Does Florida homeowners insurance cover natural disasters?

Do you find yourself questioning, “Does my Florida homeowners insurance cover natural disasters?” As residents of Florida, we are no strangers to extreme weather conditions. Hence, it is common to see homes equipped with hurricane windows and storm shutters, vehicles parked securely behind storm doors, and additional insurance riders taken out to safeguard property.

Nevertheless, it’s possible for a severe storm to catch you off-guard, as it did when one of your home walls was blown away, wreaking havoc in your living room. The crucial question now is – does your Florida homeowners insurance cover this loss?

Let’s delve into the specifics of what your Florida homeowners insurance cover entails:

Enjoy the Perks of Broad-Range Coverage

Most homeowners opt for an expansive policy, typically known as an HO-3. This type of policy offers protection against a multitude of perils, except for those specifically excluded.

Your Florida homeowners insurance cover usually includes natural disasters such as lightning strikes, windstorms, and hail. However, damage inflicted by earthquakes or floods is often excluded, necessitating separate policies.

Navigating Hurricanes & Tornadoes

Handling hurricanes can be tricky, given the multiple forms of potential damage – wind, lightning, hail, and floods.

Often, wind damage is a peril covered under Florida homeowners insurance cover. So if a storm causes a wall in your home to collapse, you can usually claim this including repairs and damage to interior items, up to your coverage limit. For instance, with a 10% limit, a $200,000 policy would cover up to $20,000 worth of damage.

Regrettably, flood damage as a result of a hurricane is typically NOT covered. In fact, a separate flood insurance policy is required for any form of flooding.

Notably, Florida is among the 19 states mandating hurricane deductibles, which also cover hail damage. Consequently, if a storm damages your roof, you can claim it. Most Florida homeowners insurance policies also extend coverage to damage by lightning strikes, including resultant fires or explosions.

Bear in mind that most Florida homeowners insurance policies usually cover damage to both detached and attached structures, such as garages, although this isn’t always the case. You can read more about structure coverage here, as well as fence damage.

Extra Protection: Flood Insurance

Being a resident of Southwest Florida – a flood zone – it is recommended that you consider buying additional protection against water intrusion from storm surges. You can find more about obtaining a separate flood insurance policy.