In the aftermath of Hurricanes Milton and Helene, homeowners and businesses across Florida are forced to navigate the challenging process of filing a claim with their insurance carriers. The process can be long, difficult, and stressful—especially after having just suffered the trauma from a hurricane. To make matters worse, many people don’t know what’s required of them from their policies or what the process for filing a claim entails. This article is intended to provide an overview of the important steps to take for your claims process. Florida Hurricane Insurance Claims

Urgent Steps for Florida Homeowners to Take After a Hurricane

Before walking you through the process, it’s worth noting that the most important thing is to take action on any urgent matters and ensure that you and your family are safe. This includes:

• Finding a safe place to stay
• Documenting whatever damage you can
• Gathering important belongings and documents following the storm

It’s also important to keep in mind that virtually all policies require the insured to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage to their property. The steps required will vary depending on the particular facts surrounding a given loss and can include things like:

• Placing a tarp over a hole in your roof
• Securing your property by boarding up damaged doors or windows

Obtaining Your Florida Hurricane Insurance Policy

Having dealt with the immediate concerns following the storm, you’ll want to focus on the first step of the insurance claims process: obtaining a complete copy of your insurance policy.

• With some carriers, you can find your policy online via a client portal.
• For others, you may need to contact your insurance agent for assistance.

Make sure you obtain a complete copy of your policy, with all endorsements and amendments. Some confuse the policy’s “declarations page” as being their policy, but that’s simply a summary of the amount and type of coverage provided under your policy. A Declarations Page is typically only a few pages, while your entire policy will consist of several endorsements, spanning dozens of pages.

Reviewing Your Florida Hurricane Insurance Policy: Key Details to Know Florida Hurricane Insurance Claims

Now that you have a copy of your policy, you’ll initially want to look for two things:

1. The coverage provided under your policy
2. Your policy’s hurricane deductible

This will help you determine whether or not you want to report a loss and begin the claims process. Consider the following:

• Type of Insurance: Check what type or types of insurance policies you have: you may have flood insurance, general homeowner’s insurance,  a wind-only policy, or a combination thereof.
• Flood Damage: If you suffered flood damage, check to see if you purchased separate flood insurance through a provider like the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program).
• Additional Coverage: Verify if your policy covers:
  • Personal belongings (often referred to as “contents” coverage)
  • Fences, sheds, or other detached structures (usually called “other structures” coverage)
  • Additional costs, such as staying at a hotel or temporary housing (“additional living expenses” coverage)

Calculating Your Hurricane Deductible

Your policy’s hurricane deductible will generally serve as an indicator of whether you want to report a claim. The deductible is the amount you are responsible for paying out of pocket.

• For many Florida policies, the hurricane deductible is calculated as a percentage of the total amount of structural coverage.
  • Example: If your policy’s deductible is 15% of your Coverage A-Structure benefits, which totals $350,000, you would be responsible for paying $52,500 out of your own pocket, and the carrier would cover the rest.
• If it’s clear that your damages won’t exceed this deductible, there’s no need to make a claim for those damages.
• If there is any doubt or chance that your damages may exceed your deductible, consider reporting the loss.

As we will discuss in the next part of this series, reporting the claim is one of the most important steps in the claims process. Unfortunately, it’s also one where a policyholder can make costly mistakes that can adversely affect an otherwise valid claim. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series next week, where we’ll dive deeper into the crucial steps of reporting your claim and navigating the process. In the meantime, if you have any questions or need guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to your trusted Property Damage Attorney.

Author: Francisco O. Garcia, Esq.