Pace is one of the largest communities in Santa Rosa County, an unincorporated area of about 24,700 people just north of Escambia Bay, between Pensacola and Milton. The community is roughly centered on the junction of US 90 and State Road 197, and US 90 runs through it as Caroline Street. People sometimes assume an inland town is safe from a hurricane. Pace's record says otherwise: in Hurricane Dennis, the eyewall passed over Pace and the National Weather Service recorded a 106 mph gust there.
Coyne Commercial Group represents Pace homeowners, homeowners associations, and commercial property owners through the full claim, from the first inspection to the final settlement.
James Coyne started on the carrier side before he became a licensed public adjuster, so he knows how a carrier reviews a wind and tree claim from the inside. In Pace, that review usually turns on what the wind did to the roof, and what the water did after it got in.
What Pace property owners have been through.
Hurricane Isaias
Isaias made landfall near Destin as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph sustained winds, per the National Hurricane Center, and a 116 mph gust was reported near Santa Rosa Sound. A week later, local TV in Pace showed trees and debris still in neighborhood streets and a tree on a home's roof, and Santa Rosa County counted more than 2,000 structures damaged and over 80 destroyed. Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation counted 22,894 Isaias claims in the county.
Hurricane Sally
Sally crawled across the region and a gauge in Pace recorded 15.07 inches of rain. The National Weather Service found Santa Rosa County's largest surge in the northern half of Escambia Bay, just south of Pace. Countywide, about 1,400 homes were impacted, with 6 destroyed and 139 with major damage.
Hurricane Dennis
Dennis made landfall near Navarre Beach as a Category 3 hurricane. The National Weather Service recorded a peak gust of 106 mph near 3 pm in Pace as the eyewall passed over, and noted that Pace sits about 15 to 20 miles from the coast. Most of the structural damage to buildings was in the area from Navarre to Milton to Jay.
Hurricane Ivan
Ivan came ashore just west of Gulf Shores, Alabama, as a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph sustained winds. The National Weather Service recorded a peak water level of 12.92 feet (NGVD datum) at the Escambia Bay west bank gauge at the US 90 crossing, the bay that sits just below Pace.
Santa Rosa County has described Pace as predominantly a bedroom community, much of it home to military families, and the area has grown quickly. The result is mostly single-family neighborhoods, with businesses along US 90. Trees are a big part of the storm risk: after Isaias, local reports from Pace showed trees on roofs and debris in the streets a week after landfall.
Because Pace is unincorporated, building permits come from Santa Rosa County, not a city. A repair estimate that ignores the county permit and current code can come up short once real permitted work begins.
According to Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation, about 12 percent of the state's Isaias claims were closed by October 15, and nearly all of those closed without payment, most often for administrative reasons, damage below the deductible, or flood damage the policy did not cover. A closed claim is not always a final answer, and the reason given matters.
On October 16, Florida asked for a federal major disaster declaration with Individual Assistance for Santa Rosa County and seven other Panhandle counties, pending as of this writing. FEMA help does not replace an insurance claim. Both go better when the damage is documented once, carefully, from the start.
What is different about repairing damage in Pace.
Insurance policies are statewide. The rules that govern the repair are not. These are the local requirements that change what a Pace property owner can do, and what a claim has to cover.
Santa Rosa County issues the permit in Pace
Pace is unincorporated, so building permits come from Santa Rosa County Development Services. The county says permits are generally required for new construction, remodeling that changes the footprint, and any structural change, and that plan review and permitting may be needed before work starts. Line up the permit path before repairs begin.
Santa Rosa County Permitting & Building CompliancePace has its own wind reading on the record
The National Weather Service recorded a 106 mph gust in Pace during Hurricane Dennis as the eyewall passed over, and noted Pace is 15 to 20 miles from the coast. Local readings like this help push back on the idea that an inland home could not have taken real wind damage.
