Florida Homeowners Rate Decreases in October 2026: Is Your Carrier on the List?

Florida homeowners have spent the last few years opening renewal notices with a knot in their stomach. This month’s news from Tallahassee is different. On October 29, 2026, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) announced that more than 824,300 homeowners will receive rate decreases on new policies or renewals in October, with decreases up to -12.1%.

The headline numbers are real, but they don’t tell you what your own renewal will say. Below are the October filings from the companies Magnuson Insurance writes with, what a “rate decrease” means for an individual policy, and the exceptions worth checking before you assume your premium is going down. Figures are as of October 30, 2026.

Which of our carriers cut homeowners rates in October 2026?

Two companies we write with filed decreases that took effect in October: Universal Property & Casualty and Mangrove. A third, American Integrity, had two decreases from August filings that OIR says are already in effect.

OIR published the company-by-company figures as a chart in its release. The numbers below come from that chart as reported by WKMG News 6, and the totals match OIR’s own text.

The form codes matter, so here’s what they mean:

• HO-3: the standard homeowners policy for an owner-occupied house.
• HO-4: renters insurance, covering a tenant’s belongings and liability.
• HO-6: condo unit-owner insurance, covering the inside of the unit and the owner’s liability.
• HO-8: a modified homeowners form often used for older homes that don’t qualify for a standard policy.

Universal Property & Casualty’s filing is by far the largest on the October list. Its 512,000 policyholders are more than 60% of the 824,300 total.

OIR’s chart also includes six other companies with seven filings, from -0.1% to -12.1%, that we don’t currently write with. The full list is in OIR’s release, linked in the sources below. If you’re not sure which company insures your home, your declarations page names it, or you can ask us to check.

How much will my premium actually go down?

It depends on more than the filed percentage. OIR describes rate filings in terms of overall average changes: when Citizens files, for example, OIR publishes “the overall estimated statewide average rate changes” by policy type. A -5% filing means the company’s rates for those forms dropped by about 5% overall. It doesn’t promise that every policyholder pays 5% less.

Your own renewal premium also moves with things that have nothing to do with the filing:

1. Your coverage amount. Some policies raise the dwelling limit (Coverage A) at renewal to keep up with rebuilding costs. A higher limit can offset part of a rate decrease.
2. Your roof. As a roof ages, some carriers change how they rate or cover it. Our roof age guide explains the common thresholds.
3. Wind mitigation credits. Florida carriers give credits for features that resist wind, documented on a wind mitigation inspection. An expired or missing form can cost you credits you qualify for.
4. Deductibles and discounts. A change to your hurricane deductible, or a discount added or dropped, changes the premium too.
5. Where you live. Rates are set by territory, so two homes with the same company can see different changes.

The way to see what really changed is to put this year’s declarations page next to last year’s and compare them line by line.

When does a rate decrease reach my policy?

At your next new policy or renewal on or after the filing’s effective date. OIR’s release says these homeowners “will receive rate decreases in their new policies or renewals.” A rate filing generally doesn’t change a policy partway through its term.

So if your Universal Property & Casualty policy renewed on October 1, before the October 16 effective date, you’d generally see the new rates at your next renewal. If it renews in November, the new rates should already apply. Ask us if you’re not sure where your renewal falls.

Exceptions worth checking before you count on a lower bill

The general rule has exceptions that change the answer for a lot of households:

• The policy form has to match. Four of the nine October filings were for condo HO-6 policies only, and two were for HO-3 homeowners policies only. Mangrove’s -5.6% applies to HO-3 policies, so a Mangrove condo or renters policy isn’t part of that filing. If you own a condo, our HO-6 guide explains what that policy covers.
• The company name has to match. Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company is on OIR’s list. One Alliance North America, formerly Universal North America, is a different insurer and isn’t. The same goes for any company with a similar name: read the name on your declarations page.
• Filed isn’t the same as approved. OIR says 48 companies have filed for a rate decrease since January 2024, and 53 have requested no change or 0%. A filing is a request; the October figures are the ones OIR says are taking effect.
• American Integrity’s two figures cover different groups. One filing was -0.3% for about 184,000 consumers and the other -12.3% for about 8,900. OIR’s release doesn’t say which policy forms each covered. The larger cut applies to the much smaller group, so ask us which filing your policy falls under.
• Citizens isn’t on the October list. If you’re insured with Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, the October private-carrier decreases don’t change your Citizens rate.

What if my carrier isn’t on the list?

You may still see a decrease later, or a better price elsewhere. OIR says more rate decrease requests are pending, taking effect in November, December and January, and that they include about 450,000 more Floridians. OIR’s market overview page also lists new companies approved to write in Florida, which adds options for homeowners shopping their coverage.

You don’t have to wait for your company to file. As an independent agency, we can compare your current policy against the other carriers we write with, using the same coverage limits and deductibles so the comparison is fair. Sometimes staying put is the right answer. Sometimes it isn’t. Either way, you’ll know.

For homeowners in Lakeland and the rest of Polk County, the best time to compare is when the renewal notice arrives, before the renewal date and before you pay. Our guide to lowering your Florida home insurance premium covers the other options to look at.

How to check whether your company filed a decrease

You can look it up yourself, or ask us. Here’s how:

1. Find your company and policy form. Both are on the first page of your declarations page. Note the exact company name, the form (HO-3, HO-6 and so on) and the renewal date.
2. Check OIR’s announcement. The October 29 release has the chart of October filings. OIR posts news on rate decisions in its newsroom.
3. Search the filing itself. OIR’s IRFS Forms & Rates Filing Search lets anyone look up a company’s rate filings, though the filings are written for regulators and can run long.
4. Compare your renewal. When the renewal arrives, set it next to last year’s declarations page and look at the premium, the dwelling limit, the deductibles and the discounts.
5. Get a second opinion. Start a free quote online, and a licensed agent will compare the options with your current policy.

What to have ready before you request a quote

A comparison is only as good as the information behind it. Have these ready:

• Your current declarations page, with the company name, policy form, limits, deductibles and renewal date
• Your renewal notice, if it has arrived
• The year your roof was installed or replaced, and the roof covering type
• Your most recent wind mitigation inspection form, and any 4-point inspection, if you have them
• Updates to plumbing, electrical and heating and air conditioning, with the years
• Claims in the last five years
• Your mortgage company’s name, if you have a mortgage

Coverage can’t be bound or changed through the website. A licensed agent confirms every quote and policy change with you directly, and no quote is final until the carrier accepts the application. You can read more about homeowners coverage or condo coverage before we talk.