Citizens may require certain inspections, depending on the type and amount of coverage you are seeking, eligible discounts, and the age and location of your property. In some cases, it is the property owner’s responsibility to pay for inspections whereas Citizens will pay for other inspections as described below.

Underwriting Field Surveys

Citizens may require an exterior-only survey or an interior and exterior survey – during the life of the policy – at no cost to the policyholder. These surveys help Citizens evaluate the property’s replacement value, certain building characteristics and current condition for eligibility requirements. They also may help policyholders by pointing out potential issues before they become problems.

The underwriting field surveys are:

• Free to the policyholder
• Conducted by a third-party professional field survey company

Our Underwriters may require these surveys for current policyholders and as a condition for new coverage. Citizens may require the property owner to repair hazards or deficiencies. As stated in our applications and policies, Citizens reserves the right to conduct field surveys.

Two Types of Underwriting Field Surveys

1. Exterior surveys do not require the field representative to enter your property, but they will inspect the dwelling, outbuildings and roof.
2. Interior surveys require the field representative to enter your property to examine electric, plumbing and heating/cooling (HVAC) systems. They will also perform an exterior survey.

If your property is selected for this type of underwriting field survey, the assigned field survey company will contact policyholders via phone or by mail.

Eligibility Inspections

Four Point

Citizens requires a four-point inspection for all property owner, dwelling and mobile home applications for properties more than 20 years old. A Florida-licensed inspector will check the home’s electrical system, plumbing, heating/cooling system (HVAC) and roof. The inspector must provide the age, type and condition of the wiring, heating and plumbing systems, and roof. Any serious hazards or deficiencies (such as exposed wiring, active leaks or evidence of leaks) should be repaired before an application for coverage is submitted.

Older Roofs

Roofs older than 25 years (soft such as shingle or similar) or 50 years (hard such as tile, slate, clay, concrete or metal) require documentation showing at least five years of remaining useful life. A Florida-licensed inspector must conduct an inspection of the roof to check for any visible signs of damage or deterioration. When a roof has less than five years of remaining useful life, the property owner must provide proof of a full-roof replacement to the inspector before any policy is written on the property. The inspector will complete a Roof Inspection Form verifying the roof is in good condition.

Wind-Damage Mitigation (For Discount Eligibility)

Many homes in Florida are built with wind-damage mitigation features that help protect them from the heavy wind and rain experienced in a hurricane or tropical storm. Homes and businesses with such features may qualify for policy premium discounts by documenting any approved features through a wind mitigation inspection. Wind mitigation inspections:

• Identify and document mitigation features
• Identify areas where you can make your home safer and qualify for additional mitigation discounts

Learn more about wind mitigation inspections.

Sinkhole

Citizens requires a sinkhole inspection for home and business owners seeking optional Sinkhole Loss coverage* under certain conditions. When an inspection is required, Sinkhole Loss coverage will not be issued until the inspection has been conducted and Citizens reviews and approves the inspection results.

As Sinkhole Loss coverage may not be added after the beginning of the policy term, policyholders who want to add this coverage at renewal should inform their agent of this fact as early as possible before renewal.

Learn more about sinkhole inspections.

*Coverage for Catastrophic Ground Cover Collapse is included in certain Citizens policies; however, coverage for gradual subsidence sinkhole damage is optional for most policy types. Consult your policy documents for details about the specific coverage available under your policy.