Question 1

Is hurricane damage covered by my homeowners insurance?

Accepted Answer

Wind damage from a hurricane is covered by standard homeowners policies (HO-3, HO-5) — but with a separate hurricane deductible that applies only when a named storm is declared by the National Weather Service. Storm surge and flood damage are NOT covered by homeowners insurance — that requires separate flood insurance through NFIP or a private flood carrier. Almost every major hurricane involves both wind and flood damage; you need both policies to be fully covered.

Question 2

What is a hurricane deductible and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

A hurricane deductible is a separate, percentage-based deductible (typically 2%, 5%, or 10% of dwelling coverage) that applies only during a declared named storm. Example: a $400,000 home with a 2% hurricane deductible has an $8,000 hurricane deductible. The deductible is per named storm, not per claim — if two hurricanes hit in the same year, you pay the deductible twice. In Florida, hurricane deductibles are required by statute and apply automatically once the National Hurricane Center declares a storm.

Question 3

What changed with Citizens Property Insurance in 2026?

Accepted Answer

Three major changes: (1) Citizens' policy count dropped below 400,000 in early 2026 — first time since 2012, after 546,000+ policies were transferred to private carriers in 2025; (2) Statutory annual rate-increase cap reached its 15% maximum January 1, 2026; (3) New flood-insurance requirement: starting January 1, 2026, homes insured by Citizens for more than $400,000 must carry flood insurance to maintain wind coverage. By January 1, 2027, the flood requirement extends to ALL Citizens personal residential policyholders with wind coverage, regardless of home value or flood zone.

Question 4

Why is Florida hurricane insurance so expensive?

Accepted Answer

Florida averages $7,136/year homeowners — the highest in the US, more than $1,700 above the next-most-expensive state. Three drivers: (1) reinsurance — Florida carriers buy expensive reinsurance to absorb hurricane losses; OIR filings show reinsurance accounting for up to 40% of each premium dollar; (2) frequency — Florida is hit by named storms more than any other state; (3) litigation environment — Florida historically had liberal assignment-of-benefits and one-way attorney fee statutes that made claims more expensive (recent reforms have helped but the structural cost base remains).

Question 5

What is wind-only insurance and when do I need it?

Accepted Answer

Wind-only insurance covers ONLY damage from windstorms (hurricanes, tropical storms, named storms) — useful when a standard homeowners carrier excludes wind in coastal high-risk zones. You'd carry the wind-only policy from Citizens (FL) or a state windstorm pool (TX, MS, NC, SC, AL) plus a standard homeowners policy from a private carrier covering everything except wind. Most coastal Floridians DON'T need this — wind is included in their standard policy. You only need wind-only if your private carrier explicitly excludes wind in your zone.

Question 6

Which states require hurricane deductibles?

Accepted Answer

19 coastal states + Washington D.C. allow or require hurricane/windstorm deductibles: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia. Trigger conditions vary — some states require an actual hurricane to make landfall, others trigger on a named tropical storm crossing into the state. Read your policy's specific trigger language.

Question 7

Should I file a hurricane claim if damage is below my deductible?

Accepted Answer

No. With hurricane deductibles often $5,000–$25,000+ depending on dwelling coverage, minor damage (a few shingles, fence sections) typically falls below the deductible. Filing a claim that pays $0 still goes on your CLUE report and counts toward future surcharges and possible non-renewal. Document the damage with photos and date stamps, but only file if the loss exceeds the deductible by enough to justify the surcharge risk (typically 1.5x the deductible threshold).

Hurricane Insurance (May 2026)

Wind is covered. Flood is not.

Quick Answer

How Hurricane Deductibles Actually Work

19 States with Hurricane / Windstorm Deductibles

The Florida Citizens Property Story (2025–2027)

Hurricane coverage decisions by situation

Quote Florida + Gulf-State Coverage

Frequently Asked Questions