Does Florida homeowners insurance cover hurricane damage?

Depending on where you live in the state, Florida home insurance may cover some hurricane-related damage. Standard policies, called HO-3s, often include coverage for wind damage resulting from a hurricane — but that’s not always the case if you live on the coast. If your policy excludes or limits wind damage, you can purchase separate windstorm insurance. 

Either way, to be fully covered in the event of a hurricane, Florida homeowners will also need flood insurance. Flooding originating from outside your home is never covered by a standard home policy. However, you may be able to add flood protection through your current insurer via a policy add-on (called an endorsement). If not, you can purchase a flood policy separately.

Too often, Florida homeowners discover these coverage gaps after hurricane season begins and end up with hundreds or thousands of dollars of uncovered damage to their property. Before the next storm hits, make sure your hurricane insurance coverage is complete with a robust home insurance policy and supplemental wind and flood insurance. 

What “hurricane insurance” actually means in Florida

There’s no standalone “hurricane insurance” product for Florida homeowners. Instead, adequate financial protection against hurricanes usually requires two or three policies working together. 

Policy 1 — Homeowners insurance

A standard home insurance policy often covers wind damage to your home’s structure — a serious threat during hurricane season. However, this is not always the case. In some coastal areas, home policies may explicitly exclude wind damage. 

If you're not sure whether your policy covers wind damage, check your declarations page — the summary document in your policy that lists what's covered, what's excluded, and your coverage limits. You can usually find it in your online account portal or the physical copy of your policy. Your insurance agent can also walk you through what's covered and help you understand any exclusions that apply to your home.

Policy 2 — Windstorm insurance (for coastal homeowners)

If you live in a high-risk coastal area and your home insurance policy excludes wind damage, you'll need to buy windstorm insurance separately to be covered. In Florida, wind-only policies are available through specialty insurers or through Citizens Property Insurance Corporation — a government-created insurer that provides coverage for homeowners who can't get it in the private market. If you're having trouble finding windstorm coverage at all, the Florida Market Assistance Program is a free service that can help connect you with insurers. 

Outside of high-risk coastal areas, Florida law requires all residential property insurers to include windstorm coverage in their policies, along with discounts to homeowners who take steps to prevent windstorm damage. 

Policy 3 — Flood insurance

The other primary threat a hurricane poses to your home is water damage due to rising water, storm surge, or rain-saturated ground. To be covered, homeowners will need to add flood coverage to a home policy via endorsement or purchase a separate flood insurance policy through a private insurer or the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). 

How the hurricane deductible works

A deductible is the amount of damage you’re responsible for covering out of pocket in the event of an approved claim. Insurance will cover the rest, up to your policy limits.

In Florida, home insurance policies typically include a separate hurricane deductible that applies when a named storm — a storm officially designated as a tropical storm or hurricane by the National Hurricane Center — damages your home. This deductible is distinct from the standard policy deductible that applies to all other claims. 

By law, Florida insurers must offer hurricane deductible options of $500, 2%, 5%, or 10%. If you choose a percentage-based deductible, the deductible amount will equal a specified percentage of your home’s total insured value, called your dwelling coverage (or Coverage A) limit. You can find your policy’s dwelling coverage amount and deductible details on your declarations page. 

Here’s what a hurricane deductible might look like for a home with $350,000 dwelling coverage: 

Unlike a regular payment you'd make upfront, a hurricane deductible isn't something you pay directly to your insurer. Instead, your insurer subtracts that amount from your claim payout. So if a hurricane causes $50,000 in covered damage and your deductible is $7,000, you'd receive $43,000.

One-per-year hurricane deductible responsibility

Once you’ve met your full hurricane deductible in a policy period, you won’t need to pay another hurricane deductible on subsequent named storm claims within that same year. The following year, though, your deductible will reset. 

Florida hurricane deductible example

Let’s say you choose a 5% hurricane deductible on a home with $350,000 dwelling coverage. Here’s how the math works out:

$350,000 x 0.05 = $17,500 deductible

A named storm destroys your roof in June. You’re responsible for the first $17,500 of the cost to replace the roof. Your insurance pays the remaining cost. One month later, another named storm causes $5,000 of damage to your windows. Because you’ve already paid your full hurricane deductible, only your policy’s standard deductible (sometimes called all other perils deductible) would apply. 

What hurricane coverage includes — and what it doesn’t

Understanding what your homeowners policy covers following a hurricane and what’s excluded can help you better understand your financial obligations and identify gaps in coverage.

Note that coverage can vary from insurer to insurer, so read your policy carefully or speak with your agent to confirm what applies to your specific situation.

