ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — While home insurance costs are stabilizing or even dropping for many across South Florida, residents in St. Lucie County are facing a starkly different reality.
Citizens Property Insurance, the state’s insurer of last resort, has submitted a proposal to increase home insurance rates in the county by nearly 6%, the highest proposed increase in the entire state. If approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation, the new rates would take effect in June 2026, adding another layer of financial pressure to a community already grappling with rising costs.
The sharp contrast between St. Lucie and its neighbors has left many questions about why the local market is being singled out. Phil Wardel, CEO of Access Insurance, points to specific structural factors within the county’s housing stock as a primary driver.
“A lot of the factors come in age of the homes, age of the roofs. They’ve always had pretty low rates anyway in St. Lucie County, but you’ve got a lot of older homes there, and so maybe some of the roof ages are starting to show,” Wardel explained.
Despite being classified as a high wind risk area similar to Martin and Indian River counties, which are seeing rate differences of less than one percent, St. Lucie’s aging infrastructure appears to be a significant liability for insurers.
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For local homeowners like Sheila Pentcke of Port St. Lucie, the news is a heavy blow. Pentcke noted that her private insurance has already increased for the upcoming year, making the prospect of further hikes feel unsustainable.
“We already got the insurance for next year, and it went up. We felt it, you know, we felt it. And together with the property taxes, you know, it’s just getting to a point that it’s just not cost-efficient for us. It’s making us regret the decision of trying to purchase a home,” Pentcke said.
She warned that the cumulative effect of these costs might eventually force her to relocate, adding, “All of a sudden it’s adding up, because when you add up the home insurance and the property taxes and everything, you’re paying here just as much as they’re paying over there, and they have everything.”
Claims history also plays a role. Insurers track not just the size of claims, but also how often they are filed, and moderate but frequent wind and roof damage claims can drive costs higher over time. The proposed changes still need state approval, but if finalized, homeowners here could pay more even as neighboring counties see relief.
Experts advise that residents hoping to mitigate these costs should prioritize home maintenance and diligently compare rates across multiple private and public agencies.