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Insurance savings in Georgia and Florida show a path to lower household bills implementing real tort reform.
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. — State Senator Sean M. Bennett today called for comprehensive tort reform, specifically highlighting that Real Tort Reform must take a central place in South Carolina’s affordability agenda, pointing to substantial insurance savings in Georgia and Florida as evidence of the relief meaningful reform can help deliver.
“When we talk about affordability, we should start with the bills families cannot avoid,” Bennett said.
“Insurance is a necessary, recurring household expense. You need it to drive to work, protect your home and safeguard what you have worked to build. Lowering that bill leaves more money for groceries, utilities, and everything else a family needs.”
Georgia House leaders recently announced more than $500 million in realized or anticipated insurance savings during 2026, with rate reductions at companies representing more than 3.6 million policyholders across auto, home and business coverage.
Georgia’s insurance commissioner previously reported State Farm auto rate reductions totaling more than 10 percent over roughly a year, producing estimated annual savings of $400 million. Travelers separately received approval for a 10.1 percent auto rate reduction, representing approximately $40 million in statewide premium savings.
Florida has reported similar progress following insurance and litigation reforms enacted in 2022 and 2023. In October, its insurance regulator reported that the five largest auto insurance groups, representing 81 percent of the market, showed an indicated average rate reduction of 12.6 percent for 2026.
“Comprehensive tort reform is the most consequential step I believe our legislature can take to bring down the cost of this necessary household expense,” Bennett said. “Georgia and Florida show what is possible when states confront the legal costs built into insurance premiums. These are meaningful savings on bills that come due month after month.”
Officials in both states have credited lawsuit reform as a contributor to improving insurance markets, alongside regulatory efforts, fraud prevention, and other market improvements. Bennett said South Carolina should pursue that same combination of accountability, competition, and consumer relief.
South Carolina enacted what Bennett described as very minor adjustments to joint and several liability and liquor liability in 2025, falling well short of the real tort reform needed to meaningfully improve the state’s civil justice system.
“Meaningful reform ran into familiar resistance from those well served by the current system,” Bennett said. “But preserving a system that works well for its beneficiaries does nothing for the family trying to make its next insurance payment. Their household budget deserves more consideration in Columbia.”
Bennett emphasized that reform must protect access to the courts and fair compensation for injured people while making liability more predictable and discouraging costly litigation abuse. He also called for scrutiny of insurers to ensure that lower costs translate into savings for policyholders.
“No single law determines every premium,” Bennett said. “But that is no excuse to leave avoidable costs embedded in a bill families have to pay. Georgia and Florida are demonstrating a path toward relief. If we are serious about affordability in South Carolina, we need to finish the job on tort reform.”
