Hurricane History in Venice, Florida

Because Florida’s Gulf Coast curves eastward, many hurricanes pass close enough to Venice to produce damaging winds, storm surge, heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding—even when the center of the storm does not make landfall directly over the city.

Although Venice has experienced many hurricanes, a true direct hit—where the hurricane’s eyewall passes directly over the city—is uncommon. Historical records indicate that Venice has had one widely recognized direct hit during the past century: the 1944 Havana–Florida Hurricane, which crossed the area with estimated sustained winds of 80–100 mph and caused extensive damage to the Venice Army Air Base.

While direct landfalls are rare, Venice has been significantly affected by several major storms that tracked just north or south of the city:

• 1926 Great Miami Hurricane – Caused widespread destruction in Venice, including the loss of the original Venice Area Chamber Building.
• Hurricane Charley (2004) – Made landfall near Punta Gorda, about 25 miles south, bringing hurricane-force winds to Venice.
• Hurricane Ian (2022) – Passed just south of Venice, causing more than $10 million in damage citywide and devastating the Venice Theatre, which lost its roof and suffered severe water damage.
• Hurricane Milton (2024) – Brought significant flooding and coastal damage to Venice, including flooding in Golden Beach and damage to the South Jetty.

I personally shop insurance rates for my buyers. Lately, it’s been looking very good.

I look very hard at properties before I show them to buyers. Old roofs and properties with other potential issues are deleted from my list.

Real world: Your insurance premium is going to vary greatly depending on:

• The replacement cost of your home
• The age of the home
• The age, shape, and material of the roof
• Flood Zone and the elevation of the home
• The distance from saltwater
• Construction materials
• Full-time residence or seasonal use
• Are you going to rent this property
• Storm protection: windows, shutters

What’s happening with insurance premiums?

Florida’s homeowners insurance market has started to stabilize in 2026 after several years of sharp increases. Citizens Property Insurance, the state’s insurer of last resort, AND A HUGE PART OF THE PROBLEM, received approval for an average statewide premium reduction of about 8.7%, the first rate cut since 2015. Several private insurers have also filed or received approval for rate decreases ranging from roughly 3% to 10%. (Florida Governor’s Office) The quotes I have seen recently are surprisingly very good!

Sarasota County outlook

Recent insurance market analyses show Sarasota County premiums declining modestly compared with 2025 levels. One statewide review estimated Sarasota County’s average premium at approximately $4,840 in 2026 versus about $5,310 in 2025, a decrease of roughly 8.9%. (Broker One)

For Venice and other parts of Sarasota County, rates vary significantly depending on location:

(floridahomeownersinsurancequotes.com)

Why rates are falling

Several factors are contributing:

• Florida’s insurance litigation reforms have significantly reduced lawsuit costs for insurers. (Florida Governor’s Office)
• More than a dozen new insurers have entered the Florida market, increasing competition. (Latent Insurance)
• Citizens’ policy count has dropped dramatically as homeowners move back into the private market. (Property Exemption)
• Dozens of insurers filed for either rate decreases or flat renewals instead of increases. (Latent Insurance)

What Sarasota/Venice homeowners should do now

If you’re in Venice or Sarasota County, experts are recommending that homeowners:

1. Re-shop their insurance at renewal, even if they renewed recently.
2. Make sure wind-mitigation credits are being applied.
3. Verify roof-age discounts and inspection reports are current.
4. Compare Citizens with private-market offers because new carriers are actively writing business in Sarasota and Manatee counties. (Latent Insurance)

For many Venice homeowners, the biggest savings opportunity may not be the statewide rate reductions themselves, but rather taking advantage of increased competition among insurers returning to the Sarasota market. (Sunshine State Insured)