Woonsocket Radio News Room

Rep. Azzinaro, Sen. Gu introduce bill to cap home insurance premium hikes for low-, moderate-income seniors

 

STATE HOUSE — Rep. Samuel A. Azzinaro and Sen. Victoria Gu are sponsoring legislation to protect seniors from spiking home insurance rates and provide advance notice to all homeowners facing large insurance increases or declined coverage.

“Seniors living on fixed incomes shouldn’t be priced out of their homes and communities because of factors they cannot control,” said Representative Azzinaro (D-Dist. 37, Westerly). “With pricing everywhere going up, seniors of more modest means need a break, which this bill provides by limiting home insurance spikes to smaller, more manageable increases.”

Said Senator Gu (D-Dist. 38, Westerly, Charlestown, South Kingstown), “Coastal neighborhoods in our community are getting dropped by insurance companies, and even inland homeowners are facing huge premium increases with as little as two weeks’ notice. Homeowners need advance notice so that they can research other options or come up with the extra money for their premium.”

The legislation (2025-H 5333, 2025-S 0015) would cap home insurance premium increases at 5% a year for Rhode Islanders who are at least 65 years old and whose household income qualifies as low- or moderate-income.

It would also require insurers to inform all homeowners at least two months in advance when raising policy premiums by more than 20% or declining to renew homeowner’s policies.

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