After Hurricane Isaias, a lot of Panhandle homeowners will hear the same thing from their insurance company: the damage is under your hurricane deductible, so there’s nothing to pay.
That answer comes from the insurance company’s own estimate. If the estimate is low, the answer is wrong.
How the hurricane deductible works
It’s usually a percentage of your dwelling coverage, not a flat amount. On a home insured for $400,000, a 2% deductible is $8,000 and a 5% deductible is $20,000. The exact dollar amount is printed on your declarations page.
- It covers the whole storm. It applies from the first hurricane warning in Florida until 72 hours after the last hurricane watch or warning ends.
- Rain damage inside counts. If the wind opened the roof, a window or a wall and rain got in, the damage inside is part of the hurricane claim.
- It applies once a year. If another hurricane hits before December 31, the insurance company can only apply what’s left of it, or your regular deductible if that’s higher.
Why claims land under the deductible
The first estimate is often a quick look. It can miss the roof damage you can’t see from the ground, the water damage inside that shows up weeks later, and the fence, screen enclosure, soffits and gutters. A few thousand dollars missed is the difference between a paid claim and $0.
Closing claims with nothing paid is common. In 2024, 14 Florida insurers closed more than half of their homeowner claims without paying, according to Weiss Ratings. See which insurers.
A real example: after a 2024 hurricane, a homeowner’s insurance company said the damage was below the deductible and paid $0. Blueprint reopened the claim. The final settlement was $85,044.
What to do if you’re told it’s under your deductible
- Report the claim anyway. Hidden damage can show up weeks or months later. Florida gives you one year from the date of loss to report a hurricane claim. Report it now, and you have 18 months from the date of loss to add damage you find later. Miss the one-year mark, and the insurance company can deny the claim entirely.
- Ask for their estimate. Florida law says the insurance company has to send you a copy of its adjuster’s detailed estimate within 7 days of writing it, and explain in writing why it paid what it paid. Compare it to your deductible in dollars.
- Keep documenting. Photos and video of every room, the roof from the ground and the yard. Keep receipts for tarps and emergency repairs.
- Get a second look before you let it go. Call us for a free claim review. We look at their estimate and your policy and tell you whether the claim is worth more.
How Blueprint Claims helps
Blueprint Claims is a licensed public adjusting firm. We work for you, not the insurance company. We’ve worked more than ten hurricanes, Michael in the Panhandle among them, and our adjusters are on the ground for Isaias. The claim review is free, and we only get paid when you do.
More on Isaias claims, including flood versus wind and the deadlines: our Hurricane Isaias insurance claims page.
