CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 1 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S A bill to be entitled 1 An act relating to insurance research; amending s. 2 1004.647, F.S.; renaming the Florida Catastrophic 3 Storm Risk Management Center to the Florida Center for 4 Excellence in Insurance and Risk Management; revising 5 the purpose of the center; revising the duties of the 6 center; providing areas of interest for research; 7 requiring the center to collaborate with the Office of 8 Insurance Regulation to produce an annual report 9 analyzing the property insurance market in this state; 10 requiring that the report be published by a specified 11 date and updated at least biennially; requiring the 12 center to develop a program with the office and the 13 Actuarial Science Program at the Florida State 14 University for a specified purpose; requiring the 15 center to use the public hurricane loss projection 16 model when necessary; requiring the center to conduct 17 research in response to inquiries from the 18 Legislature; authorizing the center to conduct 19 research in response to requests from the office; 20 amending s. 627.06281, F.S.; requiring the office t o 21 contract with the center to manage the public 22 hurricane loss projection model; requiring the center 23 to update the model; providing that certain fees 24 charged for access and use of the model do not apply 25 CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 2 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S to the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance an d 26 Risk Management; providing for a type two transfer of 27 the public hurricane loss projection model from 28 Florida International University to Florida State 29 University; amending s. 627.06292, F.S.; making 30 conforming changes; providing an effective date. 31 32 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 33 34 Section 1. Section 1004.647, Florida Statutes, is amended 35 to read: 36 1004.647 Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and 37 Catastrophic Storm Risk Management Center.—The Florida Center 38 for Excellence in Insurance and Catastrophic Storm Risk 39 Management Center is created at the Florida State University, 40 College of Business, Department of Risk Management. The purpose 41 of the center is to develop, conduct, evaluate, promote, and 42 disseminate accurate and timely research on issues related to 43 this state's insurance market and risk management, to assist the 44 Legislature in developing and evaluating evidence -based policy 45 options and making recommendations related to insurance and risk 46 management in this state, to identify emerging issues in the 47 insurance market, to provide insight regarding accessibility and 48 affordability of insurance products, catastrophic storm loss and 49 to assist in identifying and developing education and research 50 CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 3 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S grant funding opport unities among higher education institutions 51 in this state and the private sector. The purpose of the 52 activities of the center is to support the state's ability to 53 prepare for, respond to, and recover from catastrophic storms . 54 The center shall do all of the following: 55 (1) Conduct, coordinate, and disseminate research efforts 56 and information that would benefit businesses, consumers, and 57 public policy makers or that are expected to have an immediate 58 impact on policy and practices related to this state's insurance 59 markets or catastrophic event storm preparedness. The center 60 shall cooperate with the Office of Insurance Regulation in 61 conducting research. Areas of research may include: 62 (a) Storm forecasting and loss modeling; 63 (b) This state's insurance -related consumer protections; 64 (c) Insurer claims-handling and adjudication practices in 65 this state in comparison with insurer practices in other states; 66 (d) Cost factors in the reinsurance, catastrophe bond, and 67 insurance-linked securities markets; 68 (e) The resilience of building construction and mitigation 69 techniques; 70 (f) The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund; 71 (g) The effectiveness of the My Safe Florida Home Program; 72 (h) Risk management strategies, particularly for 73 catastrophic risk; or 74 (i) Health insurance, life insurance, workers' 75 CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 4 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S compensation, motor vehicle insurance, or any other type of 76 insurance sold within this state. 77 (2) Collaborate with the Office of Insurance Regulation to 78 create a report analyzing the property insurance market in this 79 state, projecting the outlook for the property insurance market 80 over 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, and 20 years. The report must 81 include recommendations for improving the availability and 82 affordability of property insurance in this state and for 83 facilitating this state's preparedness for and responsiveness to 84 catastrophic events. The center shall work with the Office of 85 Insurance Regulation to produce the report. The office shall 86 cooperate with the center in providing data necessary to 87 complete the report. The center shall publish the initial report 88 on or before January 1, 2026, and update the report at least 89 once every 2 years. Coordinate and disseminate information 90 related to catastrophic storm risk management, including, but 91 not limited to, research and info rmation that would benefit 92 businesses, consumers, and public policy makers. Areas of 93 interest may include storm forecasting, loss modeling, building 94 construction and mitigation, and risk management strategies. 95 Through its efforts, the center shall facilita te Florida's 96 preparedness for and responsiveness to catastrophic storms and 97 collaborate with other public and private institutions. 98 (3) Create and promote studies and opportunities that 99 enhance the educational options available to risk management and 100 CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 5 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S insurance students. 101 (4) Develop a program in collaboration with the Office of 102 Insurance Regulation and the Actuarial Science Program of the 103 Department of Mathematics at Florida State University to 104 encourage actuarial science students to practice in the publ ic 105 sector in the fields of risk management and insurance. 106 (5) Publish and disseminate findings. 107 (6)(5) Organize and sponsor conferences, symposia, and 108 workshops to educate consumers and policymakers. 109 (7) Use the public hurricane loss projection model under 110 s. 627.06281 when needed to meet the center's obligations under 111 this section. 