What is an Assignment of Benefits?

An assignment of benefits (AOB) is a contract between you and a third party – typically a contractor, roofer or water mitigation company – giving them the right to deal directly with Citizens and receive payment for your claim. You sign an AOB, you give up your right to manage your claim and ensure it is resolved to your complete satisfaction. 

In 2019, the Florida Legislature passed common sense reforms aimed at bringing balance to the AOB process. As a result of these reforms, AOB vendors must adhere to certain legal requirements to receive payment for your claim. In addition, policyholders have been given the right to cancel an assignment agreement under certain circumstances and take back control of their claim. 

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How Do You Benefit From AOB Reform?

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AOB Reform Protects Your Rights

AOB Reform puts control back in your hands by giving you the right to cancel an assignment agreement under certain circumstances. This gives policyholders who felt pressured to sign an AOB, didn't understand what they were signing, or are unhappy with the work performed to take back control of their claim and ensure it is resolved timely and to their complete satisfaction. 

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AOB Reform Saves You Money

Following the enactment of 2019 reforms, Citizens filed a revised rate filing that reflects projected rate savings from the AOB reforms. Citizens has projected a reduced statewide rate need for homeowners multiperil policies from 25.2 to 7.2 percent, with roughly 67,000 policyholders expected to receive rate decreases.

Watch our interactive eBrief to learn how assignment of benefits reform helps you.

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You've Signed an AOB - What's Next?

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Policyholders

Even after signing an AOB, you still must comply with all the duties owed to Citizens under your policy. These duties can be found in your policy’s Duties After a Loss section.

Under Florida law, you have the right to terminate or cancel an assignment of benefits agreement under certain circumstances which are required to be described in the assignment agreement. The assignment agreement must provide that you have the right to cancel without penalty, however, you may be obligated to pay for any contracted work performed before the agreement is cancelled. Once you have notified your assignee that you are terminating your assignment agreement, you must notify Citizens as soon as possible by submitting notice of your cancellation either online or by mail. Until you do so, Citizens must continue to deal with and pay the assignee to whom you assigned your benefits.

AOB Reforms Policyholder Letter - June 2019

Claim Process When an AOB is Used

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AOB Vendors and Legal Representatives

Under Florida Law, if a Citizens policyholder signs an AOB agreement with you, you must submit a copy of the signed assignment agreement to Citizens online or by mail/delivery within three business days of the contract being executed or work beginning, whichever is earlier. Citizens will review your agreement to ensure it meets all statutory requirements and inform you if the agreement cannot be accepted as written. Until an AOB complying with applicable legal requirements has been received, Citizens must deal directly with the policyholder for all claims-related correspondence.

Citizens has 90 days from the receipt of a claim to make a claims determination, unless factors beyond our control reasonably prevent us from doing so. Suit cannot be filed against Citizens unless a written Notice of Intent to Initiate Litigation which complies with Florida law is provided to us. The Notice of Intent must be provided to Citizens at least 10 days before suit is filed but cannot be provided before we have made a claim determination or the 90 day period to do so has elapsed. Citizens has 10 days to respond to the Notice of Intent by either making a presuit settlement offer or requiring participation in appraisal as provided for under the insurance policy.

AOB Reforms Vendor Letter - July 2019

For detailed information about Florida's new AOB requirements, review Ch. 2019-57, Laws of Fla. (2019)