The Florida Market Assistance Plan — known as FMAP — is a free service created by the Florida legislature to help homeowners who are having difficulty finding property insurance. If you've been non-renewed, cancelled, or simply can't find a carrier willing to insure your home, FMAP is one of several tools available to you. Here's how it works, what to expect, and how it compares to working with an independent agent.
What Is FMAP?
FMAP is a free referral service created under Florida Statutes 627.3515 and administered by the Florida Department of Financial Services. It's been in operation since the 1990s and has become more relevant as carriers have exited the Florida market.
FMAP is not an insurance company. It doesn't sell policies or provide coverage. It's a distribution system that takes your property information and shares it with participating insurance professionals who may be able to help you find coverage.
How FMAP Works
- You submit your property details at FMAP.org — address, property type, construction year, roof age, current coverage status, and contact information.
- FMAP distributes your submission to its network of thousands of participating agents and carriers statewide.
- Participating agents review your submission and decide whether to contact you with coverage options.
- You may receive responses from one or more agents — or in some cases, none. There's no guarantee of a response, and response times vary from days to weeks.
The broad distribution model is by design — FMAP casts the widest possible net to maximize the chances of finding a carrier willing to write your property.
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- Get your property in front of more carriers. FMAP's network may include carriers or agents that you wouldn't find on your own.
- It's free. No cost to submit, no obligation to accept any offer.
- It's legitimate. State-created, state-administered. Not a commercial lead generator.
- Works for hard-to-place risks. If an independent agent has exhausted their options, FMAP's broader network may surface a specialty carrier.
What FMAP Can't Do
- Guarantee a response. Not every submission results in carrier interest.
- Negotiate on your behalf. FMAP distributes your info — it doesn't advocate for you, apply wind mitigation credits, or present your property in the best light.
- Provide fast results. Response times can range from days to 3+ weeks, depending on volume and your property type.
- Compare options for you. If multiple agents respond, you're responsible for comparing their offers independently.
- Provide ongoing service. FMAP is a one-time submission. It doesn't provide annual re-shopping, claims help, or coverage reviews.
FMAP vs. an Independent Agent
| FMAP | Independent Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free (paid by carriers) |
| Who sees your info | Thousands of agents statewide | One agent shops on your behalf |
| Carriers compared | Depends on who responds | 10–20+ compared directly |
| Response time | Days to weeks | Often 24–48 hours |
| Advocacy | None | Presents your property's strengths |
| Wind mitigation applied | Only if responding agent requests it | Applied proactively |
| Ongoing service | No | Annual re-shopping, claims help |
You can use both simultaneously. There's no restriction. Many homeowners submit to FMAP while also working with an independent agent. The approaches are complementary — the agent provides fast, focused results while FMAP serves as a broad backup.
How to Submit to FMAP
- Visit FMAP.org
- Complete the property information form
- Submit and wait for responses
There's no cost and no obligation. If agents or carriers are interested, they'll contact you directly. You're free to compare any FMAP responses with quotes from your own agent or any other source.