New Agreements, Training and Expansion of System Access
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April 18, 2016
To better align our agents and agencies with their obligations to protect customer information while we also enable broader system access, Citizens is developing:
New agency and agent agreements
Training opportunities
Expansion of credentialed agency users and elimination of sharing of credentials
This email provides preliminary information about these initiatives. Look for more information about each soon.
New Agreements
By July 1, 2016, to comply with new data security requirements and protect our mutual customers’ personal information, each agency principal (AP) and each appointed agent must acknowledge their understanding and acceptance of Citizens new Agency Agreement and Agent Appointment Agreement, respectively.
To continue to do business with Citizens, agents and APs must agree and electronically sign all agreements by July 1, 2016.
Citizens is using DocuSign® to distribute the agreements and collect and store electronic signatures. Be aware that there are fraudulent emails that appear to use DocuSign services. Review information about these fraudulent emails.
All APs and appointed agents will receive an email from AAdocusign@citizensfla.com within the next two weeks regarding the agreements. The emails include a link to DocuSign to review and electronically sign the document.
Reminder emails will be sent periodically before July 1, to those who haven’t accepted their agreement.
Training
Citizens will offer the following training:
Cyber security: All APs and currently appointed agents are required to complete this online course by July 1, 2016.
Citizens agreements and introduction to cyber security: Citizens will offer optional webinars that provide general information about the new agreements and cyber security.
Manage myAgency: Citizens will provide optional webinars to APs regarding Citizens’ new agency administration system.
Agent Certification Program: By attending one of these classroom trainings, Citizens-appointed agents can satisfy their biennial agent recertification requirement.
Agency Access to PolicyCenter/Clearinghouse/Agents Website
As part of Citizens’ deployment of the new Manage myAgency agency administration system, APs will be able to credential licensed customer service representatives (CSR) and provide them with limited access to PolicyCenter® and the Property Insurance Clearinghouse, as well as full access to the Agents website.
Any staff member getting credentials will be required to take the online cyber security course within 60 days of obtaining their credentials.
Later this year, Citizens will eliminate sharing of credentials, so it is important that all licensed agency staff who support Citizens customers be appointed as an agent or provided access as a licensed CSR.
As Citizens migrates to the new agency administration system, certain administrative functions (e.g., appointing/reappointing agents, changing writing authority) will be unavailable for a brief time.
Stay tuned for more information about these initiatives.
Citizens provides agent communications online for historical purposes only, and the communications have not been updated to include any changes that may have been made after publication. Agents can find the latest information by reviewing the applicable underwriting manuals, and by logging in and accessing our FAQs, which are available from the top of any page on our website.
