), deck attachment, roof-to-wall connection (clips, single wraps, double wraps), opening protection, and secondary water resistance. Every admitted Florida carrier uses this form.
2.
Get a 4-point inspection if your home is 25+ years old. Documents roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC. Required by most carriers for older homes.
3.
Check your roof age. Most admitted carriers will not write shingle older than 15 years; some cut off at 10. Tile and metal get longer life. If you are within 18 months of needing a replacement, doing it before renewal often pays for itself.
4.
Pull your CLUE report. Request a free copy annually from LexisNexis and dispute errors before shopping.
5.
Get a Citizens quote first. Citizens is your floor. Knowing the Citizens premium tells you the most you should pay anywhere.
6.
Shop the private admitted market through an independent broker. A single broker can quote 10+ Florida carriers in one round.
7.
Consider HNW carriers if your dwelling is $1M+. Chubb, AIG Private Client, and PURE write Florida coastal homes that mass-market carriers will not touch, often at competitive rates.

For a full coverage breakdown of Florida policy structure, deductibles, and endorsements, see Florida Homeowners Insurance. For the step-by-step on getting Florida homeowners insurance quotes across the admitted market, Citizens, and HNW carriers in one pass, see our quotes guide; for the cost math by county, roof age, and deductible, see Florida homeowners insurance cost.

Options After Non-Renewal: Private, Citizens, HNW, and E&S

Florida has four lanes for placement after non-renewal. The right lane depends on home location, value, roof age, and claims history.

Private admitted carriers. The largest pool by carrier count: Universal Property & Casualty, Tower Hill, Florida Peninsula, Heritage, ASI Progressive, Slide, Kin, HCI / TypTap, and (in limited zip codes) State Farm Florida. Each has appetite restrictions by county, roof age, prior claims, and coast distance. Pricing is competitive when you fit appetite. For the full panel of Florida homeowners insurance companies writing in 2026, see our carrier guide.

Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. The state-created residual. You qualify if no admitted carrier will write you, or every private quote exceeds Citizens by more than 20%. Citizens coverage is financially backed by the state, rated A by Demotech, and accepted by lenders. See citizensfla.com.

High-net-worth carriers. Chubb, AIG Private Client, PURE, and Cincinnati Insurance write homes typically $1M+ in dwelling value. They hold Florida appetite through the hard market because their book is geographically diverse.

Surplus lines / E&S carriers. Lloyd's, Lexington, and other non-admitted carriers. A last resort when admitted and Citizens are unavailable. Pricing is higher, forms less standardized, and there is no FIGA backstop if the carrier fails.

If your home is also a short-term rental, the coverage profile changes. See the Florida Homeowners Insurance pillar and our Business Owners Policy page for commercial use. To compare the specific carriers still writing in Florida by financial strength, appetite, and roof-age tolerance, see our best Florida homeowners insurance head-to-head.

Citizens Depopulation: Will Citizens Try to Hand You Off?

Yes, often. Citizens is statutorily required to depopulate (move policies off its books) when private carriers express interest. Each year Citizens publishes "takeout" lists, and approved private carriers select policies to assume. If a private carrier offers coverage at a premium within 20% of your Citizens premium, Florida statute requires you to accept the private offer or lose Citizens eligibility.

If the private quote is more than 20% above Citizens, you can stay. The offer arrives by mail with a deadline (usually 30 days). Read the carrier name, premium, and form carefully. Some takeout carriers are stable; others have been the next round of insolvencies. An independent broker should review any depopulation offer before you accept or refuse.

Avoiding Force-Placed Insurance

If your policy lapses without replacement, your mortgage lender will place a "force-placed" or "lender-placed" policy on the loan. Force-placed coverage typically costs 2x to 5x normal premium, covers only the structure (not contents or liability), and protects the lender, not you. The defense is simple: do not let coverage lapse. Bind Citizens as a floor by the non-renewal date even if you are still shopping. You can switch later; you cannot easily undo a force-placement gap on your CLUE report.

Filing a Complaint With FL OIR or DFS

If your non-renewal violated the statutory notice rules, was discriminatory, retaliated against a covered claim, or involved a FIGA claim being mishandled, file a complaint with the Florida Department of Financial Services Division of Consumer Services at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO or myfloridacfo.com. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation handles complaints involving carrier conduct, rate filings, and market practices. Both agencies open a file and require the carrier to respond, usually within 20 days.

If you own property in California too, see California Homeowners Insurance Non-Renewal for the parallel state regime.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was my Florida homeowners insurance non-renewed?

The most common reasons Florida insurers cite: roof age (15+ years on shingle is the typical cutoff), prior claims in the last 3 to 5 years (a single claim can be enough), coast proximity, a 4-point or wind mitigation inspection finding, a carrier-wide appetite reduction, a CLUE report flag, or carrier insolvency. The non-renewal notice must state the specific reason in writing. If it does not, the non-renewal may not be enforceable under Florida Statute 627.4133.

How many days notice does my Florida insurer have to give me?

Under Florida Statute 627.4133, your insurer must give 120 days advance written notice of non-renewal if you have been a policyholder for more than 3 years, and 90 days if you have been a policyholder for less than 3 years. Non-renewals based on hurricane risk cannot take effect during hurricane season (June 1 through November 30) without a 90-day post-season delay. A notice that misses the statutory deadline can be challenged.

My Florida insurer went insolvent. What happens to my policy?

When the Florida Department of Financial Services issues an order of liquidation, your policy is canceled (typically 30 days after the order). FIGA takes over pending claims, capped at $500,000 dwelling and $200,000 contents per claim. You must find a new policy before the cancellation date. Citizens qualifies you automatically in most insolvency scenarios. Call DFS at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO to confirm your liquidation date and FIGA claim status.

Can I get coverage from Citizens after non-renewal?

Yes, in most cases. Citizens is Florida's residual insurer of last resort. You qualify if no admitted Florida carrier will write you, or if the lowest comparable private quote exceeds Citizens premium by more than 20%. Citizens is state-backed, rated A by Demotech, and accepted by mortgage lenders. An independent broker can submit your Citizens application alongside private quotes.

Is my mortgage lender going to force-place insurance on me?

Only if you let coverage lapse. Lenders are required to place a "force-placed" policy when a mortgaged property has no homeowners coverage on file. Force-placed typically costs 2x to 5x normal premium, covers only the structure (not contents or liability), and protects the lender, not you. The fix: bind Citizens (or any admitted carrier) by your non-renewal date, even while shopping the private market.

Can my Florida insurer non-renew me because of one claim?

Yes. A single non-catastrophe claim in the prior 3 to 5 years is enough for some Florida carriers. Water damage claims are weighted heavily. Catastrophe claims (declared hurricane losses) generally do not count against you the same way, and Florida regulations restrict non-renewals tied to a declared catastrophe within the first 90 days post-event. Pull your CLUE report annually to know what carriers see.

Should I take a Citizens depopulation offer from a private carrier?

It depends on the carrier and the premium. If the private offer is within 20% of your Citizens premium, you are statutorily required to accept it or lose Citizens eligibility. If the offer is more than 20% above Citizens, you can stay. Before accepting, check the carrier's financial rating (AM Best or Demotech), recent loss ratio, and whether the policy form is comparable to Citizens. An independent broker can review the offer in 24 to 48 hours.

Sources

Last updated: May 12, 2026.

Get Help With Your Florida Non-Renewal

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Non-Renewed in Florida? How to Get Homeowners Insurance Again