Hurricane Warnings and Your Insurance – Part 2

Understanding Florida Hurricane Warnings and Your Insurance: Part 2

Hurricane season in Florida comes with its fair share of alerts, warnings, and insurance questions. That’s why we’ve put together this two-part guide:

• Part 1 explains the different hurricane and tropical storm alerts, storm categories, and storm surge.
• Part 2 walks you through when the Florida hurricane deductible applies and what that means for your coverage.

Together, these posts are designed to help you feel more confident about what to expect—both from the weather and from your insurance policy.

In Part 1, we broke down the alerts and categories that help Floridians understand what’s coming their way during hurricane season. Now let’s talk about the part that directly affects your wallet: when the hurricane deductible applies.

What is a Hurricane Deductible?

The hurricane deductible is specific to damage caused by hurricanes, unlike your standard deductible, which applies to all other perils (AOP) like fire or theft.

Your hurricane deductible is usually a percentage of your home’s insured value—often 2%, 5%, or sometimes even 10%.

For example, if your home is insured for $300,000 and you have a 2% hurricane deductible, you’d be responsible for the first $6,000 of covered hurricane damage before insurance kicks in.

You can find your specific deductible amount on the Declarations Page of your policy.

When Does the Hurricane Deductible Apply?

In Florida, the hurricane deductible only applies once a hurricane is officially declared—beginning the moment the National Hurricane Center (NHC) issues a watch or warning anywhere in the state, and lasting until 72 hours after the last watch or warning is lifted.

The deductible applies only to losses caused by a named hurricane and resets annually, so there’s typically just one per calendar year.

Even if your home isn’t in the storm’s direct path, if Florida is under a hurricane watch or warning and you experience storm damage, your hurricane deductible may apply if you suffer storm-related damage.

What if It’s Just a Tropical Storm?

Here’s where people often get confused. If a system never reaches hurricane strength (74 mph winds or higher), the hurricane deductible usually does not apply. In that case, your standard deductible would apply instead.

Why This Matters to Homeowners

Knowing when your hurricane deductible applies helps you plan financially. A storm doesn’t have to be a Category 5 to leave you with thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs. Reviewing your deductible amount before hurricane season can help you avoid surprises.

It’s also important to remember that your homeowners insurance policy typically doesn’t cover flooding or storm surge damage. Those risks require separate flood insurance. If you live in Florida, where surge zones are common, it’s worth checking your coverage now rather than later.

Stay Prepared, Stay Protected

Hurricane season is stressful enough without being caught off guard by your insurance coverage. Review your policy, understand your deductible, and make sure you have the right protection in place before the next storm appears on the radar. For trusted updates, visit the National Hurricane Center or the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

If you missed Part 1, you can catch up here: Understanding Florida Hurricane Warnings and Insurance: Part 1. It’s a great way to learn the differences between hurricane watches, warnings, storm surge, and storm categories—so you’ll know what to expect before the next alert is issued.