Despite the dismal nationwide economic trends, Florida's surplus lines insurance market still managed to show some signs of strength this year. For the first six months of 2009, Florida reported more surplus lines written premium than any of the five largest surplus lines markets in the U.S.

California, Texas, New York, and Illinois reported premiums for the first six months of 2009 of $2.25 billion, $1.77 billion, $1.18 billion, and $526 million, respectively. Meanwhile, Florida took the number one seat with more than $2.35 billion in reported premium for the January-June time period. What remains to be seen is how the rest of the year will play out and if Florida will become the nation's largest surplus lines market based upon premium volume.

Other Florida market news is not so positive. For the first time since the establishment of the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office (FSLSO) in 1998, Florida's surplus lines market experienced a decrease in the total premium reported. Comparing premiums from 2007 to 2008, there was a $419 million difference in 2008, which represented a nearly nine percent decrease from the high water mark of $4.7 billion achieved in 2007. Comparatively, the first six months of 2009 displayed a similar downward trend, with reported premium down nine percent compared to the same period last year.