National Weather Service Mobile/Pensacola, Hurricane DennisThe 50 percent rule near Escambia Bay
Under the Florida Building Code, repairs that equal or exceed 50 percent of a building's pre-damage market value in a flood hazard area require the whole building to meet current flood standards, whatever caused the damage. Ask Santa Rosa County how it sets market value before you accept a substantial damage determination.
Florida Division of Emergency Management, market value guidanceWhat decides a commercial, condo, or HOA claim in Pace.
Flat and low-slope roofs hide damage
Commercial buildings often have low-slope roofs. Wind can lift membranes and flashing at the edges, and the leaks may not show inside until the next rain. A full roof inspection after the storm, not just a look at the ceiling, is what finds it.
Associations have many roofs, not one
A Pace homeowners association may have a clubhouse, pool, fences, and common-area trees. Damage that looks small item by item can add up across a community. Inspecting every structure and common element keeps the total from being understated.
Lost income is part of the loss
When a business closes for repairs, the lost income may be covered under business interruption coverage, depending on the policy terms. It is measured from records, and it deserves the same care as the physical damage.
What decides a homeowner claim in Pace.
Fallen trees reach past the roof
When a tree lands on a Pace home, the damage rarely stops at the shingles. Rafters, ceilings, drywall, insulation, and the rain that followed can all belong to the same claim, and tree and debris removal may be covered separately depending on the policy.
Wind damage inland is still wind damage
Dennis put a 106 mph gust over Pace, 15 to 20 miles from the beach. Lifted shingles, creased tabs, and loosened flashing can be easy to miss from the ground and easy to blame on age. A close inspection, with photos and measurements, is what ties that damage to the storm.
Hidden water shows up later
Sally dropped about 15 inches of rain on Pace. Water that gets in through a damaged roof can soak insulation and subfloor out of sight and grow mold weeks later. Moisture readings taken early help connect that damage to the storm.
Pace owners, boards, and managers: what they ask us.
Does our association or the homeowners file after a hurricane?
It depends on the governing documents and the policies. Generally, the association's policy answers for what the association insures, such as common buildings and amenities, and each owner's policy answers for the home. One consistent documentation record helps both.
Can a large repair bill force a building up to current flood code?
It can, if the building is in a flood hazard area. Under the Florida Building Code, when repairs reach half of a building's pre-damage market value, the building must meet current flood requirements. Ordinance or law coverage, where the policy includes it, may help with that added cost.
Can you meet with our board or management company?
Yes, in person or by video. We explain what a public adjuster does, what Florida law requires of carriers, and what good documentation looks like. Boards are welcome to bring their property manager and counsel.
My adjuster said the roof damage is just wear and tear. What now?
Ask for the reasoning in writing and keep your photos. Wind damage and age can look alike from the ground. A documented inspection that shows the damage pattern, and when it appeared, can support a different answer than the first one.
Do I need a permit to repair my roof in Pace?
Pace is unincorporated, so permits come from Santa Rosa County Development Services. The county says permits are generally required for structural changes and many repairs, and it requires a permit for roof replacement. Confirm with the county before work starts.
Do you cover the rest of Santa Rosa County?
Yes. We work claims in Pace, Milton, Navarre, Gulf Breeze, and across Santa Rosa County, plus neighboring Escambia and Okaloosa Counties.
General information only, not legal advice or a coverage determination. Coverage depends on your specific policy, the facts of your loss, and current Florida law.
General information only, not legal advice or a coverage determination. Coverage depends on your specific policy, the facts of your loss, and current Florida law.
Who we represent in Pace.
Claim types we handle in Pace.
Claim guides for Pace property owners
Plain-English answers from a Florida licensed public adjuster on the claim questions Pace homeowners, boards, and commercial owners ask most.
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Read the guide →Hurricane Isaias insurance claim guide/Isaias claim closed without payment: what to do/FEMA assistance and your Isaias insurance claim/A tree fell on your house: who pays in Florida/Hurricane roof damage claims: repair or replace/How Florida hurricane deductibles work/What homeowners insurance covers after a hurricane/Commercial storm damage claims/Business interruption after a hurricane/All claim guides/Public adjuster FAQ
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