Florida · Insurance
Named-storm claims and deductibles. Most people searching this want to get a hurricane claim approved and understand the hurricane deductible — that's what you'll get, in writing, from a licensed Florida roofing contractor.
Get a written quotethe 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.
Florida's 2022 insurance reforms ended assignment-of-benefits agreements for new policies and shortened claim filing windows, so the order you do things in matters more than it used to.
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.
Many Florida carriers now offer policies that pay actual cash value on older roofs rather than full replacement cost — worth checking before you assume a claim will cover a new roof.
A wind mitigation inspection (Form OIR-B1-1802) can lower premiums on any roof and is required for most discounts.
How it works
The hurricane deductible applies only during a named storm declared by the National Hurricane Center and is a percentage of your dwelling coverage. On a home insured for a mid-six-figure amount, that can be five figures. Every other wind event uses the regular flat deductible.
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.
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