Houston Daily

Texans for Lawsuit Reform announced on X that Florida's 2023 tort reform measures are lowering insurance rates, reducing frivolous lawsuits, and gaining strong public support, despite legislative efforts to roll them back.

According to Texans for Lawsuit Reform, Florida's sweeping tort reform package, House Bill 837 (HB 837), was enacted in March 2023 to address excessive litigation, high insurance costs, and a legal system seen as unfavorable to businesses and consumers. These reforms introduced stricter limits on attorney fees, changed how damages are calculated, and tightened standards for bad faith insurance claims. Despite recent attempts in the Florida legislature to undo some provisions, public support for the reforms remains strong due to their direct impact on insurance affordability and legal fairness.

According to Insurance Journal, the 2023 reforms have had a significant impact: insurance rates in Florida dropped an average of 5.6% statewide after implementation, and the number of frivolous lawsuits filed has fallen by more than 40%. These changes have helped create a more competitive insurance market, with over ten new insurance providers entering the state since the reforms were enacted. Insurance Journal credits HB 837 with improving legal certainty for insurers, which has led to tangible benefits for consumers and the broader market.

As reported by Actuarial Review Magazine, HB 837’s key provisions include eliminating the one-way attorney fee statute, imposing a two-year statute of limitations on negligence cases, and revising comparative fault and bad faith rules. These reforms were specifically designed to discourage unwarranted lawsuits and curb the influence of aggressive litigation tactics. The publication notes that actuaries and legal analysts credit these measures with substantial reductions in claim frequency, litigation costs, and overall volatility in the state’s insurance sector.

According to the official TLR website, Texans for Lawsuit Reform is a nonprofit advocacy group founded in 1994 that champions civil justice reform, transparency, and legal accountability in Texas and nationally. The organization is known for legislative advocacy, legal research, and public education to reduce lawsuit abuse and improve fairness in courts. TLR frequently cites policy results from states like Florida as supporting evidence for similar reforms in Texas.