For home policies that include wind coverage, here’s what's typically covered:

• Roof damage caused by wind

• Broken windows

• Structural damage from high winds

• Interior damage when wind creates an opening in your home (like a hole in the roof or a broken window)

• Temporary housing and additional living expenses while your home is being repaired after a covered loss (called loss of use coverage)

• Additional living expenses if you're under a mandatory evacuation order (special rules may apply and coverage is not always included by default)

What's not covered:

• Flood damage from storm surge, rising water, or saturated ground — you need a separate flood insurance policy for this

• Mold, fungus, or rot that isn't a direct result of a covered loss

• Additional damage that occurs because a homeowner didn't take reasonable steps to protect the property after a storm, like tarping a damaged roof or boarding up broken windows

Citizens Property Insurance: The insurer of last resort

For Florida homeowners who can't get wind coverage through a private insurer, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the state-created insurer of last resort. Two common scenarios that lead homeowners to Citizens:

• Your private insurer excludes wind coverage for your home

• You've been denied a full homeowners policy by insurers licensed to sell in Florida

Citizens' policy count has fallen to about 336,000 — a steep drop from its peak of 1.41 million policies in October 2023 and a sign that more private market options are available to Florida homeowners than in recent years.

How to prevent hurricane damage in Florida

No matter how robust your hurricane policy is, it’s best to mitigate your hurricane damage risk in Florida before a storm even hits. The mitigation measures below could reduce your risk of hurricane-related damage and potentially earn you home insurance discounts: 

• Install hurricane straps: Your roof is your home’s best defense against wind and other hurricane-related damage. Hurricane straps strengthen your roof’s connection to the walls and reduce the risk of wind ripping the roof off. 

• Upgrade your roof covering or roof deck attachment: Work with a roofing contractor to make sure that your roof meets current Florida building code standards. 

• Reinforce your garage door: Garages are another key defense point for hurricane winds. A reinforced garage door can protect your home and its contents against hurricane damage. 

• Upgrade windows and install storm shutters: Protect your windows and your home’s interior by upgrading to hurricane-grade windows and installing storm-resistant shutters. 

• Prepare your landscaping for hurricane season: Remove trees that could fall on your home and cause major structural damage in the event of a storm. Anchor heavy objects, like patio furniture, that could become airborne projectiles in strong winds. 

How to lower the cost of hurricane coverage

Hurricane season shouldn’t hurt your insurance budget year-round. Here’s what you can do to reduce premiums for hurricane coverage: 

• Harden your home: The mitigation measures listed above — hurricane straps, reinforced roof coverings, impact windows, and more — can all reduce your home insurance rate. Florida law requires insurers to offer discounts to homeowners who have documented, qualifying wind-resistant features.

• Get a wind mitigation inspection: Using Form OIR-B1-1802, you can have a licensed inspector document your home’s hurricane-resistant features. Florida law requires insurers to apply discounts for any qualifying features, such as double-wrapped hurricane straps or a sealed roof deck. Wind mitigation inspections run roughly $75 to $150, though it may cost more for larger homes. Inspections remain valid for five years. 

• Select a higher hurricane deductible: Make this decision carefully — if you can afford the higher out-of-pocket expense following a major storm, raising your hurricane deductible can reduce premiums. But a hurricane deductible that’s too high can leave you financially vulnerable. 

• Shop each year at renewal: As Florida’s insurance market stabilizes, home insurance rates are becoming more competitive, and they’re also changing rapidly. As a result, comparing insurance options annually can meaningfully reduce your insurance costs.  

Frequently asked questions

Is hurricane insurance required in Florida?

Hurricane insurance isn’t required by law for the majority of homeowners in Florida, but some form of hurricane-related coverage is mandatory for most financed homes. If you have a standard mortgage, your lender may require you to carry home insurance, windstorm coverage, and flood insurance. 

Does homeowners insurance cover hurricane damage in Florida?

A standard homeowners insurance policy in Florida will generally cover wind damage associated with hurricanes, but not flood damage. Florida homeowners can only secure coverage against hurricane-related flooding by purchasing a separate flood insurance policy in addition to their home insurance policy. 

What is the hurricane deductible on a Florida homeowners policy?

Florida home insurance policies typically assign a separate deductible that you must pay if a named storm (e.g., a tropical storm or hurricane) causes damage to your home. This is separate from your policy’s all-other-perils deductible and can be a flat fee or a percentage of your dwelling coverage, such as 2% or 5%.

Does flood insurance cover hurricane damage?

A standard flood insurance policy generally covers flood damage from a hurricane, including damage caused by storm surge, rising water, and rain-saturated ground. Be aware that flood insurance policies must be purchased separately — as a policy endorsement or standalone policy — from a private insurer or the NFIP. They typically have a waiting period (e.g., 30 days) before your flood coverage takes effect. 

How much does hurricane insurance cost in Florida?

The average cost of home insurance in Florida varies widely depending on your insurer, location, and coverage. A Kin policy with $350,000 in dwelling coverage averages $1,914 per year as of May 2026, but many Florida homeowners pay significantly more. According to the Consumer Federation of America, the average premium among all insured homeowners statewide hit $9,462 per year in 2024.

Homeowners also need flood insurance to fully cover hurricane-related losses, which will add to that total. Flood insurance in Florida has a median cost of $776 per year, according to the National Flood Insurance Program — though your home's location, age, construction, coverage limits, and more will affect what you actually pay for both policies.