Fort Lauderdale · Broward County · Insurance
This is the Fort Lauderdale page for hurricane damage roof claim. The short version: you want to get a hurricane claim approved and understand the hurricane deductible, and you can have it without a salesperson at the door.
Get a written quoteRoof-to-wall connections built to old code are a major wind mitigation factor, and hurricane clips added during a replacement can improve the score. Additions from later decades were often tied into the original roof without proper flashing; those seams are where the leaks live. Roof-to-wall attachment matters more here than anywhere; clips or straps added during a tear-off can move a home a full category on its wind mitigation report.
On cost: the hurricane deductible is a percentage of dwelling coverage — often 2% to 5% — not a flat amount, so a claim needs to clear a much higher bar than a regular wind claim.
Insurers can no longer refuse to write a policy solely because a roof is under 15 years old, and roofs older than that can qualify with a passing inspection showing at least five years of remaining life.
How it works
Florida shortened the window in the 2022 reforms — it is now measured in months, not years, from the date of loss. Don't wait.
Not automatically, but the carrier will argue pre-existing wear. An inspection report from before the storm, or good documentation of storm-specific damage patterns (creased shingles, lifted tabs on the windward side), makes the difference.
Insurers can no longer refuse to write a policy solely because a roof is under 15 years old, and roofs older than that can qualify with a passing inspection showing at least five years of remaining life. Fort Lauderdale is inside the everyday service radius, so there's no travel surcharge and no "we'll be in the area next month."