In Florida you have 1 year from the date of loss to give your insurer notice of a hurricane damage claim, and 18 months for a supplemental claim. For hurricanes, the clock starts the day the storm made landfall. Fla. Stat. 627.70132.
Those two deadlines decide more hurricane claims than any adjuster, engineer, or attorney ever will. Miss the notice window and the claim is barred, no matter how real the damage is. This guide lays out every deadline that controls a Florida hurricane damage insurance claim, the deadlines your insurance company must meet, and where commercial owners and associations lose money without realizing it.
Your Deadlines as the Policyholder
| Action | Deadline | Where It Comes From |
|---|---|---|
| Give the insurer notice of the claim | 1 year from date of loss | Fla. Stat. 627.70132(2) |
| Reopened claim | 1 year from date of loss | Fla. Stat. 627.70132(2) |
| Supplemental claim (additional damage from the same storm) | 18 months from date of loss | Fla. Stat. 627.70132(2) |
| Condo unit owner loss assessment claim | Within 1 year of loss or 90 days after the association votes the assessment, no later than 3 years | Fla. Stat. 627.70132(4) |
For hurricanes, the date of loss is the date the hurricane made landfall as verified by NOAA, not the day you discovered the damage. A roof that looks fine in October and leaks in March is still on the landfall clock. That is exactly how owners run out of time: wind-driven rain soaks insulation and framing invisibly, the problem surfaces months later, and by then a big piece of the window is gone.
The Deadlines Your Insurance Company Must Meet
The clock runs both ways. Florida Statute 627.70131 puts hard timelines on the carrier for residential policies and for commercial buildings of 10,000 square feet or less; larger commercial losses follow the policy terms, but these numbers are still the benchmark of what prompt handling looks like:
| Insurer Obligation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Acknowledge your claim communication | 7 calendar days |
| Begin its investigation after proof of loss | 7 days |
| Physically inspect the property (if inspection is involved) | 30 days after proof of loss |
| Send you a copy of any detailed loss estimate its adjuster generates | 7 days after the estimate is created |
| Pay the claim, deny it, or pay in part with a written explanation | 60 days after notice |
Late payment accrues statutory interest from the date the insurer received notice. If your carrier is drifting past these marks, document every date. A written timeline of missed statutory deadlines changes the conversation.
What a Hurricane Claim Covers, and the Flood Trap
Most commercial property policies cover wind damage: roof, exterior walls, windows, interior water intrusion through storm openings, and business personal property. Flood, rising water, is almost always a separate policy with separate rules. One storm routinely produces two claims under two contracts, and carriers sometimes point at the other policy to move damage off their own. Sorting wind water from flood water, with documentation, is often where a commercial hurricane claim is won or lost.
Business interruption adds a third layer for income properties: lost rent and operating income while the building is down can be a covered loss with its own documentation demands.
The First 72 Hours After the Storm
- Safety first. Nobody enters a damaged structure until it is checked.
- Photograph and video everything before any temporary repairs, wide shots then close-ups, floor by floor.
- Make reasonable temporary repairs to prevent further damage, tarp the roof, dry the interior, and keep every receipt. Your policy requires you to mitigate.
- Report the claim in writing, promptly. Do not wait to see if it gets worse.
- Start a claim log: every call, email, adjuster visit, and date, in one place.
Property managers running several buildings after a storm carry a heavier version of this list. Our page on property manager claim support covers keeping multiple claims organized without missing a deadline on any of them.
Common Mistakes That Shrink Hurricane Payouts
Underestimating the loss on the first walk-through is the big one. Hidden moisture becomes mold and rot weeks later, and reporting only the visible damage then adding more later slows everything down, remember the 18-month supplemental window is the backstop, not the plan.
The second is treating the carrier's inspection as the final word. The adjuster the insurance company sends works for the insurance company. Their estimate is one side's view of the loss, and you are entitled to your own.
Condo and HOA boards carry an extra layer: the association policy, unit owner policies, and the governing documents all interact, and since the 2023 legislative changes the deadlines interact too. If you sit on a board, our board members page covers how associations coordinate shared and individual property in one claim.
How a Public Adjuster Fits In
A public adjuster is licensed to represent you, the policyholder, not the insurance company. Our founder, James Coyne, worked on the carrier side before becoming a public adjuster, so he has seen how these claims are evaluated from both chairs. We document the full scope of the loss, prepare and present the claim, manage the statutory timeline, and negotiate with the carrier so an owner or board can keep running the property. Fees are agreed in writing before any contract is signed, and Florida law caps public adjuster fees on residential and condo unit owner policies, 10 percent on declared-emergency claims in the first year after the declaration, 20 percent otherwise (Fla. Stat. 626.854(11)). You can read how the process works on our claims representation page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a hurricane damage claim in Florida?
You must give your insurer notice within 1 year of the date of loss, and for hurricanes the date of loss is the date of landfall as verified by NOAA. Supplemental claims for additional damage from the same storm must be noticed within 18 months. Fla. Stat. 627.70132.
How long does the insurance company have to pay a hurricane claim in Florida?
For residential policies and commercial buildings of 10,000 square feet or less, the insurer must pay, deny, or partially pay with a written explanation within 60 days of receiving notice, with interest owed on late payments. Fla. Stat. 627.70131(7).
What if my hurricane claim was denied or underpaid?
A denial or low estimate is not automatically the final answer. Reopened claims run on the 1-year notice clock and supplemental claims on the 18-month clock, and disputed scope or missed damage can be re-documented and re-presented within those windows.
Is flood damage covered under my hurricane claim?
Usually not. Wind damage falls under your property policy; rising water requires separate flood coverage. One storm can trigger both claims, and correctly separating the two types of water damage is critical to both payouts.
Do I need a public adjuster for a hurricane claim?
Not every claim needs one. For larger commercial losses, condo associations, disputed scope, or a claim brushing against the statutory deadlines, a public adjuster documents the loss, manages the timeline, and negotiates on your behalf. See our FAQ page for how engagement works.
How much does a public adjuster cost in Florida?
Fees are agreed in writing before you sign anything. Florida law caps public adjuster fees on residential and condo unit owner policies at 10 percent for declared-emergency claims in the first year after the declaration and 20 percent otherwise. Fla. Stat. 626.854(11).
A Free, No-Obligation Claim Review
If a hurricane has damaged your commercial property, condo association, or managed building, the deadlines above are already running. We offer a free claim review: where your claim stands, which clocks apply, and what your options are. A straightforward conversation with someone who has seen this process from both sides.
Written by James Coyne, Florida Licensed Public Adjuster (License W482618), founder of Coyne Commercial Group (Firm License G350978). Statute citations verified against the 2025 Florida Statutes, retrieved July 30, 2026.