Coverage Overview
Florida's homeowners insurance market runs on details that don't come up in most other states: wind mitigation credits, percentage-based hurricane deductibles, and roof-age underwriting rules that can make or break your eligibility with a given carrier.
What shapes your Florida homeowners premium
- A wind mitigation inspection documenting your roof shape, roof-to-wall connections, opening protection, and roof covering - this can meaningfully lower your premium and some carriers require it
- Your hurricane deductible, which is usually a percentage of your dwelling coverage (commonly 2%, 5%, or 10%) rather than a flat dollar amount, and applies separately from your regular deductible
- Roof age and condition - many Florida carriers restrict or decline roofs over a certain age, regardless of condition
- Distance to the coast and your county's wind zone
Carriers we compare
We shop your home across Florida-focused carriers including Universal Property & Casualty, Heritage, American Integrity, Slide, Florida Peninsula, Edison Insurance, One Alliance North America, Swyfft, Mangrove, Monarch National, and Trident Reciprocal Exchange, plus GeoVera for coastal and catastrophe-exposed properties, Southern Oak, Patriot Select, and Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (the state's insurer of last resort) when the private market won't write your risk.
Homeowners Insurance FAQ
Why do so many Florida carriers require a wind mitigation inspection?
Because the specific construction features it documents - roof shape, secondary water resistance, roof-deck attachment, opening protection - are proven to reduce hurricane damage, and Florida law requires carriers to offer premium credits for them. Skipping the inspection usually means paying for risk you've already mitigated.
What's a hurricane deductible, and how is it different from my regular deductible?
It's a separate, usually percentage-based deductible (2-10% of your dwelling coverage) that applies specifically to hurricane-related wind damage, triggered by an official storm name or wind-speed threshold. Your regular, flat-dollar deductible still applies to non-hurricane claims like a kitchen fire or a burst pipe.
Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage?
No - flood damage is excluded from every standard homeowners policy and always requires a separate flood policy, whether through NFIP or a private flood carrier.
Why did my carrier non-renew me or raise my rate significantly?
Florida's homeowners market has gone through real volatility from hurricane losses and reinsurance costs; carriers have adjusted underwriting guidelines (like roof age limits) and pulled back in some coastal areas. Comparing multiple carriers each renewal, rather than auto-renewing with one, is often the only way to catch this before it becomes a surprise.