What "depopulation" means
Under Florida law, Citizens must offer policies to private carriers that are willing to assume them at rates within 20% of Citizens' premium. If the private offer qualifies, Citizens sends you an assumption notice and you are generally required to move to the private carrier unless you formally opt out.
Your opt-out right
You have the right to opt out and remain with Citizens if:
- The private offer exceeds your Citizens premium by more than 20%, OR
- You formally notify Citizens of your election to stay before the deadline
The opt-out window is short and the notice looks like junk mail. Read every Citizens letter carefully.
Coverage differences
Private carrier policies are not identical to Citizens policies. Watch for:
- Different hurricane deductibles (2% vs. 5% makes a large difference)
- Water damage sublimits (common on post-2022 private-carrier forms)
- Roof schedule endorsements that reduce coverage to ACV on older roofs
- Mandatory binding arbitration clauses
What this means for open claims
If you have an open Citizens claim and your policy is assumed mid-claim, the claim generally stays with Citizens. But adjuster handoffs, file transfers, and communication gaps are common. Keep copies of every document.