What the RAP program is
The Reinsurance to Assist Policyholders (RAP) program was created by CS/SB 2-D in Florida's May 2022 special session, codified in s. 215.5551 and administered by the State Board of Administration. RAP provides a $2 billion reimbursement layer of reinsurance positioned below the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF) retention, offered to participating insurers at no cost. In exchange, insurers that took the free coverage had to file rate filings reflecting the savings.
Why Florida created it
By 2022, Florida's property insurers were struggling to buy affordable private reinsurance, and several carriers had failed or stopped writing. RAP was a stopgap: give carriers a free layer of state-backed reinsurance so they could stay solvent through hurricane season and, in theory, pass the savings on as lower premiums. A related but separate program, FORA (Florida Optional Reinsurance Assistance), was created later by SB 2-A for the following season.
What it means for you
RAP is a carrier-side, behind-the-scenes program. It does not add coverage to your policy, change your deductible, or give you any direct claim right. Its only connection to you as a policyholder is indirect: it was meant to keep your insurer solvent and to moderate your premium. When you actually file a claim, your rights come from your policy and the Florida claim statutes, not from RAP.