Citizens home insurance eligibility requirements
To qualify for home insurance coverage from Citizens Property Insurance, you need to meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
You were denied coverage from at least one standard Florida home insurance company
You qualified for homeowners insurance with a standard Florida insurer but it was 20% more expensive than a comparable policy with Citizens
Compare Florida home insurance companies before applying with Citizens
Since you need to show proof that you've been denied coverage by at least one traditional home insurance company before you can purchase a policy with Citizens, here are a few Florida home insurance companies to get quotes from first.
Company | Policygenius rating | Average annual cost in Florida | |
|---|---|---|---|
5 out of 5 | N/A | ||
4.8 out of 5 | $2,227 | ||
4.5 out of 5 | $1,952 | ||
Slide Insurance | Not rated | N/A | |
3.6 out of 5 | $1,189 |
Rates are based on our analysis of 2022 sample home insurance quotes from across the country provided by Quadrant Information Services. Actual rates will vary based on location, policy limits, coverages, claims history, and other factors.
How much does Citizens home insurance cost?
The average cost of home insurance with Citizens Property Insurance is $5,979 per year for a policy with $300,000 in dwelling coverage. This is nearly three times the national average of $1,754 per year.
Here’s a look at the average annual cost for Citizens Property Insurance based on different dwelling coverage limits:
Dwelling coverage limit | Average annual cost |
|---|---|
$100,000 | $2,550 |
$200,000 | $4,256 |
$300,000 | $5,979 |
$400,000 | $7,886 |
$500,000 | $9,748 |
Rates are based on our analysis of 2022 sample home insurance quotes from across the country provided by Quadrant Information Services. Actual rates will vary based on location, policy limits, coverages, claims history, and other factors.
What discounts does Citizens Property Insurance offer?
You can save on the cost of Citizens home insurance if you qualify for any of these discounts:
Multi-policy: If you bundle your home insurance with a Citizens flood, sinkhole, or windstorm insurance policy.
Superior construction: If your home was built with fire-resistant or wind-resistant construction.
Roof construction. Save up to 29% if your home has a hip roof, secondary water resistance shingles, or roof-to-wall wraps.
Window shutters. Earn up to 16% off the wind portion of your annual premiums if you have hurricane-proof shutters on your windows.
Protective devices. If your home is equipped with fire alarm, smoke alarm, or burglar alarm systems that are monitored by an outside company.
Sprinkler system. If your yard is fit with a sprinkler system.
Citizens Property Insurance state availability
Citizens Property Insurance is only available in Florida.
Citizens Property Insurance customer reviews
Citizens Property Insurance doesn’t have the best customer reviews on review sites including the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Affairs. Chief complaints revolve around rude customer service representatives and claims adjusters, difficulty getting claims processed and paid out, and expensive rate hikes at time of renewal.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) also received a large number of complaints surrounding Citizens Property Insurance. Here’s a breakdown of the number of complaints filed with the NAIC in 2021 broken down by reason:
Reason for complaint | Number of NAIC complaints in 2021 |
|---|---|
Claims handling | 758 complaints |
Underwriting | 84 complaints |
Policyholder services | 26 complaints |
Marketing & sales | 5 complaints |
Why does Citizens insurance have such bad reviews?
One reason for this negative customer sentiment of Citizens insurance is likely due to the sheer volume of policies the insurance company writes in Florida each year.
A licensed property insurance agent in Florida who asked not to be named had this to say about Citizens property insurance and the state of the insurance industry in Florida:
“Citizens was designed to be the insurer of last resort, but because the insurance industry in Florida is so volatile and unpredictable, it has now become the recycling bin for all of the policies that are being canceled or homeowners who no longer qualify for coverage from bigger companies due to their stricter underwriting guidelines. It’s a mess — there’s a surplus of people needing insurance and not enough carriers that will take them.”
Citizens Property Insurance deductible options
Your Citizens home insurance policy might come with several different deductibles depending on the coverages you purchase:
All perils deductible: Choose a fixed-dollar amount deductible that applies for damage caused by covered perils other than named hurricanes, windstorms, or sinkholes.
Hurricane deductible: Choose from a hurricane deductible that’s $500 (only for homes insured for less than $100,000) or 2%, 5%, or 10% of the insured value of your home. This applies to damage caused by a hurricane and is only paid once during a calendar year — regardless of how many hurricanes damaged your home.
Other windstorm deductible: For wind-only policies, this is usually a fixed-dollar deductible that applies for damage caused by a windstorm, tropical storm, tornado, or hail that is not a named hurricane.
Sinkhole deductible: Usually 10% of the insured value of your home — applied solely for damage caused by sinkholes.
Do I need an inspection to get Citizens insurance in Florida?
Citizens might require your home to undergo an inspection — or multiple ones — though it varies depending on the type of coverage you’re purchasing, discounts you’re trying to get, how old your home is, and where your home is located.
Here are a few different types of inspections you might be required to get, including whether you or Citizens will cover the cost.
Type of inspection | When it's required | Who pays for it |
|---|---|---|
Exterior inspection | Varies — sometimes required to determine home’s replacement value, if you qualify for coverage, or to spot potential issues before they become problems | Citizens |
Interior inspection | Varies — sometimes required to determine home’s replacement value, if you qualify for coverage, or to spot potential issues before they become problems | Citizens |
Four-point inspection | If your home is more than 20 years old | Homeowner |
High-value home inspection | If your home is valued at $650,000 or more | Homeowner |
Roof inspection | If your roof is older than 25 years old (for shingle roofs) or 50 years old (for tile, slate, clay, concrete, or metal roofs) | Homeowner |
If you’re trying to qualify for wind mitigation discounts | Homeowner | |
Sinkhole inspection | If you’re trying to purchase additional sinkhole loss coverage and either answer “yes” to questions on its application or live in one of the following counties: Alachua, Citrus, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lake, Manatee, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Seminole, Sumter, Suwannee, Wakulla, or Washington | Homeowner |
How do I get a Citizens Property Insurance quote?
To get a home insurance quote with Citizens Property Insurance, you’ll first need to prove that you were unable to find coverage with a standard home insurance company or that the coverage you did qualify for was 20% more expensive than a similar policy with Citizens. If it is, then you can get a quote from any licensed insurance agent who’s authorized to sell Citizens Property Insurance coverage.
You can click on the Start calculator button to get connected with a licensed Policygenius insurance agent who can help you compare quotes from different companies to see if Citizens is right for you.
How do I file a claim with Citizens home insurance?
Citizens Property Insurance offers the option to file a claim over the phone or online 24/7/365.
How to file a claim online with Citizens
Log in to your Citizens account through myPolicy.
Navigate to the Claims tab.
Click Report a Claim to start the claims process.
How to file a claim over the phone with Citizens
Call the Citizens claims hotline at 866-411-2742.
Make sure you have the following information on hand: Your policy number, your contact information, damage description, and your mortgage company information (if applicable).
If you don’t have all of the information for your claim available or still aren’t sure the severity of the damage, Citizens encourages homeowners to still begin the claims process. A Citizens representative will work with you to help you fill in any missing information.
How do I cancel my Citizens home insurance policy?
You can cancel your Citizens home insurance policy by submitting its cancellation request form online.
How much notice will Citizens give you if they plan to not renew your policy?
Citizens Property Insurance is required by law to give you either 45 or 120 days notice of nonrenewal before the expiration date of your policy — it all depends on the reason for the nonrenewal.
