Citizens Property Insurance Corporation or commonly referred to as the Florida Fair Plan, originated in 2002 as a non-profit market for homeowners in the State of Florida to respond to the unique factors that cause Floridians to have a higher risk for filing homeowners insurance claims. Florida is a popular location and known as the “Sunshine State” is home to nearly 22 million people.
Many homeowners seeking Florida property and causality insurance pursue CPIC, an option due to the private market difficulties to insure properties in coastal and low lying areas. Two thirds of the state occupies a peninsula. With the exception of prairies in some rural areas, property owners are surrounded by water most of the time. The geographical positioning leads much of the state to have a higher risk of many types of claims.
Due to the variations of the climate in the state, policy holders often face extreme weather accompanied with the aftermath damage to their properties. Being the lightening capital of the U.S, the high risk for lightning claims for homeowners is something most people do not consider. Insured residents can expect high levels of rain from the months May to October. The state claims the highest precipitation levels across country which leads to millions of dollars in claim settlements paid by insurance companies annually.
Florida is ranked 4 in tornado occurrences in the U.S. These natural events are inevitable due to the position of the state. Extended systems of underwater caves, sinkholes, and springs produce most of the water used by residents of this state. This makes sinkhole claims a threat for homeowners in some of the highest risk areas. From 2006-2010 sinkhole damage claims soared to $2 billion dollars.
The most notable conditions residents endure are hurricanes. This affects residents across the entire state. The heavily populated coastal areas take damage to properties often times resulting as total losses for homeowners. As the storm moves inland homeowners can expect to see major flooding and paramount winds. These storms often carry noticeable sized hail causing thousands of dollars in damage to homes.
Florida has been one of the leaders across the country in often requiring and/or incentivizing mitigation in high risk areas which bolsters the strength of the economy and has lead to a very competitive marketplace among private insurance companies. Mitigation can make a considerable difference in price and eligibility for homeowners insurance.