Florida Hurricane Season Insurance Checklist: Before and After the Storm

Most hurricane checklists cover water, batteries and shutters. The insurance side gets less attention, and it has a deadline problem: the time to fix a coverage gap is before a storm is on the map, because once one is, you often can’t change anything.

This checklist covers what to review early in the season, what to do when a storm is coming, and how to handle a claim afterward, including the Florida filing deadlines and where to turn if a claim stalls.

When is hurricane season in Florida?

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC). The NHC puts the peak of the season around September 10, with most activity in the weeks around it, and storms sometimes form before or after the official dates.

For insurance planning, treat the start of June as your deadline for coverage changes, not the first storm in the forecast.

Why can’t you buy or change coverage once a storm is coming?

Insurers commonly stop binding new policies and stop accepting coverage changes when a tropical system threatens an area. These pauses are often called binding restrictions or moratoriums. Each carrier sets its own trigger and lifts it on its own timeline, so there’s no single statewide rule to plan around.

Flood coverage has a separate timing problem. NFIP flood policies usually take effect 30 days after purchase, with limited exceptions such as buying in connection with a mortgage closing. Private flood waiting periods vary by insurer. Either way, buying flood coverage after a storm forms usually won’t cover that storm.

What should you review before hurricane season starts?

Work through this list in May, or now if the season is already underway and no storm is threatening:

1. Find your hurricane deductible in dollars. It’s on your declarations page. A 2% deductible on a $300,000 dwelling limit is $6,000. Our guide to the Florida hurricane deductible explains how it’s calculated and when it applies.
2. Check your dwelling limit (Coverage A). Make sure it reflects what it would cost to rebuild today, not what you paid for the house.
3. Confirm you have flood coverage, or decide on it. Homeowners policies don’t cover flood. If you want it, buy it early because of the 30-day wait. Polk County homeowners can start with our guide to flood insurance in Lakeland and Polk County.
4. Look at loss of use coverage. This pays extra living costs if a covered loss forces you out of your home. Know your limit.
5. Check other policies too. Condo unit owners should review loss assessment coverage, landlords should check loss of rents, and business owners should look at business income coverage.
6. Update your mitigation discounts. If you added shutters, impact windows or a new roof, a current wind mitigation report may lower your premium or your hurricane deductible.

The Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) puts it simply in its 2026 hurricane tips: check your home and flood insurance coverage, then compare options.

How do you document your home before a storm?

A home inventory makes a claim faster and harder to dispute. FEMA’s FloodSmart site recommends this approach:

1. Take photos and video of every room, including major items and valuables. Capture serial numbers where you can.
2. Photograph the outside of the house: roof, windows, doors, fences, pool enclosure and any outbuildings.
3. Gather receipts or appraisals for expensive items.
4. Store the inventory with your policies and other important documents in a safe, dry place, with a copy in cloud storage you can reach from your phone.

Save your insurer’s claims number, your agent’s number and your mortgage company’s contact information in your phone, too.

What should you do when a storm is approaching?

Coverage changes are likely off the table by now, so focus on protecting the property and your records:

• Secure or bring in outdoor furniture, grills and anything that can become a projectile.
• Move valuables and important documents to a higher, dry spot.
• Photograph the home’s condition again, if time allows, so you have a clear before-and-after.
• Charge your phone and back up your inventory photos.
• If you evacuate, take your policy information with you.

What should you do after the storm?

Safety first. Then follow these steps:

1. Report the damage. Contact your insurer or agent as soon as you safely can. DFS’s first post-storm tip is to report damage to your agent or insurance company.
2. Document everything. Take photos, video and written notes of all damage before you clean up.
3. Prevent further damage. Tarp the roof, board broken windows and remove standing water if it’s safe. DFS advises making emergency repairs to prevent further damage and documenting them. Keep every receipt. Most policies expect you to take reasonable steps to protect the property after a loss.
4. Don’t throw away damaged items until the adjuster has seen them or your insurer says you can.
5. Keep a claim log. Record every call, email and visit with the adjuster: dates, names and what was said.
6. Verify licenses. DFS urges homeowners to verify the license of any contractor or adjuster, to be wary of scams, and not to rush into signing contracts. Ask contractors for proof of liability and workers’ compensation coverage.
7. Don’t drive a flooded car, even if the damage looks minor. DFS advises calling your insurance company to file a claim instead.

What are Florida’s deadlines for hurricane claims?

Florida law sets deadlines for both you and your insurer. As of October 2026:

Rule	Deadline	Statute
Notice of a new or reopened claim	Within 1 year after the date of loss	s. 627.70132
Notice of a supplemental claim	Within 18 months after the date of loss	s. 627.70132
Date of loss for a hurricane	The date the hurricane made landfall	s. 627.70132
Insurer acknowledges your claim communication	Within 7 calendar days	s. 627.70131
Insurer begins investigation after proof-of-loss statements	Within 7 days	s. 627.70131
Insurer pays or denies the claim (or a portion)	Within 60 days after notice	s. 627.70131

The insurer’s deadlines can be extended in limited situations, for example when the Office of Insurance Regulation finds a declared emergency makes them unworkable, and the statute caps that extension at 30 additional days for paying or denying a claim.

The one-year notice deadline is a legal cut-off, not a target. Report early, while the damage is fresh and easy to document.

Where can you get help if a claim stalls?

Start with your agent and your insurer’s claims department. If that doesn’t resolve it, two state resources are free:

• DFS consumer helpline: 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236). The division can help with coverage questions and communication with your insurer. DFS recommends calling the helpline before you sign a contract with an adjuster.
• DFS residential property mediation: Under section 627.7015, Florida Statutes, the department runs a mediation program for disputed residential property claims. It’s an informal, non-binding conference with a certified neutral mediator. The insurer generally pays the cost, and if you reach a settlement you have three business days to rescind it, as long as you haven’t cashed the check.

What to have ready before you request a quote

If your review turns up a gap, these items make a quote quick:

1. Your current declarations pages for home, flood and auto.
2. Year built, roof age and material, and the roof permit date.
3. Any wind mitigation or 4-point inspection reports.
4. Your flood zone and elevation certificate, if you have one.
5. Your claims history for the past five years.

You can request a quote any time no storm is threatening, or compare options on our homeowners insurance and flood insurance pages.