Florida’s 2025-2026 budget dedicates over $600 million to home and condominium risk mitigation. This funding supports the My Safe Florida Home grant program and the My Safe Florida Condo pilot program.
The My Safe Florida Home program provides homeowners up to $10,000 for wind-mitigation projects. These projects must appear in an inspection report to qualify for reimbursement.
In July 2024, the program stopped accepting initial inspection applications due to depleted funds. The state had set aside $3.5 million for inspections, with $550,732 allocated for 3,422 initial inspections.
The My Safe Florida Condo pilot program, created in 2024, offers up to $175,000 in grants to condominium associations for mitigation projects. This initiative helps associations finance improvements that strengthen buildings against storms.
Caitlin Murray, regional vice president for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, said mitigation programs are the most effective way to reduce property losses. She also noted that the added resources would help the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) respond to market shifts and prevent future crises.
The budget fully meets the OIR’s funding request, including $475,000 for hiring a reinsurance expert to study market cycles. This role ensures thorough monitoring of the reinsurance sector, which plays a key role in property and casualty markets.
The budget also includes $330,000 to open a secondary OIR office to recruit actuarial and support staff for reviewing rate and form filings.
Another $310,000 will go toward improving data collection and analytics. Additional funding will support transferring administrative and technology responsibilities from the Florida Department of Financial Services to the insurance regulator.
The American Property Casualty Insurance Association praised Governor DeSantis for strengthening Florida’s property market, especially after the recent hurricane season.
Logan McFaddin, vice president of state government relations, stated that while legal system abuse reforms have improved the market, further investment in mitigation programs will help limit hurricane damage, reduce losses, lower costs, and create more stability.
Governor DeSantis’ proposed budget includes nearly $590 million to lower homeowners’ insurance premiums through home hardening, mitigation inspections, and grants under the My Safe Florida Home Grant Program.
This includes $480 million in current funding for up to 45,000 grants and an additional $109 million in recurring funding to make the program permanent, serving 10,000 homeowners each year.
The budget also reinstates the My Safe Florida Home Condominium Pilot Program with $30 million to continue assisting condominium associations with hurricane resistance.
Re-established in 2022, the My Safe Florida Home program helps eligible homeowners strengthen their homes against storm damage. The program offers free wind mitigation inspections to assess hurricane-resistant features and recommend improvements. Homeowners may receive up to $10,000 in matching grants for approved mitigation projects, which may also qualify them for insurance premium discounts.
Launched in November 2024, the My Safe Florida Condo pilot program provides free inspections and funding for wind mitigation improvements. It offers grants of up to $175,000 per association for approved projects.
In October 2024, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis announced that all available My Safe Florida Home program funds had been allocated due to high demand.
He proposed using sales tax revenue from hurricane recovery efforts to replenish the program, citing its success in helping homeowners strengthen their properties and lower insurance costs.
Governor DeSantis aims to eliminate the program’s backlog by allocating an additional $600 million in the 2025-2026 budget. This funding would clear the waitlist and provide resources for homeowners to complete storm-protective upgrades before the next hurricane season.
The My Safe Florida Home program has benefited homeowners in every Florida county, delivering over 109,000 free home inspections and approving more than 58,700 home-hardening grants. These efforts have resulted in $576 million in grant funding and an average insurance premium savings of $1,000 per participating homeowner.
The program offers two types of hurricane mitigation grants: matching grants and low-income grants. The matching grant covers two-thirds of a mitigation project’s total cost, with a state contribution capped at $10,000.
Low-income homeowners can receive grants up to $10,000 without providing matching funds.
To qualify, homeowners must meet specific requirements, including having a homestead exemption, an insured home value of $700,000 or less, and a building permit issued before January 1, 2008. Low-income homeowners are exempt from the insured value limit.
The My Safe Florida Condo pilot program helps condominium associations finance improvements that increase storm resistance. The program provides free inspections to identify existing hurricane-resistant features and recommend improvements. Eligible associations can apply for grants of up to $175,000 to implement these upgrades.
Florida’s 2025-2026 budget reflects a major commitment to strengthening the state’s property insurance market and improving storm resilience for homes and condominiums. By investing in mitigation programs and regulatory oversight, the state aims to reduce property losses, lower insurance premiums, and create a more stable insurance market.
