The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) approved updates to Citizens’ Personal Lines policy rates and forms that apply to new and renewal policies.

Rate Changes

Effective December 16, 2023, the OIR has approved the following rate increases for Personal Lines.

• Up to 10.7% for primary residence
• Up to 38.8% for non-primary residence

The 2023 Rate Changes by Territory chart is located on the Agents web page. Log in to the Agents website, go to the Personal section, and click PR-M or PR-W on the left side of the page and look under the Spotlight section on the right side of the page.

Primary Residency

The definitions of Seasonal and Secondary have been amended to clarify Primary Residency.

• Seasonal is considered a home with continuous unoccupancy of three (3) or more consecutive months during any one policy year period.
• Secondary is considered a non-primary, nonseasonal residence. It does not have continuous unoccupancy of three or more consecutive months during any one policy year period.

Note: Citizens announced the proof of residency requirements on October 3.

Form Changes Effective December 1, 2023

The Request to Exclude Contents Coverage and the Request to Exclude Windstorm and Hail Coverage forms have been revised. Citizens now accepts e-signatures and typed statements on these forms.

Additionally, the Special Provisions-Florida and other forms have been revised and include the following changes:

Definition changes

• The term hurricane occurrence is amended to hurricane in the policy and endorsements. The duration of a hurricane is amended to start at the time a hurricane warning is issued for any part of Florida by the National Hurricane Center of the National Weather Service.
• The definition of hurricane deductible is added to express that a hurricane deductible is applicable to a loss caused by a hurricane if hurricane coverage and a hurricane deductible are provided in the policy.

The Claim, Supplemental Claim or Reopened Claim policy provision has been amended.

• Paragraph 3 has been amended to read:
  • For claims resulting from “hurricane(s)”, tornadoes, windstorms, severe rain, or other weather-related events, the date of loss is the date that the “hurricane” made landfall or the tornado, windstorm, severe rain, or other weather-related event is verified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
• Amendments are added to the policy’s condition timelines of a named insured who is a service member (as defined in Section 250.01 Florida Statutes) during any term of deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting that affects the ability of the named insured to file a claim or reopen a claim.
• A provision is added stating Citizens may not cancel or nonrenew a policy until the earlier of when the covered dwelling or covered residential property has been repaired or one year after we issue the final claim payment if such property was damaged by any covered peril, other than damage from a hurricane.

Note: Rule changes were announced in June’s Personal Lines Bulletin: Underwriting Rule Changes.

Other endorsements:

• Residual Market Special Provisions – Florida
• Windstorm or Hail Exclusion
• Windstorm Protective Devices
• Windstorm Exterior Paint or Waterproofing Exclusion – Seacoast – Florida

Notice of Change in Policy Terms and Outline of Coverages:

• The Notice of Change in Policy Terms describes in detail all of the changes that have occurred for each Personal Lines policy type.
• The Outline of Coverages forms reflect the changes described in this bulletin.

Form Changes Effective December 16, 2023

Effective December 16, 2023, the following form changes will apply to new and renewal policies:

• The Declarations page and premium estimate have been updated with edition date 11 23. The premium estimate will include the following information:
  • Occupancy
  • Usage
  • Months unoccupied
  • Primary residence
  • Mobile home location: (approved park/all other)
  • Non-primary residence rate applied
  • Roof update year
  • Roof material
• The assessment warning statement on the Declarations page and Premium Estimate form have been updated to read:

WARNING: PREMIUM PRESENTED COULD INCREASE IF CITIZENS IS REQUIRED TO CHARGE ASSESSMENTS FOLLOWING A MAJOR CATASTROPHE.

• The mandatory flood statement printed on applicable Declarations pages has been revised to the following:

Figure 1: Declarations page Mandatory Flood Statement

Note: The mandatory flood statement does not print on the following policy forms:

• Citizens Homeowners 6 – Unit-Owners Form (CIT HO-6)
• Homeowners 6 – Unit-Owners Wind-Only Form (HW-6)
• Dwelling Property 1 – Unit-Owners Basic Form (CIT DP-1C)
• Dwelling Property 3 – Unit-Owners Special Form (CIT DP-3C)

Resources

Log in to the Agents site to access:

• Manuals. Select Personal > PR-M or PR-W and select the appropriate manual in the Spotlight section on the right-hand side.
• Rating worksheets. Select Personal > PR-M or PR-W and the appropriate policy form. Select Rating Worksheets in the center section.
• Rate Changes by Territory. Select Personal > PR-M or PR-W. Rate Changes by Territory is located on the right-hand side in the Spotlight section.
• Training > Personal Job Aids to access New Business Submission Guide and Uploading and Linking Documents
• Personal > PR-M or PR-W to locate the applicable Required Document Guide from the right-side column.
• Training > Personal Job Aids to locate the Personal Lines Resources Guide