Florida Home Insurance Rates Fell in 51 Counties This Year. What Pasco & Hernando Homeowners Should Know Before Selling

For three years, Florida homeowners expected bad news at renewal. This year is different.

Rates are down in most of Florida, including Pasco and Hernando counties. But averages are not promises, and insurance can still disrupt a sale if questions surface after you accept an offer.

What changed in Florida home insurance rates?

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation’s July 2026 Property Insurance Stability Report found that average homeowners premiums, including wind coverage, decreased in 51 of Florida’s 67 counties compared with the January 2026 report.

The report also noted that 44 companies filed rate decreases and 48 filed zero-percent changes on residential policies.

Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s approved 2026 changes provide more local detail. These are Citizens’ own approved changes, not a forecast for every insurer, and took effect for new policies July 1, 2026, and at renewal for existing policyholders:

• Pasco County: all personal lines combined decreased 3.9%, from an average premium of $2,116 to $2,033. Citizens multiperil HO-3 policies decreased 5.7%, from $2,433 to $2,294.
• Hernando County: all personal lines combined decreased 2.0%, from $2,034 to $1,994. Citizens multiperil HO-3 policies decreased 3.4%, from $2,221 to $2,144.

Statewide, Citizens approved an average 8.8% decrease for homeowners multiperil policyholders and 5.5% for wind-only policyholders in 2026. Every Citizens personal lines policyholder received a cut of at least 2%.

That is welcome news for homeowners in Brooksville, Spring Hill, Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel, and surrounding communities.

A lower county average does not guarantee your renewal will drop

Insurance pricing is still highly property-specific. Rates can vary based on territory, construction type, roof age, wind mitigation features, coverage limits, and the individual insurer.

An inland Hernando homeowner with an older roof may see little change, or even an increase, despite the county average. Read your actual renewal notice, and ask your licensed insurance professional how your property is being evaluated.

Also remember: your current policy does not predict what a buyer’s insurer will offer. The buyer’s carrier evaluates the home fresh. That is why insurance concerns can still affect a Florida home sale.

What this means if you are selling in Pasco or Hernando

The improving insurance market means insurance may no longer be the automatic deal-killer it felt like in 2023 and 2024. Buyers can shop again, and more carriers are writing in Florida.

But roof age remains one of the most important underwriting questions. A carrier that insures one home in Spring Hill may decline another property nearby because of its roof, electrical system, permits, or documented wind features.

For sellers, the goal is not to eliminate every possible insurance question. It is to learn what an insurance company is likely to see before a buyer’s carrier does.

How I help sellers prepare before listing

Before a listing goes live, I review the property’s insurance exposure with the seller. That usually means looking at:

• Roof age and paperwork
• Wind mitigation status
• Any 4-point or prior report
• Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and water heater age
• Questions for the insurance agent

A wind mitigation inspection can document qualifying features and may produce premium credits, but savings are never guaranteed, so your insurance agent can advise whether it makes sense for your home.

Then we decide together: document it, repair it, or price around it.

My husband, Richard, is a skilled handyman who can help with practical pre-listing prep and minor repairs. For additional preparation ideas, see 10 things to do before selling in Pasco and Hernando counties.

What to do now

If you may sell within the next 60–120 days:

1. Read your renewal notice.
2. Ask if a wind mitigation inspection is worth it.
3. Find your roof permit, contract, and paid invoice.
4. Gather any 4-point or prior report.
5. Compare Citizens takeout offers by coverage, not just price.
6. Remember flood coverage is separate.

You can also review what sellers should check in a 4-point inspection and whether an older Brooksville roof should be replaced before selling.

Planning to sell in Pasco or Hernando County in the next 60–120 days? Let’s identify what an insurance company is likely to notice before your home hits the market.

Start with a confidential pre-listing review or call 813-842-3077.

Stacy Gervais
Stacy The Home Girl
Your Sunshine State Real Estate Advisor
Florida Roots. Real Estate Results.
Epique Realty
813-842-3077

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are Florida homeowners insurance rates going down in 2026?

Yes, in most counties. OIR’s July 2026 report shows average premiums including wind decreased in 51 of 67 counties versus January 2026.

2. Did Pasco and Hernando County insurance rates go down?

Citizens’ approved 2026 changes were Pasco -3.9% for all personal lines combined and -5.7% for multiperil HO-3. Hernando was -2.0% and -3.4%, respectively, effective July 1, 2026 for new policies and at renewal.

3. Will my own premium go down?

Not necessarily. Rate changes vary by territory, construction, roof age, wind mitigation, and coverage limits. Read your renewal notice.

4. What should I check before listing my Pasco or Hernando home?

Check roof age and permits, whether a wind mitigation inspection has been completed, any 4-point or prior report, and the age of the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and water heater systems.

5. Can I still sell if my home has an insurance concern?

Often, yes. The goal is to identify the concern before a buyer’s carrier does, then decide whether to document, repair, or price around it.

Sources

• Florida Office of Insurance Regulation: July 2026 Property Insurance Stability Report
• Citizens Property Insurance: 2026 Approved Rate Changes by County
• The Florida Press: Florida Home Insurance Rates Fell in 51 of 67 Counties This Year