Laws governing home insurance in Florida require providers to offer various deductible options for losses caused by hurricanes. A hurricane deductible is the out-of-pocket amount a homeowner must pay before hurricane-related coverage applies. It is separate from the deductible that applies to most other types of losses.
The hurricane deductible options that are available will depend on the insurer and the rebuild cost of the home being insured.
What is a hurricane deductible in Florida?
The state of Florida mandates that home insurers must offer a choice of deductible levels for windstorm damage caused by hurricanes, outlined as a specific dollar amount in your policy. This is distinct from the all-other-perils or standard deductible, which applies to losses caused by other sources of damage.
Here’s how it works:
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General hurricane deductibles: All insurers must offer hurricane deductible options of $500 or 2%, 5%, or 10% of the policy’s dwelling coverage limit (the maximum amount a policy will pay to rebuild the structure of your home). However, available selections depend on the amount of coverage your home requires:
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For homes with coverage limits between $100,000 and $249,999: Instead of a $500 deductible, insurers have the option to guarantee they will renew the policy for one full year and offer a deductible of up to 2% of the dwelling coverage limit.
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For homes with coverage limits of $250,000 or more: Insurers may offer deductible options of 2%, 5%, or 10% of the dwelling coverage limit.
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For homes with coverage limits between $1 million and just under $3 million: Insurers may offer deductible options of 3%, 5%, or 10% of the dwelling coverage limit.
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For homes with coverage limits of $3 million or more: The insurer may offer deductible options of 5% or 10% of the dwelling coverage limit.
How the hurricane deductible works across multiple storms in one season
Your hurricane deductible works on a calendar-year basis, not a per-storm basis. So if more than one hurricane damages your home in the same year, what you've already paid out of pocket determines which deductible applies to your next claim.
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When you exhaust your deductible: Once your out-of-pocket costs meet the hurricane deductible for the year, your standard deductible applies to future hurricane damage claims.
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When you have money left on your deductible: If your out-of-pocket costs haven’t met the hurricane deductible yet, subsequent hurricane damage claims trigger whichever deductible is greater: the amount remaining on your hurricane deductible or the standard deductible.
Florida hurricane deductible example
For example, let’s say you chose a 2% hurricane deductible for a home with $500,000 in dwelling coverage, making the deductible $10,000.
500,000 x .02 = 10,000
Meanwhile, your standard deductible for all other perils is $2,500.
A hurricane damages your home in August. You file a claim, it is approved, and the total repair costs are $8,500. You pay the entire cost out of pocket, leaving you with $1,500 remaining of your hurricane deductible responsibility.
A second hurricane hits in October and causes $5,000 in damage. When you file your second claim, your insurer considers your remaining hurricane deductible ($1,500) to your standard deductible ($2,500).
The greater of the two, the standard $2,500 deductible, will apply to your second claim. You’ll be responsible for covering $2,500 of covered damage out of pocket, and your insurer will cover the remaining $2,500.
Note: Documenting hurricane-related losses — even ones under your deductible — can help your insurer apply the correct deductible to later storms in the same year. Some insurers require you to formally report these losses; others may accept receipts or records instead. Since a formal claim can affect your claims history regardless of payout, it's worth asking your insurer which option it requires before you file a claim.
What to know about switching insurers after a hurricane in Florida
If you've already paid toward your hurricane deductible this year and then switch to an insurance company outside your current insurer's group, that progress won't carry over. Your deductible resets with the new company.
Hurricane deductibles vs. other deductible types
Hurricane deductibles are different from other types of home insurance deductibles. Depending on where you live, your insurance company, and your policy's specific terms, your home insurance policy may include just one of these deductibles or several working together.
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Deductible type |
When it applies |
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Hurricane deductible |
Losses caused by a storm system the National Hurricane Center declares a hurricane |
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Standard (all-other-perils) deductible |
Any other covered loss that isn't subject to a separate deductible |
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Wind, hail, or related damage, as defined by your policy — not limited to hurricanes |
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Named storm deductible |
Storms officially named by the National Hurricane Center, even before they reach hurricane strength |
|
Roof deductible |
Roof damage only — hurricane-caused roof damage still falls under your hurricane deductible |
Can you avoid a hurricane deductible in Florida?
Yes, but only by giving up hurricane and windstorm coverage entirely. You can't keep the coverage and skip just the deductible.
Florida law requires insurers to offer a choice of hurricane deductibles, and you'll select one (or be assigned a default) when you get a quote or finalize your policy.
To opt out of hurricane and windstorm coverage altogether, you and every named insured on the policy must submit a written statement explicitly saying you don't want it. If your home has a mortgage or lien, your lender or lienholder must also approve the exclusion in writing.
Keep in mind this means no hurricane deductible because there's no hurricane coverage at all. You'd be responsible for 100% of hurricane or windstorm losses out of pocket. Opting out can lower your Florida home insurance costs, but it could be financially devastating if a major storm hits.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to have a hurricane deductible?
Florida law requires home insurance companies to include windstorm coverage — which covers hurricane damage — in your standard policy. Because that coverage is built in, your policy will carry a hurricane deductible, either one you actively choose from your insurer's available options or a default one that applies if you don't. Damage from other covered perils falls under your standard, or all-other-perils, deductible instead.
The only way to avoid a hurricane deductible entirely is to opt out of windstorm and hurricane coverage altogether. To do that, you must submit a signed written statement to your insurer confirming you don't want the coverage and will pay for any resulting damage yourself. If your home has a mortgage or lien, your lender or lienholder must also sign off on that decision in writing.
What is the key difference between a hurricane deductible and a named storm deductible?
Hurricane deductibles in Florida apply to losses caused by hurricanes. Named storm deductibles apply to named hurricanes, typhoons, tropical storms, or tropical cyclones.
Why is the hurricane deductible so high?
Hurricanes can cause widespread property losses across many homes at once, which makes them far costlier to insure than more contained risks, like a single-house fire. To manage that risk, insurers set hurricane deductibles higher than standard deductibles, which helps keep coverage available and can help reduce how much homeowners pay for coverage overall.