112 (8) Conduct research responsive to joint or individual 113 inquiries from the President of the Senate and the Speaker of 114 the House of Representatives regarding insurance or risk 115 management. The center may also conduct research responsive to 116 requests made by the Office of Insurance Regulation. 117 Section 2. Section 627.06281, Florida Statutes, is amended 118 to read: 119 627.06281 Public hurricane loss projection model; 120 reporting of data by insurers.— 121 (1) The Office of Insurance Regulation shall contract with 122 the Florida Center for Excellence in Insurance and Risk 123 Management to manage the public hurricane loss projection model 124 developed under this section. The center shall coopera te with 125 CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 6 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S other entities and universities, including Florida International 126 University, to develop and maintain the public model. The center 127 shall constantly evaluate and update the public model so that it 128 will have the same functionalities as other models ap proved by 129 the Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology. 130 The center may use the public model, including all assumptions 131 and factors and all detailed loss results, for the purpose of 132 meeting its obligations under s. 1004.647. Within 30 days after 133 a written request for loss data and associated exposure data by 134 the office or the center Florida International University center 135 established to study mitigation , residential property insurers 136 and licensed rating and advisory organizations that comp ile 137 residential property insurance loss data shall provide loss data 138 and associated exposure data for residential property insurance 139 policies to the office or the Florida International University 140 center established to study mitigation , as directed by the 141 office, for the purposes of developing, maintaining, and 142 updating the a public model for hurricane loss projections . The 143 loss data and associated exposure data provided must shall be in 144 writing. 145 (2) The public model must be submitted to the Florida 146 Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology for review 147 under s. 627.0628 by March 1, 2007. The office may continue to 148 use the public model for its review of rate filings pursuant to 149 ss. 627.062 and 627.351 until such time as the Florida 150 CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 7 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology determines 151 that the public model is not accurate or reliable pursuant to 152 the same process and standards as the commission uses for the 153 review of other hurricane loss projection models. 154 (3)(a) A residential property insu rer may have access to 155 and use the public hurricane loss projection model, including 156 all assumptions and factors and all detailed loss results, for 157 the purpose of calculating rate indications in a rate filing and 158 for analytical purposes, including any anal ysis or evaluation of 159 the public model required under actuarial standards of practice. 160 (b) The fees charged for private sector access and use of 161 the public model must shall be the reasonable costs associated 162 with the operation and maintenance of the public model by the 163 office. Such fees do not apply to access and use of the public 164 model by the office or the Florida Center for Excellence in 165 Insurance and Risk Management . 166 Section 3. All powers, duties, functions, records, 167 offices, personnel, associated administrative support positions, 168 property, pending issues, existing contracts, administrative 169 authority, administrative rules, and unexpended balances of 170 appropriations, allocations, and any other funds relating to the 171 public hurricane loss projection mod el are transferred by a type 172 two transfer, as defined in s. 20.06(2), Florida Statutes, from 173 Florida International University to Florida State University. 174 Section 4. Subsection (3) of section 627.06292, Florida 175 CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 8 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S Statutes, is amended to read: 176 627.06292 Reports of hurricane loss data and associated 177 exposure data; public records exemption. — 178 (3) Each year, on October 1, the Florida State 179 International University center that develops, maintains, and 180 updates the public model for hurricane loss projections shall 181 publish a report summarizing loss data and associated exposure 182 data collected from residential property insurers and licensed 183 rating and advisory organizations. The Florida State 184 International University center shall submit the report 185 annually, on or before October 1, to the Governor, the President 186 of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. 187 (a) Such report must include a summary of the data 188 supplied by residential property insurers and licensed rating 189 and advisory organizations from September 1 of the prior year to 190 August 31 of the current year, and must include the following 191 information: 192 1. The total amount of insurance written by county. 193 2. The number of property insurance policies by county. 194 3. The number of property ins urance policies by county and 195 by construction type. 196 4. The number of property insurance policies by county and 197 by decade of construction. 198 5. The number of property insurance policies by county and 199 by deductible amount. 200 CS/HB 1097 2025 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. hb1097-01-c1 Page 9 of 9 F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S 6. The number of property insur ance policies by county and 201 by wind mitigation features when the information is supplied by 202 the residential property insurer or licensed rating and advisory 203 organization. 204 7. The total amount of hurricane losses by county and by 205 decade of construction. 206 8. The total amount of hurricane losses by county and by 207 deductible amount. 208 9. The total amount of hurricane losses by county and by 209 wind mitigation features when the information is supplied by the 210 residential property insurer or licensed rating and advi sory 211 organization. 212 (b) Separate compilations of the data obtained shall be 213 presented in order to use the public model for calculating rate 214 indications and to update, validate, or calibrate the public 215 model. Additional detail and a description of the oper ation and 216 maintenance of the public model may be included in the report. 217 (c) The report may not contain any information that 218 identifies a specific insurer or policyholder. 219 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 220