Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Reviews

Policy cost tripled from last year so it was canceled prior to expiration but the EFT that had not happened for a couple years from Hanover/Citizens has since tried twice to withdraw from my account and cost me $25 each time. My agent has called. I tried to get through but the unfriendly automated system never lets me talk to anyone and just tells me to talk to my agent. I figure Hanover/Citizens owes me for the bank costs of them trying to withdraw funds for a cancelled policy. In the 14-15 years I paid for a policy with them, I never put in any claims and explanations for the outlandish increase was not even mentioned. It just dropped on us.

Citizens Homeowners Insurance has raised my premium $1,500. It's too much of a coincidence that so many homeowners insured with Citizens are getting their premiums raised by the same amount at the same time! I agree it is price gouging during hurricane season!

I had spent $35,000 a year ago under a city program to do upgrades to my house and to make sure it was up to code and passed under weatherization program 100% and instead of lowering and giving me a discount, Citizens raised my insurance by $1,500. Now my mortgage company has raised my mortgage by $200.00 to meet the escrow deficiency. I am so upset and unhappy that Citizens inspectors are not doing their homework well. I just paid another inspector to re-inspect my house and I don’t know what else to do. I am hoping one of those people’s lawsuits become available against them.

Citizens Insurance is taking advantage of storms by price gouging and over inflating prices unnecessarily. The state had to come up with some excuse for allowing the private companies to bow out and that excuse is Citizens. If you ask me, it is the poorest excuse for a decent insurance company that I have ever heard of. They have us by the throat because no other companies will insure. I believe Citizens is disreputable and a scam artist; and instead of providing insurance coverage with the risk of pay-offs, they are interested only in the premiums they receive. This is a criminal organization as far as I'm concerned!

Citizens raised my premium by $1,500.00 because my front door was not adequately protected. I purchased storm panels for the door, installed them, and sent photo proof to Citizens. I was told initially by Citizens that it should take 2 weeks to resolve. In the meantime, my mortgage company paid inflated bill, leaving a huge deficit for escrow insurance and taxes. I was told this morning that it will take "months" to resolve the issue, and rebate will be prorated. This is so unfair to Florida homeowners struggling with insurance costs as is. The rest of the openings are covered with accordion shutters at a cost of over $5,000.00. Has this company become so focused on their bottom line that we don't count anymore?

Cancellation of 2-month-old policy: At the suggestion of my mortgage lending bank, I phoned AAA to find a more reasonable homeowners policy. I trusted AAA and did not question their recommendation for Citizens for my new policy. On April 30, 2012, I was required to pay over $750 as an initial payment, and recently, I received a bill for $347 or else, the policy would be cancelled on June 27, 2012.

They have us by the throat. I put on a new roof several weeks ago, all per Florida code. Citizens decided that it's not good enough. Citizens changed their requirements. Renewal has increased policy to $700. It's not like we have any other options. No other companies will insure. Instead of raising our premiums, why not strengthen their fraudulent claims department? Enough is enough!

I am a widow. In 2007, I heard about a program sponsored by the State of Florida called "My Safe Florida Home." If your home passed all the inspections for wind mitigation (i.e. proper roofing and trusses with hurricane clips, etc.), you could be eligible to upgrade your wind mitigation status by installing Florida approved hurricane shutters and garage impact doors. The deal was that upon approval, the State of Florida would pay half of your wind mitigation expenses. I spent over $7,000.00 on all the upgrades (got aluminum shutters and a new garage hurricane impact door). The State sent out a contracted inspector to certify that all the improvements were 100% up to code, and then I received a check for 1/2 of the $7;000.00 of my outlay. I was so happy and believed that I had truly done my best to protect my home from damage. Additionally, I even got a new roof. Mind you, I have lived here for 25 years and have never had any hurricane claim ever - not once!

The rate was okay at first ($1700.00). Then the first inspection price went up to $3300.00. I complained. Then after the second inspection, the price went to ($4800). They said the house was a frame house and it has less than 33 and 1/3 wood and included a pool, a screened porch, and a shed. It has a roof that is 5 years old. Who can save $400.00 a month in these times and still have food on the table? The governor must be in on this. I called them and I said their billing is very confusing. She said, “You’re telling me the insurance commissioner should get involved in this?” That is, unless he is in on it also.

A storm came through my neighborhood in May 2011 and caused extensive damage to my roof. This was reported to Citizens and they sent me a check for "repair" to my roof. I contacted a few roofing companies and got a few estimates and was told by all that the roof could not be repaired, that it must be replaced in order to be up to Florida code. I advised Citizens of this update and they sent me additional funds, again for roof repair. I was again told by the roofing companies that the roof would need to be replaced. My policy was due to expire on 12/9/11 and Citizens advised that they would not renew my policy because "the roof is over 25 years old or has less than 3 years of remaining useful life, and no documentation supporting roof replacement or showing 3 or more years of remaining useful life has been received". Therefore, Citizens cancelled my policy. However, on January 27, 2012, Citizens sent an additional check for roof replacement. Alan's Roofing replaced my roof in February 2012.

Someone needs to review the business practices of Citizens Insurance Group. The government signed okay for all homes built before 1970's to be excluded from free competitive insurance market and letting the state charge whatever it wants to home owners in the state of FL. This is criminal since my rates went from $2300 to $5500 in one year. Also, this created a loophole in Save Our Homes program. Now the state can collect huge amounts of money not by taxes but by crazy insurance rates that make no sense. My house was built in 1950's and I still have original windows in my home that was built over 60 years ago but my home is a risk. My house has been standing for over 60 years with minimal damage even with hurricane Andrew. Go figure. Approximately 15 miles directly west of my house, the newer homes at Country Walk were flatten but these homeowners are not subjected to crazy Citizens' premiums.

I am a single father of a high school senior. I purchased my home 3.5 years ago and my home was inspected and my insurance was $1200/year. The state insurance board in cahoots with our governor has given companies the right to cherry pick only the homes with little exposure, causing me to be forced to apply to Citizens, and at the same time, they have been directed to remove any possible credits to drive up premiums. I have steel shutters that are now disallowed, and my premium tripled to $5600 per year. My home is already over $50,000 under my purchase price and my income has not raised in three years. I cannot afford the doubled house payment of $2400/month. It's 3 of every 4 of my paychecks before groceries! I am being forced out of my house and into foreclosure so a bunch of investors can snap up the foreclosures and turn them into rental properties. This is a criminal organization under RICO as far as I'm concerned!

The bedroom floors started to buckle. After 2 weeks the floor was completely filled with mold and mildew, and started to collapse. I called Citizens, an adjuster came out and did his review and saw no water damaged, roof damaged or broke pipes. We concluded it was condensation from the a/c unit. I was told my Citizen's policy does not cover humidity/condensation damaged.

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 justifiable 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.