Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has distributed an agent bulletin on its inspection and outreach program. The bulletin appears below in its entirety:In 2009, Citizens contracted with an inspection management firm to oversee the inspection of a sample of properties insured by Citizens in order to verify that the wind mitigation features on record were accurate. Based on our initial findings from these sample inspections, Citizens has launched a broader Inspection and Outreach Program to ensure that our personal and commercial policyholders are receiving accurate wind mitigation credits.Inspections – Remainder of 2010 Personal Residential: Throughout the rest of 2010, Citizens will continue to perform wind mitigation inspections for newly insured and currently insured personal residential properties. The inspection program's primary focus is to confirm and document that the wind-loss mitigation features are accurate and to ensure that policyholders are receiving correct wind mitigation credits.Commercial Residential: No new commercial residential inspections will be ordered until 2011. In the coming weeks, however, Citizens' Underwriting department will be processing policies with inspections that were completed in 2010. Commercial underwriters will work closely with agents prior to making policy changes to value, mitigation features listed on inspection reports as Unknown or Unidentified or No access, or when the change results in a premium increase of more than 10 percent.The following informational items posted on our website provide a detailed overview of the Inspection and Outreach Program:

• Inspection and Outreach Program website page, which includes information for policyholders, agents, inspectors and inspection firms

• Inspection and Outreach Program: Frequently Asked Questions for Agents
• Inspection and Outreach Program: Agent Training

Inspections – 2011

In 2011, Citizens will broaden the Inspection and Outreach Program with three inspection management firms overseeing the inspection process. In addition to wind mitigation inspections, the program also will be expanded to include other inspection types such as:

• Sinkhole
• Four-point
• Roof certification
• General condition
• Mobile home tie-down

Policyholders and applicants also may have the option of purchasing initial wind mitigation inspections through Citizens Inspection and Outreach Program.

Further details will be sent to all agents as Citizens transitions to this broader phase of the Inspection and Outreach Program.Outreach It is essential that Citizens and agents work together to help policyholders understand the purpose of the Inspection and Outreach Program. Since some policy records contain outdated or no policyholder contact information, we appreciate your cooperation in promptly providing information, such as telephone numbers, to inspectors when requested. We also appreciate the assistance you provide policyholders throughout this process. For more information, contact your regional underwriter at 888-685-1555, or e-mail questions to [email protected]. New Form Required Effective immediately, a new form, the Inspection Contact Information Form, will be required with all new business applications and mitigation forms. In addition to providing contact information, the form will advise applicants of important information, including that the property is subject to inspection.

• Inspection Contact Information Form CIT ICI – C 07 10 should be used with all commercial applications and all personal residential non-mobile-home applications.
• Inspection Contact Information Form CIT ICI – M 07 10 should be used with all personal residential mobile-home applications.

The form must be completed fully, signed and dated by the applicant/insured, and submitted with the application documents. This form will not print with commercial applications and must be downloaded separately from our website. The form will print with personal residential applications and has been added to the Required Documents for Application form that prints from ePAS. Underwriting manuals have been updated to include this new requirement, and the forms are posted on our website in the Underwriting Forms section of Agent Resources. (Related story: OIR Releases New Citizens' Condo Rates)