08/30/2023
August 30, 2023
Citizens is updating our eligibility rules to comply with flood coverage law requirements. Currently, policies with wind coverage that insure property in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) must have flood coverage. Effective January 1, 2024, flood coverage will be required for new and renewal policies with wind coverage that insure dwellings with a replacement cost of $600,000 or more.
Note: Condominium unit-owner policies are exempt from this requirement under Florida law. Tenant content policies will not be required to have flood insurance until 2027.
Additionally, the law mandates all policies with wind coverage located in or out of a SFHA must maintain flood coverage as outlined below.
Effective January 1, 2024 - Structures that have a dwelling replacement cost of $600,000 or more
Effective January 1, 2025 - Structures that have a dwelling replacement cost of $500,000 or more
Effective January 1, 2026 - Structures that have a dwelling replacement cost of $400,000 or more
Effective January 1, 2027 - All structures (including tenant) regardless of value
Notifications for Existing Policies
To assist agents with identifying policies that require action to be eligible for a renewal offer:
Citizens will soon send a separate Alert Bulletin to agency principals with a list of their agency’s affected policies. Agency principals will need to share this list within their agency.
A prerenewal activity will be created on the agent of record’s desktop identifying policies that will require action to meet the eligibility requirements to receive a renewal offer.
Affected policyholders who receive a nonrenewal notice from Citizens solely for flood insurance will be notified by letter/email of the action needed to meet the eligibility requirements to receive a renewal offer.
Required Documentation
To demonstrate compliance with the flood requirement, all new-business applicants meeting the conditions above are required to submit both of the following documents:
A completed Policyholder Affirmation Regarding Flood Insurance (CIT FW01)
Proof of flood coverage, which can be any of the following:
· A copy of the submitted application if an application for flood coverage is pending, and proof of payment as initial proof of compliance
· A copy of the flood policy declarations
· Citizens’ Wind Only Policies: Proof that the customer has a flood endorsement that meets the minimum standard on their underlying multiperil policy
Resources
Agents and consumers can visit Floodsmart.gov or the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) for information about flood insurance and on finding a flood insurance provider. Plan ahead as there is typically a waiting period for a flood policy to go into effect.
Log in to the Agents site, and:
Select Personal > Flood for more details about Citizens’ flood insurance requirements.
Select Personal > PR-M or PR-W, and then select the appropriate policy type on the left-menu bar:
· Updated Underwriting Guidelines, Rule 202 C - Flood Insurance Requirements
Select Training > Personal Job Aids to access Citizens’ learning resources:
· Apply Changes at Renewal
· Uploading and Linking Documents
· Product Guides and Required Document Guides, on the right side of the page in the Learn More section
