John King, Georgia's Insurance Commissioner, has projected a 3–5% rate decrease in the state this year. He attributes this expected reduction to recent reforms addressing past civil justice system abuses that had previously driven rates up. "With recent reforms in place, insurers are now expected to respond fairly," King said in a YouTube video.
"I expect reasonably 3 to 5% decrease in rates in Georgia this year," said King, according to YouTube. "Abuses in the civil justice system were their biggest reason why rates were so high. Now we expect them to meet us in the middle."
On April 21, Governor Brian Kemp signed a comprehensive tort reform package into law. According to Kemp, this legislation marks a historic step toward restoring fairness and balance to Georgia’s civil justice system. The new law includes reforms on premises liability, medical damages transparency, curbing excessive jury awards, bifurcated trials, and limits on third-party litigation funding from hostile foreign actors. Key sponsors and legislative leaders such as Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and Speaker Jon Burns commended the bipartisan effort aimed at enhancing transparency, fairness, and economic competitiveness. Kemp acknowledged the collaboration of lawmakers and citizen support across Georgia for achieving what he described as long-overdue reform.
John King's April 25 post
| YouTube.com
The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) praised the legislature's efforts through a press release following the passage of the tort reform measure. The measure addresses issues contributing to Georgia’s negative legal reputation as a "Judicial Hellhole" and is seen as a step toward reducing frivolous lawsuits while improving fairness in the state's courts.
Protecting American Consumers Together (PACT) released a poll on February 7, 2025, indicating that 72% of Georgia voters believe lawsuit abuse contributes to rising costs of goods and services. This sentiment spans political affiliations with agreement among Republicans (88%), Independents (64%), and Democrats (62%). Conducted by Public Opinion Strategies from February 2-5, 2025, the survey also revealed that 85% of voters consider it important for the Legislature to address lawsuit abuse to eliminate hidden taxes on consumers. Additionally, 82% of individuals who have utilized personal injury lawyers support reforms to the current system.
A study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform released on January 24 highlighted that rising tort costs in Georgia are placing an increasing financial burden on households, impacting insurance premiums and overall living costs. In 2022 alone, these tort costs reached nearly $20 billion in Georgia, averaging over $2,000 per household due to civil litigation expenses affecting both businesses and consumers.
John F. King was sworn in as Georgia’s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner on July 1, 2019. As the state's first Hispanic statewide official elected to a full term in 2022 after serving as Chief of Police for Doraville, King's background in public safety continues to influence his work protecting consumers and businesses in Georgia.