We Ran Citizens’ County-by-County Numbers. South Florida Wins Big — With One Exception.
You've probably seen the headline: Citizens is cutting rates statewide in 2026. What the headlines don't tell you is that the cut is wildly different depending on where you live and what kind of policy you have. So we pulled Citizens' approved county-by-county rate filing and did the dollar math for Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. The short version: South Florida homeowners get the deepest cuts in the entire state — and one group of South Florida policyholders is actually getting a double-digit increase.
Homeowners (HO-3): Broward gets the biggest cut in Florida
If you have a standard Citizens homeowners multiperil policy (HO-3), this is your table. Broward's 14.1% average cut is the largest of any county in Florida, with Miami-Dade a tenth of a point behind. In dollars, that's roughly $600 to $720 a year back in your pocket — more than double the statewide average savings.
| County | Current Avg. Premium | Approved Change | New Avg. Premium | Avg. Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broward | $5,094 | -14.1% | $4,377 | $717 |
| Miami-Dade | $4,787 | -14.0% | $4,116 | $671 |
| Palm Beach | $5,056 | -11.9% | $4,455 | $601 |
| Monroe (Keys) | $7,184 | -11.3% | $6,371 | $813 |
| Statewide average | $3,506 | -8.7% | $3,202 | $304 |
Source: Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, 2026 Approved Rate Changes by County (approved by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, March 2026). Figures are county averages; individual policies vary.
Why is South Florida getting the deepest cuts? For years, Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach carried the most litigation-inflated rates in the state. Now that the litigation reforms have taken hold and claims costs have dropped, the counties that were priced highest have the furthest to fall.
Condo owners (HO-6): a 9–12% cut
The rate filing counts more than 41,000 condo unit-owner policies across the tri-county area, and all three counties beat the statewide average cut:
| County | Current Avg. Premium | Approved Change | New Avg. Premium | Avg. Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade | $1,369 | -11.7% | $1,209 | $160 |
| Broward | $1,319 | -10.5% | $1,181 | $138 |
| Palm Beach | $1,624 | -9.2% | $1,474 | $150 |
| Statewide average | $1,420 | -10.4% | $1,272 | $148 |
Source: Citizens 2026 Approved Rate Changes by County. Figures are county averages; individual policies vary.
Wind-only homeowners: smaller, but still down
Coastal homeowners who carry a Citizens wind-only policy (HW-2) alongside private coverage get a more modest trim: -4.9% in Miami-Dade (about $233/year), -4.2% in Broward (about $190), and -3.4% in Palm Beach (about $166). In the Keys, wind-only drops 5.7% — about $403 on a $7,052 average premium. Landlords with standard Citizens dwelling policies (DP-1/DP-3) also see cuts of roughly 3.4–4% across the tri-county area.
The exception nobody is reporting: wind-only dwelling policies are going UP. If you own a rental or secondary property covered by a Citizens wind-only dwelling policy (DW-2), your rate is rising sharply at renewal: +16.1% in Miami-Dade (average premium jumps from $5,263 to $6,111), +13.6% in Palm Beach ($6,033 to $6,855), and +12.2% in Broward ($5,899 to $6,620). That's a $700–$850 annual increase on the same properties everyone assumes are getting cheaper. If that's you, this is the year to have us shop the private market for your landlord coverage before your renewal hits.
When you'll actually see the savings
The new rates took effect July 1, 2026 for new policies and apply to existing policies as they renew. So if your renewal lands in August or later, your next bill should reflect the new rates. If you renewed in the spring, you'll see the cut at your 2027 renewal.
Two important caveats. First, these are rate changes, not premium guarantees — if your dwelling limit rises with inflation adjustments, or your property's risk profile changed, your actual bill can move differently than the county average. Second, a cheaper Citizens bill doesn't automatically mean Citizens is your best deal.
Does a cheaper Citizens change the takeout math?
Here's the strategic wrinkle. Depopulation is still running — private carriers are still sending takeout offers to Citizens policyholders, and the 20% rule still applies: if a private insurer offers comparable coverage within 20% of your Citizens renewal premium, you generally lose the option to stay. A lower Citizens premium actually makes that threshold easier for private carriers to hit.
But remember what a Citizens policy is: deliberately bare-bones coverage, plus exposure to assessments if a major storm drains Citizens' reserves. Private homeowners policies are competing hard in 2026 — regulators report rates falling in most Florida counties, and more than a dozen new carriers have entered the market. For plenty of South Florida homes, a private quote can now come in at or below the new Citizens rate, often with broader coverage. The rate cut doesn't end that comparison; it just changes the numbers in it.
What to do before your renewal
- Find your renewal date. If it's after July 1, 2026, your renewal should show the new, lower rate — verify it did.
- Convert your county's percentage to dollars using the tables above, and check your renewal against it. A county average is a benchmark, not a promise.
- If you have a wind-only dwelling (DW-2) policy on a rental or second home, expect an increase — and get private-market quotes before renewal.
- Use the savings wisely: upgrading roof coverage from actual cash value to replacement cost, or lowering a 5% hurricane deductible to 2%, can cost less than what the rate cut just saved you. Our hurricane deductible calculator shows the dollar swing between those options.
- Get one private-market comparison anyway. If a takeout offer arrives later, you'll already know whether it's competitive — and you won't be deciding under a 30-day deadline.
The bottom line
South Florida — home to about 39% of the policies in Citizens’ rate filing — is finally getting the largest rate relief in the state: roughly $600–$720 a year for the average tri-county homeowner, and $140–$160 for condo owners. But the averages hide the outlier: wind-only dwelling policies on rentals and second homes are rising 12–16% in the same counties. Either way, the smart move is the same — know your number before your renewal arrives, and compare it against what the private market will do for the same house. That comparison takes us about ten minutes.
This article is for general education, not insurance advice. Rate figures are county averages from Citizens' approved 2026 rate filing; individual premiums depend on policy terms and underwriting. See our Disclaimers, Editorial Policy, and About the Authors.
Want to know your exact number?
Send us your renewal and we'll check it against the new rates — and against what the private market offers for the same coverage. No obligation.