Florida insurance questions, answered

Florida faces hurricane wind and flood exposure, high rebuilding costs, and years of litigation and reinsurance pressure that pushed many carriers out of the market. As an independent agent I compare the carriers still writing in your area — including Citizens where appropriate — and look for every mitigation credit you qualify for to bring the premium down.

In Florida, most homeowners policies have a separate hurricane deductible — often 2%, 5%, or 10% of your home's insured value — that applies only to hurricane damage, instead of a flat dollar amount. It is important to understand what you would owe out of pocket after a storm, and I will walk you through the trade-offs.

No. Standard homeowners policies exclude flood. Flood is covered by a separate policy through the NFIP or a private flood insurer. In much of Florida flood coverage is strongly recommended even outside high-risk zones, and I can quote both wind and flood alongside your home policy.

Often, yes. A wind mitigation inspection documents features like your roof shape, roof-to-wall connections, and opening protection that can qualify you for premium credits in Florida. I'll tell you whether an inspection is likely to pay off for your home.

Citizens is Florida's state-created insurer of last resort for homeowners who cannot find coverage in the private market. It has specific eligibility rules. I can check whether you qualify and compare it against private options so you choose with full information.

Many carriers require a 4-point inspection — covering roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC — for older homes before they will offer coverage. I'll let you know if yours is likely to need one and what carriers look for.