Judy/David of Punta Gorda, FL on Dec. 28, 2009
While in theory, an insurance company of last resort sounds like a great idea. However, its implementation through Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is an abysmal failure! First, we believe, Citizens rates, by law, are higher than any commercial insurance company would charge if one could get insurance through a private company.
Yet, Citizens customer service is the most incompetent, inefficient, and unprofessional service of any insurance organization that I have ever dealt with. We did not have a fair settlement from damages caused by hurricane Charley. Citizens, when they did respond, which was seldom, kept denying justifyable and substantiated claims for covered losses. Citizens denied us mediation against state statutes
Here is a list of Florida Statutes that Citizens violated in the processing of our claim. CHAPTER 626 INSURANCE FIELD REPRESENTATIVES AND OPERATIONS 626.9541 Unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices defined. (i) Unfair claim or settlement practices. 2. A material misrepresentation made to an insured or any other person having an interest in the proceeds payable under such contract or policy, for the purpose or intent of effecting settlement of such claims, loss, or damage under such contract or policy on less favorable terms than those provided in, and contemplated by, such contract or policy, or
3. Committing or performing with such frequency as to indicate a general business practice any of the following: b. Misrepresenting pertinent facts or insurance policy provisions relating to coverages at issue; c. Failing to acknowledge or act promptly upon communications with respect to claims; d. Denying claims without conducting reasonable investigations based on available information;
e. Failing to affirm or deny full or partial coverage of claims, and, as to partial coverage, the dollar amount or extent of coverage, or failing to provide a written statement that the claim is being investigated, upon the written request of the insured within 30 days after proof-of-loss statements have been completed;
f. Failing to promptly provide a reasonable explanation in writing to the insured of the basis in the insurance policy, in relation to the facts or applicable law, for denial of a claim or for the offer of a compromise settlement. g. Failing to promptly notify the insured of any additional information necessary for the processing of a claim, or h. Failing to clearly explain the nature of the requested information and the reasons why such information is necessary.
j. Failure to maintain compliant-handling procedures. Failure of any person to maintain a complete record of all the complaints received since the date of the last examination. For purposes of this paragraph, compliant means any written communication primarily expressing a grievance. and 626.9744 Claim settlement practices relating to property insurance. (2) When a loss requires replacement of items and the replaced items do not match in quality, color, or size, the insurer shall make reasonable repairs or replacement of items in adjoining areas.
In addition to just spewing out these Statute's wording by rote, I have proof to support all these violations should anyone be really serious about determining how unbelievably bad this company is.
Beyond the non-returned phone calls, inattention to details, unqualified field and claims adjusters, sloppy and incomplete claims review, (and the list could go on and on), hurricane Charley was bad enough; trying to work with Citizens was the real disaster! Citizens is what develops when an organization has no competition and is set up as a quasi-government entity. Having worked over 40 years with the federal government, Citizens is but one more example of an organization that is rife with inefficiency, incompetiveness, arrogance, and waste.
Citizens needs to be investigated as to its satisfying large loss claims performance. A class action suit will surely follow. Citizen's unjustified denial of our claim resulted in our personal loss of ~$75,000 of covered damages.
619 Madrid Blvd
Punta Gorda, Florida, 33950
(941)639-6190
