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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">FYI – thanks to Jay Mussman<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:#1F497D">Scott P. Pence | Carlton Fields</span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Board Certified in Construction Law by The Florida Bar<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Direct: 813.229.4322 | Fax: 813.229.4133<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">4221 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Ste. 1000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#1F497D">Tampa, Florida 33607-5780
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"><a href="http://www.cfjblaw.com/spence/"><span style="color:blue">bio</span></a> |
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Mussman, Jay D. <jmussman@daypitney.com> <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, April 24, 2019 3:15 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Pence, Scott <spence@carltonfields.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> FW: Press Release: Citizens applauds passage of AOB reform package<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Please share</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Thx</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;color:#003366">Jay D. Mussman | Attorney at Law |
</span><a href="http://www.daypitney.com/professionals/M/Mussman-Jay-D"><span style="font-size:12.5pt;color:blue">Attorney Bio</span></a><span style="font-size:12.5pt;color:#003366">
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<br>
</span><span style="color:#1F497D">Mizner Park Office Tower | 225 NE Mizner Boulevard, Suite 350 | Boca Raton FL 33432-4078<br>
t (561) 537 4934 | f (561) 952 4267 | m (561) 862 8107<br>
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396 Alhambra Circle | North Tower, 14th Floor | Miami FL 33134<br>
t (561) 537 4937 | f (305) 373 4099 <br>
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</span><a href="mailto:jmussman@daypitney.com"><span style="color:#003366">jmussman@daypitney.com</span></a><span style="color:#1F497D"> |
</span><a href="http://www.daypitney.com"><span style="color:#003366">www.daypitney.com</span></a><span style="color:#1F497D"><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif"> Newsroom [<a href="mailto:Newsroom@citizensfla.com">mailto:Newsroom@citizensfla.com</a>]
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, April 24, 2019 3:14 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Newsroom<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Press Release: Citizens applauds passage of AOB reform package</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"> <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><strong><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black">[[EXTERNAL EMAIL]]</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">April 24, 2019</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Contact: Michael Peltier</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">(850) 264-7702 (cell)
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">(850) 513-3774</span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Citizens applauds passage of AOB reform package</span></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">TALLAHASSEE, FL – Citizens Property Insurance Corporation on Wednesday applauded Florida lawmakers for passing
<span style="color:black">meaningful </span>legislation that will provide relief to Florida property insurance policyholders by reducing unnecessary litigation and assignment of benefits abuse.
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">The Senate’s passage of
</span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><a href="https://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h7065e1.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7065&Session=2019">HB 7065</a></span></span><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">
caps a five-year effort to address runaway litigation and AOB abuse, especially surrounding nonweather related water loss claims that after decades of stability skyrocketed in recent years. These rising costs forced Citizens in 2019 to propose a rate increase
for 97 percent of its homeowners policyholders. In 2015, Citizens passed on rate reductions to 70 percent of its homeowners policyholders.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Along with industry, business, and consumer groups,
<span style="color:black">Barry Gilway, Citizens President, CEO and Executive Director,</span> thanked Governor Ron DeSantis, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, and Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier for their support throughout the session.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">“Today’s vote is a critical step in our efforts to bring relief to our policyholders, who have had to pay the bill for runaway litigation and AOB abuse,”
Gilway said. “The bottom line is we could not have done this without the leadership of Governor DeSantis, CFO Patronis, and Commissioner Altmaier.”
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Citizens’ actuaries have estimated the reforms would reduce the statewide average rate need from 25.2 percent to 10.1 percent for homeowners policyholders.
In South Florida, the epicenter of the AOB abuse, the average rate need would drop from 30.4 percent to 12.8 percent. These figures will change slightly as policy information and data are updated.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">Wednesday’s vote followed months of negotiations between stakeholders, legislative sponsors and their staff. Christine Ashburn, Citizens Chief of Communications,
Legislative and External Affairs, praised legislative leaders and sponsors for their commitment throughout the sometimes contentious process.</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black">“Chairman Broxson and Chairman Rommel were critical to the passage of this much needed legislation,” Ashburn said. “We now have a reform package that will
make a difference.”</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">###</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in"><sub><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">In 2002, the Florida Legislature created Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens), a not-for-profit alternative insurer, whose public purpose is to provide
insurance to, and serve the needs of, property owners who cannot find coverage in the private insurance market.</span></sub><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-left:.5in;text-align:center"><img border="0" width="314" height="2" style="width:3.2708in;height:.0208in" id="_x0000_i1031" src="cid:image009.png@01D4FAB0.439085C0"><sub><span style="font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> </span></sub><o:p></o:p></p>
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us on Facebook</a></sub></span> <sub> </sub><img border="0" width="15" height="15" style="width:.1562in;height:.1562in" id="Picture_x0020_4" src="cid:image011.jpg@01D4FAB0.439085C0" alt="Citizens on Twitter"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><sub><a href="https://twitter.com/citizens_fla">Follow
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