Home Insurance in Florida
Florida is the hardest homeowners market in the country. We shop it for you, and we tell you plainly what your policy does and does not cover before hurricane season, not after.
What a Florida homeowners policy covers
The standard policy in Florida is an HO-3. It is not one coverage but six, and knowing which is which is what stops an unpleasant surprise at claim time:
- Dwelling (Coverage A) — the structure itself. This should equal what it would cost to rebuild your house today, not what you paid for it and not what Zillow says it is worth.
- Other structures (B) — fence, shed, detached garage.
- Personal property (C) — everything inside. Ask whether it is replacement cost or actual cash value; the second one subtracts depreciation and the difference is large.
- Loss of use (D) — what pays for somewhere to live while the house is repaired.
- Personal liability (E) — if someone is injured on your property.
- Medical payments (F) — small injury bills for a guest, no lawsuit involved.
The two things your policy does not cover
This is where most Florida claims go wrong, and both are worth reading twice.
Flood is not included. Ever.
No homeowners policy in the United States covers flood. It is a separate policy, through the NFIP or a private carrier, and in much of Florida it is not optional in practice. There is also a waiting period — typically 30 days before it takes effect — so buying it as a storm approaches does not work.
The distinction that decides a claim: water coming down (a roof leak from wind damage) is usually the homeowners policy. Water coming up or in from outside is flood.
Your hurricane deductible is a percentage, not a number
Regular claims have a flat deductible. Hurricane claims almost always have a separate deductible expressed as a percentage of your dwelling coverage — commonly 2%, 5% or 10%. On a home insured for $400,000, a 5% hurricane deductible means the first $20,000 comes out of your pocket.
People discover this after the storm. Ask us what yours is, and what a lower one would cost.
We know which carriers are still writing
The Florida market has been through insolvencies, non-renewals and carriers pulling out of entire ZIP codes. Which company will write your house — and at what price — changes by roof age, by county and by month. That is the whole reason to work with an independent agency here instead of a single company.
How to actually lower the premium
Get a wind mitigation inspection
This is the single most effective thing most Florida homeowners can do, and it is routinely skipped. An inspector documents features that help the house survive a storm — roof shape, how the roof is attached to the walls, the roof deck, and whether openings are protected by impact glass or shutters. Each one can earn a credit, and the credits are often substantial enough that the inspection pays for itself in the first year.
The report is generally valid for five years. If you have had one done, send it to us with your quote request.
Know what your roof is doing to your price
Roof age is the first thing a Florida underwriter looks at. Many carriers will not write a home with a roof over a certain age, or will only offer actual cash value on it rather than replacement cost. If your roof is approaching that line, it is worth knowing before renewal rather than at it.
The rest
- Raise the standard deductible — but keep the hurricane deductible in mind separately.
- Bundle with auto insurance; multi-policy discounts are real here.
- Security and water-leak devices — monitored alarms and automatic shutoffs earn credits with several carriers.
- Review Coverage A every year. Construction costs moved sharply; being underinsured means a claim is settled proportionally, and being overinsured means paying for a rebuild that will never cost that much.
Home insurance in Florida, answered
Do I need flood insurance if I am not in a flood zone?
Everyone in Florida is in a flood zone — the question is which one. If your mortgage is federally backed and you are in a high-risk zone, flood insurance is required. Outside those zones it is optional, and a large share of flood claims come from exactly there. Given how much of Florida floods in a heavy afternoon storm, we quote it alongside your homeowners policy so you can see the actual number rather than guess.
What is a 4-point inspection and will I need one?
It is a report on four systems: roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC. Carriers typically require it for homes over about 30 years old before they will write or renew a policy. It is not a home inspection and it is not looking for cosmetic issues — it is confirming those four systems are not at the end of their life. If something comes back flagged, it usually has to be repaired before coverage is issued.
What is Citizens, and should I be with them?
Citizens Property Insurance is the state-backed insurer of last resort. It exists for homes that cannot get coverage in the private market. If a private carrier offers you a policy within a certain range of the Citizens premium, you are generally required to take it. We check the private market first — Citizens is a fallback, not a starting point.
My insurer is not renewing my policy. What do I do?
Do not wait for the expiry date. Non-renewals are common in Florida and the replacement market moves constantly, so the sooner we start the more options you have. Send us the non-renewal notice and your current declarations page — the notice usually states the reason, and the reason determines which carriers will still look at the house. Call (305) 640-1209 and we will start the same day.
Does my policy cover a roof leak?
It depends on the cause, not the leak. Sudden damage — a storm tears off shingles and rain gets in — is normally covered. A roof that has simply worn out, or a leak that has been slowly happening for months, is maintenance and is not covered. This is why carriers care so much about roof age: an old roof makes the second scenario much more likely.
I rent. Do I need anything?
Yes, and it is inexpensive. Your landlord's policy covers the building, not your belongings and not your liability. A renters policy covers both, and it also pays for somewhere to stay if the unit becomes uninhabitable. Many landlords in Florida now require it. Ask us for a quote — it is usually one of the cheapest policies we write.
Let us look at your home policy
Send us your current declarations page and we will tell you what it actually covers — and what it would cost to fix the gaps.