Florida Citizens Insurance Claim Guide
How a Citizens Property Insurance claim works in Florida — reporting and inspection, the 60-day prompt-pay deadline, the Managed Repair Program, and how a public adjuster assists.
By Dependable Claims Specialists Public Adjusters · DFS Firm License #W820363
Quick Answer
Citizens is Florida’s state-created insurer of last resort. To file, you report the loss (online via myPolicy or by phone), get a claim number, an adjuster is assigned, and an inspection follows if needed (citizensfla.com). A Citizens residential claim is still governed by §627.70131 — roughly a 7-day acknowledgment and a 60-day pay-or-deny window after the 2022 reforms. A licensed public adjuster can document, value, and negotiate the claim; Florida caps the PA fee at 20% (10% in a declared-emergency year) under §626.854(11).
The Citizens Claim Process
Citizens publishes its own claim-reporting steps. Below is the general flow for a typical (non-catastrophe) claim, summarized from Citizens’ own materials at citizensfla.com.
Report the loss
Citizens asks policyholders to "Call Citizens First." You can report a claim through the myPolicy portal or by phone, 24 hours a day. You receive a claim number and a follow-up confirmation (citizensfla.com).
Severity & assignment
Based on the loss information you provide, the claim is assigned a severity code and routed to a claims team, and an adjuster is assigned to contact you about your claim (citizensfla.com).
Inspection (if needed)
The assigned adjuster discusses the claim and determines whether an on-site inspection is necessary. Per Citizens, claims involving minor damage may be serviced without an in-person inspection (citizensfla.com).
Review & payment
After any inspection, a claims examiner reviews the policy to confirm coverage and deductibles. Where there is covered damage above the deductible, Citizens submits the claim for payment, often as a partial payment less the deductible (citizensfla.com).
Considering a public adjuster on a Citizens claim? Florida caps the fee at 20% (10% in a declared-emergency year). Estimate yours with our fee calculator.
What to Know About a Citizens Claim
Florida’s Insurer of Last Resort
Source: citizensfla.com
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is a state-created insurer that provides property coverage for Florida owners who cannot find coverage in the private market. It is sometimes called the insurer of last resort.
Prompt-Pay Deadlines Still Apply — §627.70131
Fla. Stat. §627.70131
A Citizens residential property claim is still governed by Florida’s prompt-pay statute. After the 2022 reforms (SB 2-D / SB 2-A), the insurer generally must acknowledge claim communications within about 7 days and pay or deny most residential property claims within 60 days of receiving notice.
Supplemental Claims
Source: citizensfla.com
Citizens notes that policyholders may file a supplemental claim for additional covered damage discovered during repairs, or when a contractor’s estimate is higher than the adjuster’s original estimate. Citizens also notes that estimates can and often do change as a claim progresses.
Managed Repair Program
Source: citizensfla.com
For eligible policies with non-weather water damage, Citizens offers a Managed Repair Program that can include Emergency Water Removal Services and access to a Managed Repair Contractor Network. Participation rules and eligibility are defined by Citizens.
Public Adjuster Fee Caps — §626.854(11)
Fla. Stat. §626.854(11)
If you hire a public adjuster on a Citizens claim, Florida caps the fee at 20% of the claim payment for most claims, reduced to 10% for claims based on a Governor-declared state of emergency that are made within one year of the declaration. The fee cannot be charged on payments the insurer already made for the same cause of loss.
Disputes & Bad Faith Are Legal Work
Fla. Stat. §624.155
A public adjuster documents, values, and negotiates the claim. Coverage lawsuits and bad-faith claims (handled through the Civil Remedy Notice process under §624.155) are attorney work that DCS does not provide — for those, consult a licensed Florida attorney.
How a Public Adjuster Assists on a Citizens Claim
A licensed Florida public adjuster works for the policyholder, not the insurer. On a Citizens claim, DCS can inspect the property, document the damage, prepare a detailed estimate, read and apply your policy in the ordinary course of adjusting, and communicate and negotiate with Citizens through the claim process described above.
Because Citizens claims remain subject to Florida’s insurance claim laws, the same prompt-pay timeline under §627.70131 and the PA fee caps under §626.854(11) apply. If your loss involves a hurricane or tropical storm, our hurricane insurance claims page explains how DCS approaches storm-related property damage.
What a public adjuster does not do is practice law. Coverage disputes that require a lawsuit, statutory bad-faith claims, or a Civil Remedy Notice are attorney work. DCS does not provide those services; for legal questions about a Citizens claim, consult a licensed Florida attorney.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Citizens Property Insurance in Florida?
How do I file a claim with Citizens?
Do Florida prompt-pay deadlines apply to a Citizens claim?
Can a public adjuster help with a Citizens claim, and what does it cost?
What is Citizens’ Managed Repair Program?
Does DCS handle lawsuits or bad-faith claims against Citizens?
Educational Information - Not Legal Advice
The information on this page is for general educational purposes only. Dependable Claims Specialists is a licensed public adjusting firm - not a law firm. Public adjusters help policyholders inspect, document, evaluate, and negotiate property insurance claims, which includes reading and applying your policy in the ordinary course of adjusting (coverage parts, exclusions, endorsements, scope). We do not practice law and we do not provide legal advice. For legal opinions, demand letters, Chapter 542A pre-suit notices, statutory remedies under the Insurance Code, or litigation, consult a licensed attorney in your state. Texas public adjusters operate under TX Ins. Code Chapter 4102; Florida public adjusters operate under FL Statute §626.854.
Citizens Claim? Get a Free Review.
A licensed Florida public adjuster will review your Citizens policy and your loss for free — and handle the documentation and negotiation. No recovery, no fee.
