Home Insurance in Florida

What should Florida homeowners know before they shop?

Florida home policies usually cover wind, but three things catch owners out. A hurricane has its own deductible, often thousands of dollars. Flood is excluded, even when a hurricane’s rain or surge causes it. And Citizens, the state-backed insurer, is meant for people who cannot find a private policy.

The market is calmer than it was. Citizens peaked at 1.41 million policies in October 2023 and held 266,231 on Aug. 31, 2026. Regulators are approving rate cuts, and Citizens cut its own homeowners rates by an average of 8.8% for 2026. Before you compare prices, read three lines: the hurricane deductible, how the roof is paid, and your flood cover.

Timing matters too. On Oct. 9, 2026, Citizens’ site showed a statewide stop on new policies and coverage increases, begun Oct. 7 for a named storm. Citizens will not add coverage once a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning is issued, so shop early.

How exposed is your county to hurricanes and floods?

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates each county for 18 natural hazards. Using 2020 population as weights, about 96% of Floridians live in a county rated Relatively High or Very High for hurricanes. That is our own calculation, since FEMA publishes no state rating. By the same method, 72% sit in a high county for inland flooding and 80% for tornadoes. Hail is lower, at 35%.

Miami-Dade is the only one of Florida’s 67 counties rated Very High overall. But inland is not a safe harbor. Orange County, home of Orlando, is Very High for strong wind and tornadoes. Four hurricanes affected Florida in 2004. NOAA’s season runs June 1 to Nov. 30. County ratings describe the county, not your street.

When does the hurricane deductible apply, and how much is it?

Your policy has two deductibles. The regular one covers most losses. The hurricane deductible is a percentage of the home’s insured value, and state law says insurers must offer $500, 2%, 5% and 10% choices. For homes insured at $250,000 or more, insurers need not offer the $500 option. Your declarations page, the summary sheet at the front of your policy, must show the dollar amount.

The hurricane window starts when the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for any part of Florida. It ends 72 hours after the last watch or warning for any part of the state is lifted. Many guides still say a watch starts it, but the law changed. A storm rated only as a tropical storm falls under your regular deductible. So does ordinary thunderstorm wind in July.

Here is an example with invented numbers. Your home is insured for $350,000, with a 2% hurricane deductible ($7,000) and a $1,500 regular deductible. Hurricane damage totals $30,000, so you receive $23,000. A second hurricane that year adds $9,000 of damage. Your insurer applies the greater of what remains of the first deductible (nothing) or the regular $1,500, so you receive $7,500. Keep receipts for small losses, since they may count toward the deductible.

Some policies add a separate roof deductible. It cannot exceed the lesser of 2% of the home limit or half the roof’s replacement cost. It applies only when the roof is paid at replacement cost, and not to hurricane damage.

Wind-strengthening features can cut your cost. Insurers must give credits or lower deductibles for things like better roof attachment and impact windows, which a wind-mitigation inspection documents. The My Safe Florida Home program offers free inspections and grants up to $10,000. Funding has run dry before, and May 2026 reports said no new money was planned, so check that it is open. Our deductible guide has more math.

Who can get a Citizens policy, and what does it cost the rest of us?

Citizens is the insurer of last resort. At the end of August 2026 it held 206,464 personal multiperil and 55,542 personal wind-only policies. A wind-only policy covers wind alone, so you need a second policy for fire and theft.

You cannot join, or stay, if a private insurer offers comparable coverage for no more than 20% above the Citizens price. Some guides say 15%. The 20% figure is in the law. A home with a replacement cost of $700,000 or more is generally ineligible, and the cap is under $1 million in counties the state says lack competition.

Citizens now requires flood insurance for personal policies that include wind. The requirement covers homes in FEMA high-risk zones and, by value, homes with a rebuild cost of $400,000 or more since Jan. 1, 2026. Every other policy with wind needs it from Jan. 1, 2027. Condo unit owners are exempt. Citizens notes that a private offer can look pricier than Citizens yet cost less once the flood policy Citizens requires is added, so price the whole package.

Citizens has a hidden cost. After a huge storm it can add a surcharge of up to 15% to its own policies. If that falls short, an emergency assessment of up to 10% a year can hit nearly every property and casualty policy in Florida, including private home, renters and auto.

Does Florida home insurance cover flood?

