The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has approved changes to Citizens’ Personal Lines policy forms and endorsements in response to Senate Bill 76 (SB 76). The changes outlined below are specific to provisions regarding claims and apply to new-business and renewal policies effective November 1, 2021.
Note: This is not a summary of the bill.
Notice of Property Insurance Claims Changes
The Notice of Property Insurance Claims section of SB 76 indicates:
A property insurance claim or reopened claim is barred unless reported to the insurer within two years after the date of loss.
A supplemental claim is barred unless reported to the insurer within three years after the date of loss.
Definitions of a reopened claim and a supplemental claim are revised.
For claims resulting from hurricanes, tornadoes, windstorms, severe rain or other weather-related events, the date of loss is the date that the hurricane made landfall or the date that the tornado, windstorm, severe rain or other weather-related event is verified by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
As a result, Citizens changed the provisions for claims, supplemental claims and reopened claims in the Conditions section and coverage outline for all Personal Lines policy forms.
Agents and credentialed agency staff can review Edition 11.01.21 of these forms the following ways:
Access the policy in PolicyCenter® and navigate to the Documents screen to view the new business or renewal Declarations packet.
Log in to the Agents website and select Personal > PR-M or PR-W, and then select the appropriate policy type on the left-menu bar. Look for Edition 11.01.21 for each of the forms.
Notice of Change in Policy Terms
Citizens will send policyholders a Notice of Change in Policy Terms beginning with renewal offers effective November 1, 2021. These notices are available in the Policyholder Notices section for each policy form on the Personal section of the Agents site.
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.
