Hurricane Claim Checklist: 33 Steps From Landfall to Final Payment

This hurricane claim checklist turns the whole process into tasks you can finish one at a time. It follows the order that tends to protect Florida homeowners: safety, evidence, mitigation, notice, inspection, then the money. Nothing you check here is sent anywhere; it is stored only in your browser so you can come back to it. If your browser blocks storage, the list still works for this visit.

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Phase 1

Safety and first look

Confirm everyone is safe and the house is safe to enterWatch for structural damage, gas smells, downed lines and standing water near outlets.
Shut off power or water if neededTurn off the main breaker if water reached outlets; shut the main water valve if pipes broke.
Write down the storm name and landfall dateFor a hurricane this is the date of loss under s. 627.70132(3), and it starts your notice deadlines.
Find your policy and declarations pageNote policy number, hurricane deductible, dwelling limit and loss-of-use limit.
Calculate your notice deadlinesUse the deadline calculator and put the dates in your phone calendar.

Phase 2

Evidence before cleanup

Record a walk-through video of the whole propertyNarrate what you see, room by room, outside and in. Keep the original file.
Photograph the roof from every sideFrom the ground or by drone. Do not climb a damaged roof.
Photograph every exterior wall, window and doorInclude soffits, fascia, gutters, screen enclosures, fences and sheds.
Photograph every ceiling and wall stainRe-shoot stains every few days; spreading stains show ongoing water entry.
Photograph damaged contents with labels visibleBrand, model and serial number plates on electronics and appliances.
Gather “before” photosOlder phone pictures, real estate listing photos and social media posts help prove the damage is new.
Back up everything to cloud storagePhones get lost in evacuations. Keep a second copy.

Phase 3

Report and protect

Report the claim to your insurerApp, website or claims line. Write down the claim number and the representative's name.
Send a written confirmation the same dayClaim number, date of loss, damage summary, mitigation underway, request for a copy of any estimate.
Tarp, board up and start drying outReasonable emergency measures are generally required by your policy. Check any spending cap.
Keep every receipt in one envelope or folderSupplies, mitigation crews, equipment rental, generator fuel, hotel nights, meals away from home.
Keep samples of removed materialsCarpet and pad, drywall, shingles. Photograph before disposal if you cannot keep them.
Start a call and contact logDate, time, name, what was said and what was promised.
If you cannot live at home, tell the insurer and ask about loss of useSee additional living expenses.
Read before you sign anything from a contractorFor policies issued on or after January 1, 2023, post-loss assignments of benefits are generally void (s. 627.7152(13)).

Phase 4

Inspection and estimate

Confirm the insurer acknowledged the claim within 7 dayss. 627.70131(1). Note the date of the acknowledgment and the forms you received.
Complete any proof of loss by its due dateAccurate beats fast. Ask in writing for more time if you need it.
Be present at the adjuster inspectionGet the adjuster's name and license number in writing, show every area, hand over your photos.
Note what the adjuster did not inspectRoof not walked? Attic skipped? Write it down that day.
Get a copy of the adjuster's estimateDue within 7 days of its creation under s. 627.70131(3)(e).
Get your own contractor or roofer estimateAsk for a line-item estimate covering the same areas so you can compare.
Compare the two estimates line by lineMissing rooms, wrong materials, low quantities, no permits or code upgrades.

Phase 5

Decision and payment

Mark day 60 from your notice dateThe insurer generally must pay or deny by then (s. 627.70131(7)).
Read the decision letter in fullWhat was paid, what was denied, which policy language is cited, how the deductible was applied.
Check the hurricane deductible mathSee how the hurricane deductible works.
Check whether the payment is actual cash value with holdbackWith replacement cost coverage, depreciation may be paid after repairs are done. Keep repair invoices.
Calendar the 18-month supplemental claim dateFor damage you find later from the same storm.
If delayed, underpaid or denied, get a free legal reviewSee the delayed, underpaid and denied claim guides, or request a review.

How to use this checklist well

Do Phase 1 and the first three items of Phase 3 on the same day if you can; reporting does not have to wait for the evidence phase to be perfect. Phase 2 is time-sensitive in a different way: once cleanup begins, the clearest evidence disappears. If you are displaced or evacuated, do what you safely can and pick up the rest when you return.

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Documents to have in your claim folder

Full policy with endorsements and the current declarations page
All letters and emails to and from the insurer, in date order
Claim number, adjuster name and license number
Photo and video files, with a written index of what each shows
Receipts for emergency repairs, supplies and living expenses
Contents inventory with descriptions, ages and replacement costs
Every estimate: the insurer's, your contractor's and any engineer's report
Your call log

Need the reasoning behind each step? Read how to file a hurricane claim in full.

FAQ: the hurricane claim checklist

Where is my checklist progress saved?

Only in your own web browser, using local storage on this device. It is not sent to us or anyone else. Clearing your browser data, or using a private window, removes it.

What is the single most important item on the list?

Reporting the claim and confirming it in writing. For most current losses, Florida bars a new claim unless notice is given within one year of landfall, and the insurer's own deadlines do not start until you report.

Do I need my own contractor estimate?

It is not required to file, but a detailed estimate from a licensed contractor is the easiest way to spot items the insurer's estimate missed or underpriced.

What if I already threw out damaged items?

Use whatever evidence remains: photos from before disposal, receipts for the items, bank statements and dumpster or debris-removal receipts. Describe what was discarded and why, such as health and safety.

Hurricane claim checklist