PROGRESSIVE TO RETURN $1 BILLION TO POLICYHOLDERS
The numerous reforms implemented by the Florida government to stabilize the insurance market are paying off, and insurance companies are doing well. They are now legally required to return a portion of their “excessive” profits to policyholders.
This is the case for Progressive, which will have to return one billion dollars to Florida auto policyholders—approximately 2.7 million people.
On average across the state, insurance premiums are falling: down 6% on average for vehicles. Other insurance companies besides Progressive may soon be required to do the same.
Since 2024, for home insurance, 33 insurance companies have officially reported rate decreases, and 46 have reported no changes—meaning no increases. Florida Peninsula Insurance, one of the region’s largest insurers, recorded the sharpest rate decrease (-8.4%) and, in particular, a 12% drop for apartment/condo owners.
Florida finally seems to have the insurance market under control, with more players in the market—and thus more competition—and a stricter legal framework that also reduces “frivolous lawsuits,” thereby improving insurers’ finances.
TRUMP CUTS FUNDING FOR CATHOLIC CHARITIES AIDING MIGRANTS
As a direct consequence of the verbal sparring between Pope Leo XIV and the U.S. president, the latter has decided to cut $11 million in federal funding for Catholic charities that take in unaccompanied migrant children. This directly jeopardizes aid programs that have been in place for decades in South Florida.
For 60 years, Catholic charities in the Archdiocese of Miami have been assisting vulnerable minors, notably helping many Cuban children come to the United States in the 1960s through the Pedro Pan program. Without federal funding, the NGO will have to close in three months.
FLORIDA CONTINUES TO ATTRACT INTRASTATE MIGRATION
According to a recent study by StorageCafe, Florida remained the second-largest destination for intrastate net migration in 2024, just behind Texas. Even though this migration was at its lowest level in 10 years due to rising housing costs (only 2.1% of the population in 2024, compared to 2.5% in 2022), Florida is still among the winners.
The main newcomers come from New York (52,000) and Texas (45,000), followed by California, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. Interestingly, they quickly become homebuyers. 53% of them, with a relatively high average income of $68,000, purchase a property within 12 months of settling in. The average age is 39: a quarter of them are Millennials, and the rest are Gen X or older.
Source: www.storagecafe.com
ELECTION OF FRENCH CONSULAR COUNCILORS
On May 30, French residents of Florida will vote to elect their consular councilors for the 5th district of the United States. Five slates have been submitted: those of Franck Bondrille, Romain Carton, Sevan Kechichian, Séverin Espinosa, and Thierry Bilbaut.
The four councilors who are elected will serve in an advisory and influential capacity with the French Consulate in Miami and will serve a six-year term.
The first list submitted, led by Franck Bondrille, a veteran of the process, is called “Solidarity Alliance of French Citizens in Florida, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Caribbean Islands.” It includes well-known names in the French community, such as Aline Martin-O’Brien (incumbent), Xavier Capdevielle, and Olivier Monard of the Orlando Chamber of Commerce (FABCO), as well as former French national soccer team player and 2018 World Cup champion Blaise Matuidi, who is thus entering politics.
The second list submitted is that of Romain Carton, “La France au cœur,” endorsed by Les Républicains and supported by LR senators representing French citizens abroad.
The third list submitted, “L’énergie française,” is led by Sevan Kechichian; it claims to be independent and unaffiliated with any political party. It notably includes Axelle Gault, the incumbent.
The list filed in fourth position is led by Séverin Espinosa: he represents the solidarity-based and ecological left in Florida and is supported by Senators Mélanie Vogel and Mathilde Ollivier.
Finally, Thierry Bilbaut’s list, called “Together in Service of the French in Florida and the Caribbean,” is supported by Christopher Weissberg, Renaissance deputy for the United States/Canada constituency.
For more information: elections-consulaires-2026
LAWSUIT AGAINST THE LIFTING OF ENDANGERED SPECIES PROTECTION IN THE GULF OF MEXICO
Environmental organizations have joined forces to challenge in court the decision made by the White House committee known as the “God Squad” to lift protections for endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico, with the aim of facilitating oil drilling.
The committee, composed of seven senior administration officials, held a hastily convened meeting without prior notice. This committee has met only three times since its creation in 1978; its exceptional authority allows it to lift environmental protections in the event of “extraordinary” situations. At the March meeting, Hegseth, the Secretary of State for Defense, cited the war in Iran and the closure of a major oil export route to justify the urgency of increasing domestic production.
Bart Melton, director of the wildlife program at the National Parks Conservation Association, explains:
“In a 15-minute meeting, without adequate public input, the administration exempted oil and gas drilling—as well as related activities in the Gulf—from the requirement to comply with the Endangered Species Act, jeopardizing the survival of Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, Rice’s right whales, and other threatened or endangered species. ” Environmental activists are asking federal courts to suspend or overturn the God Squad’s decision, which they say would be dangerous for the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem.
FIFA 2026: $105 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR ENHANCED SECURITY
The budget for Miami-Dade’s police and emergency services has just been increased: the county will receive an additional $105 million to bolster security around the seven World Cup soccer matches set to take place from mid-June to mid-July in Florida.
This funding will notably cover overtime pay for local police, protect matches from drones, and prevent disturbances like those during the 2024 Copa America final, when fans breached the stadium gates, resulting in 27 arrests, 55 ejections, and several injuries.
CHEAPER GAS IN FLORIDA
On April 28, gas prices averaged $4.084 per gallon for regular in Florida, compared to $4.176 for the national average.
This is a significant increase from the previous week ($3.949) and, of course, much higher than a year ago, when regular gas was $3.037 (+34%). For reference, at the Costco in Davie, regular gas was $3.839 on April 28.
