The Personal Lines Depopulation Program features a simplified process designed to offer private-market coverage to policyholders. Key features include:
More Choices – You will be informed of all private-market assumption offers available to you through the Depopulation Program. Eligible policyholders can elect to remain with Citizens.
More Information You will receive coverage worksheets and estimated renewal premiums for all available assumption offers and your Citizens policy.
Streamlined Communications – Citizens administers all official communications.
More Agent Support – Citizens is providing enhanced information to your agent about your available offers so they can better guide you through the depopulation process and even submit your choices on your behalf.
If one or more private-market companies select your policy for depopulation, you will receive a Depopulation Packet from Citizens informing you that those companies would like to remove your policy from Citizens and assume coverage of your property. Some offers received will render a policy ineligible to remain with Citizens.
All policyholders will be provided with a list of all available offers and their estimated renewal premiums, along with the estimated renewal premium for the next term of their Citizens policy.
Policyholders that are presented with a choice between available offers must register their choice by the date indicated on the form.
Coverage Worksheets are provided for all available private-market assumption offers and the Citizens policy. The worksheets will help you evaluate the best coverage option.
Policyholder Choice
Policies that receive an offer of coverage that is not more than 20% greater than Citizens' premium are ineligible to remain with Citizens. Eligible policyholders have until the date indicated on the Offer Form to register their choice by:
Having your agent submit your choice to Citizens on your behalf
If your choice is not registered with Citizens by the date indicated on your Offer Form, Citizens will assign your policy to the private-market company that offered the lowest estimated premium.
Policy Assumption
Accepting a Private-Market Offer
If you chose to accept a private-market offer of coverage and register your choice online, you can enter your email to receive an email confirming your choice. If you do not enter an email or your agent registered your choice on your behalf, you will not receive a confirmation email or letter.
Once your choice is registered, your policy will be assigned to the company you selected, and, in most cases, will be assumed on the assumption date indicated in your Policyholder Choice Offer letter. If your policy is assumed, you will receive a Notice of Assumption and Nonrenewal and Certificate of Assumption from Citizens.
There no longer is a 30-day post-assumption period during which you can return to Citizens. Once an assumption occurs, the policy transfer is final.
Remaining with Citizens
If you are eligible to remain with Citizens, and register your choice online, you can enter your email to receive an email confirming that your policy will remain with Citizens. If you do not enter an email or your agent registers your choice on your behalf, you will receive a letter confirming that your policy will remain with Citizens.
You may receive future assumption offers and must respond to all offers if you wish to remain with Citizens.
Policy Eligibility
Senate Bill 2-A, passed in December 2022, states policies that receive an offer of coverage that is not more than 20% greater than Citizens’ estimated renewal premium are no longer eligible to remain with Citizens. Policies that receive an offer of coverage that renders the policy ineligible to remain with Citizens can confirm acceptance of an offer by following the same registration steps, however the option to remain with Citizens will not be available at any time.
No Choice Registered
Regardless of eligibility, if a choice is not registered by the date indicated in your Offer Form, Citizens will assign your policy to the private-market company that offered the lowest premium. If your policy is assumed, you will receive a Notice of Assumption and Nonrenewal and Certificate of Assumption from Citizens.
There no longer is a 30-day post-assumption period during which you can return to Citizens. Once an assumption occurs, the policy transfer is final.
Unsuccessful Assumptions
Sometimes an assumption does not take place. This can happen for a variety of reasons. If you accept an assumption offer from a private-market company and your policy is not assumed, you will receive a letter from Citizens notifying you that your policy will remain with Citizens. You will be eligible to receive future assumption offers.
Additional Resources
Additional information and resources, including sample letters and forms, are available on the Depopulation Resources page. You also can call your agent or Citizens’ Customer Care Center at 866.411.2742.
The Depopulation Packet you received indicates your policy’s eligibility to choose between coverage options.
Only policies that receive an offer of coverage that is more than 20% greater than Citizens’ estimated renewal premium are eligible to remain with Citizens.
To submit your choice, you will need the following information:
Your agent is your best resource for information about your coverage needs. Reach out to your agent for help evaluating your coverage options and submitting your choice to Citizens.
Evaluate all available offers carefully. In many cases, the coverage offered may be more comprehensive than is available through Citizens.
Private-market policyholders can be subject to paying a much lower assessment if Citizens does not have the resources to pay claims following a major hurricane or series of storms.
Remaining with Citizens
If you are eligible to remain with Citizens, and wish to do so, your choice must be registered with Citizens by the date indicated on your Offer Form. If a choice is not registered, Citizens will assign your policy to the private-market company that offered the lowest estimated premium.
There no longer is a 30-day post assumption period during which you can return to Citizens. Once the assumption occurs, the policy transfer is final.
If you chose to remain with Citizens, you may receive additional assumption offers. You must respond to each offer to continue to remain with Citizens.
Florida law requires that Citizens submit renewal policies to its Property Insurance Clearinghouse to determine renewal eligibility. Rejecting an assumption offer will not exempt you from the clearinghouse.
Policies that receive an offer of coverage that is not more than 20% greater than Citizens' premium are ineligible to remain with Citizens.
