Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and the worst time to learn how your homeowners policy works is after a storm is named. Spring is the window to actually read it. Florida policies carry features that catch people off guard, so here is a plain-English tour.
The base policy
Most Florida homeowners carry an HO-3 form, which covers the structure of your home against a broad list of perils, your personal belongings, liability, and additional living expenses if you are displaced. That is the foundation. What matters is everything layered on top of and carved out of it.
The separate hurricane deductible
This is the big one. Your policy almost certainly has a separate hurricane or windstorm deductible, and it is usually expressed as a percentage of your dwelling coverage — commonly in the low single digits — rather than a flat dollar amount. On a home insured for several hundred thousand dollars, a percentage deductible can be many thousands of dollars out of pocket before coverage kicks in. Know your number now, not during a claim.
Flood is not included
Standard homeowners policies exclude flood. Storm surge and rising water are covered only by a separate flood policy, through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood insurer. Given how much Florida damage comes from water rather than wind, this gap is the one that hurts most when it is discovered too late.
Replacement cost vs actual cash value
Check whether your dwelling and contents are insured at replacement cost — what it costs to rebuild or replace today — or at actual cash value, which subtracts depreciation. The difference shows up sharply on an older roof, where actual cash value can leave you well short of a full replacement.
What to do before June 1
- · Confirm your hurricane deductible and what it would cost you in dollars.
- · Verify whether you carry separate flood coverage, and remember new flood policies typically have a waiting period.
- · Check replacement cost vs actual cash value on the dwelling and the roof.
- · Photograph or video your belongings for a home inventory.
The Alliance take
Insurance is educational here — this is not a quote, and coverage, availability, and pricing vary by carrier and property. The goal is simply that you understand your own policy before the season starts.
Want a second set of eyes on your declarations page before June? Reach out and we will walk through it with you.