Florida Trend Exclusive
Risky business
A dozen new home insurers — some with a cooperative twist — have entered Florida’s property insurance market. Many of the Florida-born newcomer insurers play an outsized role in taking policies from state-run Citizens Property Insurance, the backstop with subsidized rates for homeowners who can’t get coverage elsewhere. Reducing the number of Floridians insured by Citizens is important because it generally charges actuarially unsound rates. In the event of a catastrophe exceeding its means to pay claims, it makes up the difference first with an extra charge to its customers and then by dinging nearly every insurance customer in Florida. [Source: Florida Trend]
Child wellbeing: Florida drops in rankings amid reading and math declines
Florida’s dropping reading and math scores contributed to an overall decline of the state’s ranking for child wellbeing. Florida fell five spots in the 2025 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count child wellbeing rankings. The Sunshine State ranked 35th in 2025 and 30th in 2024. Florida ranked 19th best in the education category in 2025. Last year, the state ranked 5th in education. [Source: Florida Phoenix]
Florida lawmakers fund another $1.7 billion in I-4 construction projects
Florida is taking additional steps to speed up congestion relief along the I-4 tourist corridor. Last week lawmakers voted to expedite the construction of two express lanes on I-4’s busiest stretch in Osceola and Polk Counties and a separate road project that will better connect I-4 to the rest of Osceola County’s transportation network. The joint legislative budget commission approved $1.7 billion for the three road projects. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]
Florida No. 2 in gun sales but numbers are dropping here and around the country
Floridians, and Americans in general, are buying fewer guns. People in the Sunshine State bought just over an estimated 1.2 million guns in 2024, according to the annual report from safety product review site SafeHome.org based on data from the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). That's a 7% drop from 2023. Florida still ranks No. 2 in the country in total gun sales, though, behind Texas (1.36 million). [Source: Tallahassee Democrat]
Lucifer, America's oldest hippo, has died at Homosassa Springs in Florida
Lucifer, the oldest living hippopotamus in the Americas, died on Sunday after decades as fixture for adoring fans at Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Lovingly nicknamed Lu, the African hippopotamus, was 65. He “passed away peacefully,” the Florida Department of Environmental Protection announced. Lu was born at the San Diego Zoo in 1960 and found his way to Homosassa Springs four years later when he was sold to Ivan Tors, the writer-director of animal-themed movies like Flipper and Daktari, of which Lu was featured in. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
How a modernized health plan is lowering total cost of care and improving employee experience
Like any good startup, the copay-only Surest® health plan came from a group of innovators discontent with the status quo. These veteran insurance innovators asked themselves, what if health insurance could work like other helpful consumer services? What if provider options and clear costs were available before members sought care so people could shop for health care like they shop for many other products? In 2016, that concept became a reality. [Sponsored report]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Tampa Bay local governments prepare for ‘active’ hurricane season
The 2025 hurricane season, forecast by experts to be “above-normal,” began with the start of the month. And, after President Donald Trump’s cuts to Federal Emergency Management Agency’s staffing and financial aid, hurricane recovery may be more of a localized effort this year. Last year’s back-to-back hurricanes showed Tampa Bay governments have room to improve their response to natural disasters, but these projects cost millions of dollars and take time to complete.
› Spring Break helped Orange County generate $33M in hotel tax revenue in April
Spring Breakers helped generate $33 million in Orange County hotel tax revenue this April, but that falls short of last month’s total and of revenue from past holidays. April 2025 tax revenue was down 9% compared to last April. “April collections were higher than last year — in part because Easter fell in April this year instead of March,” Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond said. “However, April 2025 collections were still $519,300 less than April 2023 — when Easter also occurred in April.”
› Budget conference: MOSH money likely to continue flowing for ‘Genesis Project’
The Jacksonville Museum of Science and History (MOSH) is poised to get another seven-figure sum from state legislators this year for a key project. The most recent Transportation and Economic Development budget spreadsheet shows the Senate matching the House’s $2.5 million offer for the MOSH Genesis Project (HF 1828, SF 2847). This follows up on $5 million appropriated in the current fiscal year, though $87 million of the project cost is paid for locally and by private donations.
› Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida to acquire Villages bank
The largest publicly traded bank based in Florida plans to acquire the owner of Citizens First Bank, based in The Villages. Seacoast National Bank’s parent company signed a definitive agreement to acquire Villages Bancorp. Inc., of which Citizens First Bank is a subsidiary. The acquisition is valued at $710.8 million and is expected to close in the fourth quarter, following approval from regulatory authorities and VBI shareholders.
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› Changes to Gainesville's RTS service to begin June 30 as part of new contract with UF
The city of Gainesville announced on June 5 that the Regional Transit System (RTS) will undergo service adjustments following the signing of a new contract with the University of Florida. Changes to the number of routes and service adjustments will be made in order to meet the university's needs. RTS riders will start to experience such changes starting on June 30, the start of the university’s Summer B term.
› Fort Lauderdale still needs City Hall two years after historic flood
For two years now, Fort Lauderdale has been a city without a City Hall. The eight-story building was critically damaged in a record-breaking rainstorm that hit in April 2023, sending floodwaters pouring into the basement. The 1960s-era building lost power, forcing City Hall employees to work from home or in rented space. The building has since been demolished to make room for a new City Hall.
› Giant Pinelas County boat retailer opens pair of new marinas
MarineMax, the Pinellas County boat retailer and marina operator, has opened two new facilities in June, one on Florida’s East Coast and the another in Georgia. The latest to open is MarineMax Stuart Marina in Stuart, between Jupiter Island and Jensen Beach.
› After decimal error cost Florida $5M in COVID vendor deal, company agrees to repay state
A South Florida health care company that was overpaid millions by the state for a COVID-related contract is going to pay the state back. Trinity Health Care Services, which was contracted by the state to register people for COVID-19 vaccinations, recently settled a lawsuit filed against it by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, court records show. Trinity agreed to pay the agency $5,624,659.43 over the next several years.