Fla. Task Force Created to Improve Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Tom Gallagher on Wednesday announced the creation of a joint task force of stakeholders with the goal of making recommendations to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation for improving customer service and returning policies to the private insurance market.

“Thousands of consumers have contacted the Department of Financial Services upset over delays in processing their insurance claims,” Gallagher said. “Though Citizens has made tremendous efforts during the storm recovery process, more is needed to eliminate delays and ensure claims are processed fairly and efficiently.”

Gallagher said he anticipates the task force will recommend ways to improve adjuster response times and reduce backlogs in damage assessments.

Gallagher also said he supported Citizens’ efforts to encourage private insurance companies to take policies out of the state’s insurer of last resort.

“Consumers deserve more choices when purchasing insurance, and the key to greater availability of coverage is encouraging more companies to do business in Florida,” Gallagher said. “With more than 1,000 new residents coming to Florida every day, we must continue to search for ways to improve Floridians’ access to more affordable homeowners insurance.”

The task force (Task Force on Policyholder Services and Relations to Citizens Property Insurance Corporation), which will meet for the first time on Dec. 8, in Tallahassee, is made up of representatives from the Florida Department of Financial Services, the Florida Association of Insurance Agents, the Florida Bankers Association, the Florida Association of Realtors, the Florida Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, the Professional Insurance Agents of Florida and the Latin American Association of Insurance Agencies.

The task force will also address commission payments for agents placing business with Citizens. Members include:

Pete Dunbar, Chairman Florida Department of Financial Services
Daniel Baptista Latin American Association of Insurance Agencies
Skip Boylan Florida Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors
Steve Burgess Insurance Consumer Advocate
Karen Chandler Florida Department of Financial Services
Carol Everhart Professional Insurance Agents of Florida
John Fleming Florida Association of Insurance Agents
Scott Johnson Florida Association of Insurance Agents
Frank Kowalski Florida Realtors Association
Ed London Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
Susanne Murphy Citizens Property Insurance Corporation
Ken Ritzenthaler Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
Hal Roberts Florida Bankers Association