What the glide path is
"Glide path" is industry shorthand, not statutory language, for the annual rate-increase cap that Fla. Stat. 627.351(6) places on Citizens Property Insurance, Florida's state-backed insurer of last resort. The cap limits how much Citizens can raise the premium on any single policy in one year, regardless of what an actuarial rate filing would otherwise justify. It phases up over time:
| Policy year | Maximum annual increase per single policy |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 12 percent |
| 2024 | 13 percent |
| 2025 | 14 percent |
| 2026 and later | 15 percent |
What the cap does not cover
The cap has carve-outs. It does not apply to sinkhole coverage, coverage changes you request, or surcharges, and Citizens may add an increase to reflect the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund cash-buildup factor. The glide-path protection also ends for a line of business once Citizens reaches actuarially sound rates for it. A separate rule applies to policies that do not cover a primary residence, which are not subject to the glide-path cap.
Why it matters
The glide path was designed to move Citizens back toward market rates gradually, so policyholders were not hit with one massive increase, while still pushing rates high enough that Citizens stops undercutting the private market. If you are a Citizens policyholder, the cap tells you the most your renewal premium can jump in a given year. It does not protect the claim itself: a Citizens claim is documented, valued, and negotiated the same as any private carrier's.