Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Claims Committee to Review Hurricane Irma Response, Litigation

Dec 4, 2017

Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (“Citizens”) has been served with 23 Hurricane Irma-related lawsuits since the storm struck the State on September 10.   That number is expected to increase sharply during the First Quarter of 2018, according to an overview of current claims in litigation that will be presented at Citizens’ Claims Committee (“Committee”) meeting this Thursday, December 7, 2017.

Meanwhile, water damage-related losses continue to account for the majority of incoming new lawsuits filed against Citizens from South Florida’s Tri-County area.  Almost one half of those new actions continue to be filed within six months of the First Notice of Loss, and the vast majority (83 percent) reflect representation of the insured at the time the loss is first reported.  Most are also filed in the absence of the insured disputing Citizens’ position at the time of the adjustment of the claim, Citizens said.

The Committee will also review Citizens’ response to Hurricane Irma, which it described as “moving toward the closing stages.”   

To enable that response, Citizens had contracted with multiple vendors just after Hurricane Irma, which resulted in an emergency expenditure of $14.22 million for 140 catastrophe-related procurements—most of which were claims adjusting and estimating in nature, and amended an existing vendor contract.

To view the materials for the December 7 Committee meeting, click here, or on the hyperlinks below.

Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Colodny Fass.

Click here to follow Colodny Fass on Twitter (@ColodnyFassLaw)



To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please send an e-mail to news@colodnyfass.com.