The hurricane deductible Florida homeowners carry is usually the single largest number on the declarations page that they have never looked at. Unlike a flat $1,000 or $2,500 deductible for a kitchen leak, it is typically a percentage of the dwelling coverage limit. After a storm, it decides how much of the repair bill is yours and whether a smaller loss is paid at all. This page explains the Florida rules in s. 627.701 and s. 627.4025 and shows how to check the insurer's calculation.
Percentage of what, exactly?
A percentage hurricane deductible is calculated on the dwelling limit (Coverage A) shown on your declarations page, not on the amount of the damage. Section 627.701(4)(b) requires the insurer to show the actual dollar value of the hurricane deductible on the declarations page (or the renewal premium notice) at issuance and renewal, so you should not have to do the math yourself. If you have an inflation guard that raises the dwelling limit during the year, the policy must disclose that the hurricane deductible at the time of loss may be higher than the figure shown.
| Dwelling limit | 2% deductible | 5% deductible | 10% deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $4,000 | $10,000 | $20,000 |
| $300,000 | $6,000 | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| $450,000 | $9,000 | $22,500 | $45,000 |
| $600,000 | $12,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
Which options Florida insurers must offer
Under s. 627.701(3)(a), before issuing a personal lines residential policy, an insurer must generally offer hurricane deductibles of $500, 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit, and must notify the policyholder of the available options at each renewal. There are variations by value: insurers need not offer the $500 option for dwelling limits of $250,000 or more, and for higher-value homes other options may replace the 2% choice. For policies covering risks valued under $500,000, a hurricane deductible above 10% generally requires a signed statement from the policyholder and, if there is a mortgage, the lender's written approval (s. 627.701(4)(d)).
The policy must also carry a bold notice, in at least 18-point type, that it contains a separate hurricane deductible that may result in high out-of-pocket expenses (s. 627.701(4)(a)).
When the hurricane deductible applies
The hurricane deductible applies to losses from a “hurricane” as Florida law defines it. Under s. 627.4025(2)(c), the storm must be declared a hurricane by the National Hurricane Center, and the hurricane period:
- Starts when the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for any part of Florida, and
- Ends 72 hours after the termination of the last hurricane watch or hurricane warning issued for any part of Florida.
Hurricane coverage means coverage for loss or damage caused by the peril of windstorm during a hurricane. So a windstorm loss inside that window generally triggers the hurricane deductible, even if the storm was weaker by the time it reached your property. A windstorm loss outside the window (for example, a separate severe thunderstorm weeks later) generally falls under your other deductible. Flood damage is excluded from homeowners policies and handled under any separate flood policy with its own deductible.
Once per calendar year, not once per storm
For personal residential policies, the hurricane deductible applies on an annual basis to all covered hurricane losses in a calendar year (s. 627.701(5)(a)). If a second hurricane strikes later the same year, the later loss is generally subject to the greater of the remaining hurricane deductible or the policy's all-other-perils deductible. That is why insurers may ask you to report, or keep records of, hurricane losses that fell below the deductible: those amounts can count toward the annual total. If you have more than one policy with the same insurer group, the highest stated hurricane deductible is generally the one that applies.
Worked example
Example. Dwelling limit $300,000; 2% hurricane deductible ($6,000); $1,000 all-other-perils deductible.
Storm A in August causes $4,500 of covered wind damage. Nothing is paid, but $4,500 counts toward the year's hurricane deductible; $1,500 remains.
Storm B in October causes $20,000 of covered wind damage. The deductible for Storm B is the greater of the remaining $1,500 or the $1,000 all-other-perils deductible, so $1,500. The insurer would owe $18,500, before any other policy limits or depreciation holdback.
This is a simplified illustration; your policy wording governs.
Roof deductibles are different
Some policies now include a separate roof deductible. Florida requires a policy with one to say so in bold 18-point type on a page directly behind the declarations page, with no other language on that page (s. 627.701(4)(e)). If both a hurricane deductible and a roof deductible could apply, read the policy carefully and ask the insurer to explain in writing which one it used and why.
How to check the insurer's deductible math
- Find the hurricane deductible dollar amount on your declarations page for the policy period that includes the landfall date.
- Confirm the loss happened inside the hurricane period as defined in s. 627.4025.
- Ask whether any earlier hurricane losses the same calendar year were credited toward the deductible.
- Make sure the deductible was subtracted once, from the total covered loss, not separately from dwelling, other structures and contents lines.
- If the insurer says the loss is below the deductible, compare its estimate to yours. A missed room or a low roof price can be the difference. See challenging an underpaid hurricane claim.
Should you still report a loss below the deductible?
Often, yes. Damage that looks small can grow (roof leaks are the classic example), reporting preserves your position within the notice deadlines, and losses under the deductible may count toward the annual hurricane deductible if another hurricane follows. Use the deadline calculator to see your notice dates, then follow the filing steps.
FAQ: Florida hurricane deductibles
Is the hurricane deductible a percentage of the damage?
No. A percentage hurricane deductible is a percentage of the dwelling coverage limit on your declarations page. A 2% deductible on a $300,000 dwelling limit is $6,000 regardless of the size of the loss.
Does the hurricane deductible apply to every hurricane?
For personal residential policies in Florida it generally applies once per calendar year to all hurricane losses. A later hurricane in the same year is generally subject to the greater of the remaining hurricane deductible or the all-other-perils deductible.
When does a storm count as a hurricane for my deductible?
Under s. 627.4025, the hurricane period begins when the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for any part of Florida and ends 72 hours after the last hurricane watch or warning for any part of Florida is terminated.
Can I lower my hurricane deductible after a storm?
You can choose a different option at renewal, but a change after a loss will not apply to that loss. Under s. 627.701(5), a lower deductible chosen after a hurricane loss in a calendar year generally takes effect January 1 of the following year.