No. FEMA says most homeowners insurance excludes flood, and state law requires a bold flood warning on your declarations page. FEMA reported in 2018 that 25% to 30% of National Flood Insurance Program claims came from outside high-risk zones. An NFIP policy covers a single-family house up to $250,000, with contents up to $100,000. Most start after a 30-day wait.

Lenders require flood cover in high-risk zones for federally backed loans. Prices vary: NerdWallet put the Florida NFIP average at $938 a year, and insurance.com at $1,421. Neither sample is your house. Our flood guide covers zones and private options.

Sinkholes are the other Florida gap. Every insurer must cover a catastrophic ground collapse, meaning a sudden collapse that leaves the home condemned. Ordinary sinkhole damage is optional and costs extra. If you have it, the deductible may be 1%, 2%, 5% or 10% of the home limit. Report a sinkhole loss within two years of when you knew or should have known.

Can your insurer drop you?

An insurer must usually give 120 days’ written notice, with the reason, before it nonrenews, cancels or terminates a home policy. Nonpayment needs only 10 days. A few cases allow less: 20 days in a new policy’s first 60 days, and 90 days for a policy that covers both your home and car. After the first 60 days, cancellation is limited to reasons such as a material misstatement, nonpayment, or a major change in risk. It also cannot cancel then because of credit information in public records.

Roof age has its own rule. An insurer cannot refuse to issue or renew a policy solely because your roof is under 15 years old. If it is older, you can pay a licensed inspector to assess it. The insurer cannot refuse on roof age alone if the inspector finds five or more years of useful life left. Start comparing quotes the day a notice arrives.

If your insurer fails, the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association steps in. It pays covered claims below $300,000, plus another $200,000 for structure and contents damage on a homeowners policy.

What are your rights after a storm claim?

Report damage within one year of the date of loss, which for a hurricane is landfall. Added damage found later must be reported within 18 months. Photograph damage, make only temporary repairs, and keep receipts.

The insurer must acknowledge your claim within 7 days. It must inspect within 30 days after you send proof of loss, and pay or deny within 60 days of notice. A late payment earns interest. If you disagree on the amount, mediation through the state’s Department of Financial Services is available before appraisal or a lawsuit, and the insurer pays for it. The consumer helpline is 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236).

For policies issued from 2023, you cannot hand your claim rights to a contractor. If your house is a total loss from a covered peril, the policy pays the insured amount, up to what rebuilding costs.

What changes your premium in Florida?

Published averages disagree sharply. In 2026, NerdWallet showed $3,390 a year for a $400,000 dwelling with a $1,000 deductible and a 1984 home. Insurance.com showed $7,136 for a $300,000 dwelling with a 2% hurricane deductible. We do not offer a typical price. Insurers must show hurricane premium separately from the rest, so use that line to compare.

Main drivers include your roof’s age, shape and attachment, impact-rated windows, the year built, distance from the coast, claims history, and your deductible. Prices are easing: trade press relaying the state insurance office reported cuts of 3.2% to 10.4% at four insurers in September 2026. Our bundling guide covers home and auto, and our Florida car insurance page covers the other half.

For help with an insurer, contact the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation or the Department of Financial Services.

About the hazard ratings

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency’s website(s). Source: FEMA National Risk Index, version 1.20 (December 2025), county table, accessed 2026-10-08. For planning purposes only. County-level ratings; they describe the county, not the city.

What to do next: a Florida checklist

1. Find your hurricane deductible in dollars. Check the declarations page, and ask whether a roof deductible also applies.
2. Check how the roof is paid. Ask if it is replacement cost or depreciated value.
3. Price flood now. Get an NFIP quote and a private quote. Buy at least 30 days before you need it.
4. If you are at Citizens, ask your agent about your flood deadline. Then ask for a private quote at each renewal.
5. Order a wind-mitigation inspection. Send the report to your insurer and ask for every credit.
6. Keep a claim kit. Store photos and your declarations page online.
7. If you get a nonrenewal notice, ask for the reason in writing and start shopping that week.

Bottom line

If you have a private policy, turn the hurricane deductible into dollars and confirm that flood is covered separately. If you are at Citizens, plan for the flood requirement and check for private offers every year. If a notice of nonrenewal arrives, you usually have 120 days, so use them.