Citizens’ water loss claims News

Heritage Revokes 14.9% Rate Increase Filing for Florida Homeowners

After review by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) and much criticism from Florida stakeholders, Florida-based Heritage Property & Casualty Company has withdrawn its request for an overall 14.9 percent increase of homeowners insurance rates in the state. The …

Florida’s Citizens Says AOB Abuse to Blame for Statewide Rate Increase of 6.8%

Citizens Board of Governors has approved recommended rates for 2017 that equal an average rate increase of nearly 7 percent statewide. The company said the increase is a necessary response to rising non-weather water losses and assignment of benefit (AOB) …

Citizens Implements Contract Changes to Address Florida Water Losses

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is alerting policyholders to important policy changes beginning July 1 as part of the state-backed insurer’s efforts to improve communication and protect customers early in the claims process while controlling costs that it has said threaten …

Special Report: Execs Warn of Impending Florida Market Crisis Over Water Loss Claims

Abuse of assignment of benefits (AOB) from water loss claims has become a full-blown Florida insurance crisis that will mean higher insurance rates next year and for the foreseeable future for every Florida policyholder, according to Citizens Property Insurance Corp. …

Commentary: Florida’s Failure to Pass AOB Reforms Will Impact State Insurance Market

Following the 2016 Florida Legislative Session’s failure to pass essential assignment of benefit (AOB) reforms, the insurance industry and Citizens Property Insurance Corp. are working in tandem with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) to find workable administrative measures …

Florida’s Citizens Pushes Policy Changes to Address Rising Water Loss Claims

Citizens Property Insurance Corp.’s board of governors has approved a slate of recommendations aimed at reducing the impact of what it calls skyrocketing water-loss claims that could reverse progress made in returning Citizens to the state’s insurer of last resort. …

Report: Florida Water Loss Claims up 46 Percent in 5-Year Period

The frequency and severity of water loss claims in Florida have increased every year since 2010, according to data call results from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR). During the same period, there has been a 10 percent increase …

Citizens Launches ‘Call Citizens First’ Campaign to Combat Florida Abuse

Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has launched a multi-faceted education campaign in an attempt to improve customer claims handling while taking steps to combat what it has called a disturbing increase of fraud and abuse that threatens to drive up premiums …

Florida Fights Back Against Assignment of Benefits Abuse

Florida insurers, consumer and insurance advocates, as well as regulators, are hoping 2016 may finally be the year that legislators address the misuse of assignment of benefits (AOB) for water loss claims that they say has become a rampant and …

Citizens Releases Analysis of Increasing Florida Water Loss Costs

Water loss claims, exacerbated by assignment of benefits, are driving higher rates in South Florida and increasingly across the state, according to a just released analysis conducted by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. for state insurance regulators. The insurer says the …