Florida Citizens Insurance Claim Guide
How a Citizens Property Insurance claim works in Florida - reporting and inspection, documenting the loss, the Managed Repair Program, and how a public adjuster assists.
By Dependable Claims Specialists - Public Insurance 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 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).
Who Is Eligible for Citizens - and Why It Matters
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation was created by the Florida Legislature under Fla. Stat. §627.351(6) as a not-for-profit, government entity - the state’s insurer of last resort. It exists for Floridians who are entitled to property coverage but cannot find it in the private market, and it operates as a residual market backstop rather than a first-choice competitor.
No private coverage available
Citizens was created by the Florida Legislature under Fla. Stat. §627.351(6) as a not-for-profit, government entity to provide property insurance to Floridians who are entitled to but cannot find coverage in the private (admitted) market. It is the insurer of last resort, not a first choice.
The premium-comparison rule
By statute, eligibility is generally tied to a comparison with private-market premiums. Historically, a risk is not eligible for Citizens if a private-market offer is available at a premium within a defined threshold of the Citizens premium for comparable coverage. The exact threshold is set by statute and can change, so check current Citizens eligibility rules.
A residual market, by design
Citizens exists to stabilize the market and provide a backstop, not to compete broadly. Coverage, limits, and eligibility are governed by §627.351(6) and Citizens’ own rules, and policies can be subject to assessments and the depopulation (take-out) process described below.
Depopulation: The Citizens "Take-Out" Program
One feature unique to a state-run residual insurer is depopulation - the process of moving policies from Citizens back into the private market. If you hold a Citizens policy, it is worth understanding how this works, because you may one day receive a take-out offer.
Depopulation (also called the "take-out" program) is the process by which private insurers offer to assume policies out of Citizens, shrinking the residual market as authorized under §627.351(6).
If a private insurer makes a take-out offer on your policy, you typically receive a notice describing the offered coverage and premium and an opportunity window to respond.
Whether to accept a take-out offer or stay with Citizens is your decision and depends on the offered premium, the coverage terms, and the insurer - read the notice carefully and compare before the deadline.
Depopulation does not change the fundamentals of how a property-damage claim is documented and valued; if you have an open or new loss, the same documentation and adjusting principles apply to whichever carrier holds the policy.
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.
Report Promptly, Document Everything
Claim documentation basics
Report the loss to Citizens as soon as you discover it, and keep dated records of every submission, call, and inspection. A complete, well-documented claim file is what moves the claim and supports the valuation if the amount is disputed later.
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.
What to Gather Before You File
A well-documented claim moves faster and settles closer to its true value. Once everyone is safe and the property is secured, assemble the following - and photograph everything before you start temporary repairs.
Your Citizens policy number and declarations page (lists your coverages, limits, and the deductible - including any separate hurricane deductible).
Date of loss and the cause (hurricane, windstorm, water leak, etc.).
Dated photos and video of all damage, taken before any repairs, plus photos of the source of the loss where applicable.
A room-by-room inventory of damaged personal property with descriptions and, where possible, age and approximate value.
Receipts for emergency mitigation and reasonable temporary repairs you made to prevent further damage.
Any contractor estimates, invoices, or moisture/roof reports you already have.
Common Mistakes & Florida Claim Pitfalls
Florida’s property-claim landscape changed substantially with the 2021-2022 reforms - shorter deadlines, reshaped roof rules, and tight AOB restrictions. These are the avoidable errors that most often cost policyholders on a Citizens claim.
Missing the notice deadlines
Florida has shortened the windows to report property claims, and late notice can put an otherwise covered loss at risk. Report the loss to Citizens as soon as you discover it, report supplemental damage as soon as it is found, and keep dated proof of every notice you give. Do not sit on a loss.
Treating the first estimate as final
Citizens itself notes that estimates can and often do change as a claim progresses, and that a supplemental claim may be filed for additional covered damage found during repairs. An early or partial number is rarely the whole story.
Misunderstanding Managed Repair
On eligible non-weather water claims, Citizens may offer its Managed Repair Program (emergency water removal and a contractor network) in lieu of a cash settlement. Whether to use it has real consequences for how the repair is performed and paid - understand the program terms before agreeing.
Overlooking the Florida roof rules
Roof claims in Florida are shaped by Fla. Stat. §627.7011 and the Florida Building Code. Reforms changed how roof age and replacement-vs-repair are handled, and some policies use roof deductibles or actual-cash-value roof schedules. Read your specific policy’s roof provisions carefully; how the statute applies to your claim is a question for a licensed Florida attorney.
Ignoring the matching statute
Fla. Stat. §626.9744 addresses matching of items like siding, tile, or roofing when only part of an area is damaged. If undamaged adjacent materials cannot reasonably be matched, that becomes a scope and documentation question worth raising early - a frequently overlooked point on partial-damage claims. How the statute applies is a question for a licensed Florida attorney.
Signing away rights without understanding them
After Florida’s AOB reforms (HB 7065 in 2019 and SB 2-A in 2022), Assignment of Benefits arrangements are heavily restricted and, for newer policies, may not be available at all. Read anything a contractor or vendor asks you to sign, and understand what rights it affects, before signing.
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.
The public adjuster fee caps under §626.854(11) apply on a Citizens claim just as they do on any other Florida property claim. 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.
Related Resources
Florida Public Adjuster Rules
Fee caps, contract requirements, and licensing for public adjusters under §626.854.
PA Fee Calculator
Estimate the Florida public adjuster fee (20% / 10% emergency).
Hurricane Insurance Claims
How DCS approaches hurricane and tropical-storm property damage.
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?
Who is eligible for a Citizens policy?
What is Citizens depopulation (the take-out program)?
How long do I have to report a Citizens claim in Florida?
How does the Florida hurricane deductible work on a Citizens policy?
Should I use the Citizens Managed Repair Program?
How do Florida’s roof and matching laws affect a Citizens claim?
What happened to Assignment of Benefits (AOB) on Florida property claims?
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.
