Citizens insurance review 2025

Citizens Property Insurance Corporation of Florida is a nonprofit insurer operating in the state of Florida only. It was established in 2002 to provide a last-resort option for homeowners in Florida's troubled insurance market who were not able to find coverage elsewhere. The increase in violent and unpredictable weather patterns in the state has spurred some insurers to stop underwriting policies here, and the average cost of homeowners coverage in Florida is considerably higher than the national average. 

For homeowners in the Sunshine State who wonder if this insurer is a good option, Bankrate’s Citizens insurance review delves into the company’s offerings and restrictions. Although Citizens is unlikely to appeal to those who can find lower-cost coverage elsewhere, it may be the only possible choice for coverage for homeowners with property in high-risk areas.

In August 2022, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation granted Citizens a 6.4 percent rate increase for new and renewal home insurance businesses, effective Sept. 1, 2022. Citizens had originally requested a 10.7 percent increase.

Citizens began 2022 with 776,790 policies and ballooned to 1,111,283 by October that year, a 43 percent increase. Since insuring so many of Florida’s high-risk homes could create problems in the aftermath of a catastrophic loss, Citizens implemented efforts to reduce its number of policies, which effectively dropped to 935,948 as of Dec. 20, 2024.

Among other forms of coverage, Citizens sells HO-3 home insurance policies, which are the most common type sold by home insurance companies in the Sunshine State. These policies cover the structure of your home, detached structures, your personal property, additional living expenses, medical payments and liability exposure. You may be able to add a few endorsements, too, like sinkhole coverage and personal property replacement cost, for more robust financial protection.

To qualify for Citizen home insurance, you must be able to show that you have not been able to obtain coverage through any Florida insurer or that the cost of a policy from other Florida insurers is more than 20 percent higher than the cost of a Citizens policy. Citizens also requires policyholders to carry flood insurance, which adds an additional premium. These regulations are likely in place to help encourage homeowners to seek private insurance.

Pros and cons of Citizens homeowners insurance

As is true of all insurance companies, there are pros and cons of purchasing a policy from Citizens. If you are a Florida homeowner in a high-risk region and have been turned down for affordable coverage with other companies, Citizens may be a viable last-ditch option. Since the company's average rates are relatively high, it is likely not a good option for those looking for cheap homeowners insurance in Florida. If you are unable to find conventional coverage and are considering Citizens, the following perks and drawbacks may matter to you.

Keep in mind that not all companies are available in all areas of Florida. Eligibility may also be restricted based on your home’s unique features. Talking with an agent from each company is the best way to know if you qualify for coverage and if the coverage will fit your needs.

Citizens insures Florida homes that many other carriers shy away from. For homeowners in coastal areas and other storm-prone parts of the state, Citizens may be the only way to get home insurance coverage. As Florida’s home insurance market continues to fluctuate, Citizens may allow homeowners to obtain some measure of financial protection. However, Citizens policies are more basic than you could find elsewhere and you will be required to buy flood insurance to get or maintain coverage with Citizens. Remember that Citizens isn’t designed to be an insurer of choice, but rather an insurer of last resort.

What are real-life customers saying about Citizens?

Reading customer reviews and candid messages among policyholders is another good way to learn how they feel about their insurance provider. Citizens is unique in that most of its customers don’t have a choice to go with another carrier, and they all were deemed “high-risk” by other carriers. Recent reviews aren’t readily available on most sites, but Reddit has the most current posts. 

Reddit

Most of the reviews concern the rising cost of insurance and Citizens' efforts to depopulate their book of business. To provide some context for the following reviews posted on Reddit, keep in mind that Citizens is legally required to move any policy off the books that has a valid insurance offer priced within 20 percent of the current Citizens policy premium. A valid concern of most policyholders is what happens after their new insurance company renews their policy the following year.

*The quotes and citations included on this page have been verified by our editorial team and are accurate as of the posting date. Outlinked content may contain views and opinions that do not reflect the views and opinions of Bankrate.

Citizens company details

Citizens' primary focus is to provide property insurance for people who cannot purchase it through the private market. That said, they have a number of coverage options applicable to this particular high-risk market.

• To purchase a policy use Citizens’ Agent Look-up Tool
• To ask questions, file a claim or make a payment, call 1-866-411-2742
• Company website: citizensfla.com
• Online payments available on Citizens’ website
• Email contact available by topic
• Claims mailing address:
  Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
  P.O. Box 19700
  Jacksonville, FL 32245-9700

State availability

Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is only available in the state of Florida.

Citizens tools and benefits

Citizens' primary focus is to provide property insurance for people who can not purchase it through the private market. That said, they have a number of coverage options applicable to this particular high-risk market.

• Commercial properties: Citizens can offer multiperil and wind-only policies to qualifying commercial properties that are used for residential purposes such as apartment buildings and retirement community buildings. These policies exclude personal liability coverage. Non-residential commercial properties may qualify for wind-only policies.
• Sinkhole loss coverage: Sinkholes and other ground subsidence losses are excluded from most home insurance policies. This optional endorsement can provide coverage for structural damage resulting from a sinkhole loss.
• Personal property replacement cost: Standard home insurance policies provide coverage for personal property at actual cash value (ACV), which takes into account depreciation. This optional endorsement will pay to repair or replace your personal property at replacement cost value, minus your deductible.
• Increased limits for ordinance or law: There are times when a home is damaged in a covered claim and the state requires the repair to include updates to meet current building codes or laws. The increased cost is usually excluded from most home insurance policies and this optional coverage can help you bridge the gap between your claim payout and the added cost of the required updates.

Frequently asked questions about Citizens

Additional profiles:

• Coverage A, Dwelling: $150,000, $300,000, $350,000, $450,000, $750,000
• Coverage B, Other Structures: $15,000, $30,000, $35,000, $45,000, $75,000
• Coverage C, Personal Property: $75,000, $150,000, $175,000, $225,000, $375,000
• Coverage D, Loss of Use: $30,000, $60,000, $70,000, $90,000, $150,000
• Coverage E, Liability: $500,000
• Coverage F, Medical Payments: $1,000

These are sample rates and should only be used for comparative purposes. 

Bankrate Scores

Our 2025 Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impact policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s cost of coverage, product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. We grouped these factors into three essential categories — cost and ratings, coverage and savings, and support — which we then weighted in a tiered approach. 

Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, our team analyzed average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways a home insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored in a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.

Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.