Governance and status
- Government nonprofit entity of the State of Florida.
- Governed by a 9-member BOG (Board of Governors): 3 by Governor, 2 by Senate President, 2 by House Speaker, 2 by CFO.
- Audit by State Auditor.
- Offices in Tallahassee and Jacksonville.
- Official site: citizensfla.com.
Three product lines
| Line | Covers | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Lines (HO-3, HO-6, DP-3) | Multi-peril: fire, theft, wind, plumbing, etc. | Statewide outside HRA wind-only |
| Wind-only | Wind + hail only | HRA (High Risk Account) — Keys, certain barrier islands |
| Commercial-residential | Multi-peril on 4+ unit multi-residential | Statewide (similar to personal) |
Coverage caps
- Outside Miami-Dade and Monroe: maximum replacement value $700,000.
- Miami-Dade and Monroe: $1,000,000.
- If your home is worth more, you need an excess policy or surplus lines coverage on top.
- For HO-6 (condo): limit varies by unit value, but Citizens caps still apply.
2026 rates and glide path
- Glide path: F.S. §627.351(6)(n) caps annual policy increase at 15%/yr (final tier reached January 1, 2026).
- 2026 rates recommended by BOG on December 10, 2025: 2.6% average decrease on personal lines (first decrease since 2015).
- OIR approval required before going into effect.
- Zone variations: decrease is sharper inland; coastal zones see modest or flat changes.
Deficit assessments
If Citizens records a deficit after a major hurricane season, F.S. §627.351(6)(b) authorizes multiple assessment tiers:
- Citizens Policyholder Surcharge: up to +15% on all Citizens insureds.
- Regular Assessment: up to +2% of annual premium on most FL policyholders (except workers comp, medical malpractice, A&H, federal flood).
- Emergency Assessment: up to +10% per year for 30 years if deficit persists.
Maximum total: +25% of annual premium on FL insureds.
History: Citizens imposed assessments after the 2004-2005 hurricane seasons (Wilma, Rita, Charley). No major assessment since 2015 thanks to Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF) growth.
For Canadian snowbirds
- Citizens accepts Canadian non-resident owners without special surcharge.
- However: home vacant > 30 days can be problematic. Check vacancy conditions.
- Citizens claims service is widely viewed as slower than private average.
- For large hurricane claims, hiring a FL-licensed public adjuster (fee 10-15% of settlement) can speed things up.
- Communication only in English; consider an FL attorney or bilingual property manager if needed.
Formulaires officiels et pages de référence
Responsabilité du lecteur
Toujours utiliser la dernière version disponible sur le site officiel cité ci-dessous. Les seuils, taux et délais évoluent. CanadaFlorida ne se substitue pas à un professionnel licencié.
Every figure, rate, threshold, and deadline in this guide is drawn from a verifiable primary source listed at the bottom of the page. The article is updated whenever the underlying rules change, with a fresh review date stamped at the top.
Sources and references
Public sources verified as of the last review date (Florida Statutes, Florida Department of Revenue, Citizens, FEMA, DBPR).
- F.S. §627.351(6) — Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. leg.state.fl.us/§627.351
- Citizens — Official site, governance, eligibility. citizensfla.com
- Citizens — 2026 Rate Recommendations (BOG, Dec 10, 2025). citizensfla.com/2026-rates
- Senate Bill 76 (2021) — Glide path. flsenate.gov/sb76