As required by a law passed in 2013, the maximum Coverage A amounts for Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s personal residential coverage will be reduced again effective January 1, 2017. Effective at the beginning of net year, the following new business and renewals for personal residential risks are no longer are eligible for coverage in Citizens: A structure […]
Continuing concerns with water damage claims issues have prompted the Board of Governors of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to sign off on a proposed 6.8 percent statewide rate increase. This reflects the average rate change, with some territories experiencing greater increases. In addition, the amount that Citizens can increase any policyholder’s rates is capped by […]
House Bill 931 has been signed into law, becoming Chapter Law 2016-229. The new law makes several changes affecting Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Among the key changes, the following take effect July 1, 2016: Citizens may appoint as agents only those agents who have and continuously maintain at least one appointment with an insurer actually […]
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s president Barry Gilway and members of its board recently expressed concern that increased water damage claims and the “assignment of benefits” issue could adversely affect Citizens’ depopulation efforts. Water damage claims and the AOB issue are leading to rate increases, particularly in in South Florida where the issues are most prevalent. […]
As 2015 comes to a close, several aspects of this year’s insurance market stand out. Each year presents its share of successes and its share of challenges, which is expected in a cyclical industry. However, on balance we will remember 2015 for its continued stability in several key insurance markets. In Florida, our view of […]
Insurance Consumer Advocate Sha’Ron James recently told the House of Representatives’ Banking & Insurance Subcommittee that the assignment of benefits issue is a priority for her office in the 2016 legislative session due to the adverse impact it is having on consumers. While she indicated that her office is still evaluating the issue and is […]
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation recently received approval of its 2016 rates, which will go into effect February 1, 2016. The rates as approved by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation are similar in the aggregate to those filed by Citizens, although the OIR made some adjustments in approving the final rates. The statewide average rate […]
The Florida Supreme Court has concluded that Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is not liable under section 624.155 for statutory first-party bad faith actions. The court in Citizens Property Insurance Corporation v. Perdido Sun Condominium Association, Case No. SC14-185, reasoned that the Florida legislature gave Citizens broad immunity from legal actions, with limited exceptions. Statutory bad […]
Property insurance issues have dominated the legislative session in nearly every year since Hurricane Andrew. If property insurance was not the most prevalent issue in a given session, it certainly ranked in the top five topics being considered. Over the last twenty years, the legislature has established the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, merged the former […]
The policy count at Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has dropped below 600,000, reaching an all-time low. Citizens was created a dozen years ago with the merger of the Florida Residential Property and Casualty Joint Underwriting Association and the Florida Windstorm Underwriting Association. At that time, the newly combined organization had 602,000 policies. Citizens broke that […]