Citizens Cut Homeowners Rates. Condo Associations Got Increases.

Headlines about Florida insurance rates have mostly pointed one way this year: down. That is true for many personal homeowners policies, including at Citizens. It is not true for every Citizens customer. Condo associations and other commercial-residential buildings on Citizens saw average rate increases that took effect on renewals on or after July 1, 2026. Florida Times flagged that split again today. Here is what Citizens' own notices say, and how to read your renewal.

Personal lines: average decreases

Citizens' July 2026 personal-lines update says the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) approved rate changes for new and renewal policies effective on or after July 1, 2026. Statewide averages:

• Homeowners multiperil: average 8.8% decrease
• Homeowner wind-only: average 5.1% decrease

Those are averages by line. Citizens says the change still varies by product type and territory, and that primary HO-3, HW-2, HO-6 and HW-6 policies are capped at a maximum 2% decrease (non-primary at a maximum 0% change). So some personal renewals move less than the statewide average. Our rate changes tracker logs the same Citizens multiperil and wind-only figures from that notice.

Commercial residential: average increases

On the commercial side, Citizens' separate 2026 commercial rate-and-rule notice lists OIR-approved statewide averages for the same July 1 effective date:

• Commercial residential multiperil excluding condo associations: +7.2%
• Commercial residential multiperil condo associations: +7.7%
• Commercial residential wind-only condo associations: +14.1%
• Commercial residential wind-only excluding condo associations: +14.4%
• Commercial nonresidential multiperil (class/special class): −1.8%
• Commercial nonresidential wind-only: −5.0%

Citizens also notes a minimum change cap of −5% and a maximum of +15% for class-rated and special-class business, excluding coverage changes, mitigation adjustments, A-rated risks, required surcharges and assessments, and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund cash build-up factor. An individual association's bill can land outside the statewide average for those reasons.

Why the split matters at renewal

If you own a house, the Citizens cut and the broader private-market decreases OIR highlighted on October 29 (more than 824,300 homeowners in October, with pending decreases for about 450,000 more in November, December and January) are the relevant story.

If you sit on a condo board, or you pay association fees that include the master policy, the commercial-residential numbers are the ones that hit the budget. Unit-owner (HO-6) policies are personal lines; the association master policy is commercial residential. We covered HO-6 rate cuts among private carriers in an earlier condo post. The master policy is a different form and a different filing.

How big is Citizens' commercial book?

OIR's August 2026 MIR summary (data reported by companies and not audited) still shows Citizens with commercial-residential policies in force as of August 31, 2026, including 740 condo-association wind-only policies and 308 condo-association dwelling/fire policies, plus smaller apartment and homeowners-association counts. Personal residential remains the much larger book. For scale, Citizens reported 216,577 total policies in force as of October 23, 2026, according to The Florida Press (we covered that drop in a recent post).

Depopulation is also still running. OIR's takeout companies page shows Southern Oak and American Integrity approved for November 17 and December 15, 2026 assumption dates (consent orders 403123-26-CO and 403122-26-CO). Our Citizens takeouts tracker lists the full 2026 calendar.

What to check

• Identify which Citizens form you have. Personal homeowners or condo unit-owner vs. commercial-residential association or apartment building.
• Read the renewal line by line. Statewide averages are not your premium. Territory, construction, coverage changes and Cat Fund charges can move the number.
• Ask the board or agent for the private-market comparison. Takeout and shopping rules for associations differ from personal lines; confirm current eligibility with Citizens or your agent.
• Shop personal policies separately. Unit owners can still compare HO-6 quotes; see our who's writing page.

This post is general information, not legal, financial or insurance advice. Confirm rates and eligibility with your agent, your insurer, Citizens or the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

Track filings on our rate changes and Citizens takeouts pages. Want a short weekly email when new rate cuts, takeouts or market data land? Sign up for FL Insurance Watch alerts.

Not insurance, legal or financial advice. Confirm details with your insurer, a licensed agent or the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.