Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is Florida's state-backed insurer of last resort, created under Florida Statute Chapter 627 to provide coverage when private carriers will not. While Citizens is financially backed by the state, it is subject to assessments on all Florida policyholders during catastrophic loss years, and its rates are mandated to be non-competitive to encourage migration to the private market. The OIR's ongoing depopulation program means Citizens policyholders receive takeout offers from private carriers regularly. Allen Thomas Group evaluates every takeout offer on your behalf to determine whether the private carrier's terms and financial strength justify the switch.

A wind mitigation inspection, performed by a Florida-licensed inspector using the OIR-approved Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802), documents construction features that reduce hurricane damage potential. Credits are applied by individual carriers based on your roof covering type, roof deck attachment, roof-to-wall connection, roof shape, and opening protection (impact glass or shutters meeting Miami-Dade or Florida Building Code standards). A hip roof alone can yield significant premium reductions. Inspections typically cost $75-$150 and credits often recoup that cost within the first policy year.

No. Under Florida Statute 627.706, a standard homeowners policy only covers catastrophic ground cover collapse — a sudden, dramatic subsidence that causes the structure to fall into the depression. Standard sinkhole damage, which develops gradually, requires a separate sinkhole coverage endorsement. This distinction matters most in Hillsborough, Hernando, and Pasco counties along the I-4 corridor where sinkhole activity is highest. Some admitted carriers limit or surcharge sinkhole endorsements in these counties, requiring placement in the surplus lines market. Allen Thomas Group identifies the appropriate carrier for your specific county risk.

Yes. Flood damage is explicitly excluded from every standard homeowners policy, including Citizens. If your property sits in a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), your mortgage lender is legally required to mandate flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Reform Act. Even outside mandatory zones, South Florida's flat topography and heavy rainfall create meaningful flood exposure. Allen Thomas Group quotes both NFIP policies administered through FEMA and private flood carriers, which can offer higher dwelling limits and broader coverage terms — often at competitive rates for properties with favorable elevation certificates.

Between 2021 and 2023, the Florida OIR oversaw the insolvency or withdrawal of over a dozen carriers, driven by a combination of catastrophic hurricane losses, rampant Assignment of Benefits (AOB) litigation that inflated water and roof claims, and inadequate reinsurance structures. Legislative reforms through SB 2-D (2022) and subsequent 2023 bills have curtailed AOB abuse and attorney fee multipliers, stabilizing the market. The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (FHCF) provides a mandatory reinsurance backstop for admitted carriers. Allen Thomas Group monitors carrier ratings through AM Best and tracks OIR regulatory actions to ensure client placements remain with solvent insurers.

A 4-point inspection evaluates the four major systems of a home — roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC — and is required by most Florida carriers for homes over 20-30 years old before they will offer or renew coverage. The roof section is most scrutinized: carriers may decline replacement-cost coverage or refuse to write the policy entirely for roofs approaching end of life. Electrical panels with known defects (Federal Pacific, Zinsco, or aluminum branch wiring) can also trigger declinations. Allen Thomas Group reviews your 4-point results before submission to identify which carriers will accept your home's profile and what mitigation steps, such as a roof replacement, would expand your options.