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Hurricane Deductibles in Florida: How They Work on Homes, Condos, and Commercial Property

LEGAL ACCURACY LAST VERIFIED / October 10, 2026

The hurricane deductible is the number that decides whether a Florida storm claim pays anything at all, and it is the one most owners have never calculated. It is usually a percentage, not a flat amount, it can apply per building or across a whole schedule, and on residential policies Florida law controls when it starts, when it stops, and how it carries across a calendar year. Here is how it works on homes, condos, and commercial property, with the math worked out.

Short answer

A hurricane deductible is a separate, usually percentage-based deductible for hurricane wind losses

Most Florida property policies have two deductibles: an all other perils deductible for things like fire, theft, or a burst pipe, and a separate hurricane deductible for wind damage during a hurricane. The hurricane deductible is usually a percentage of the insured value, commonly 2, 5, or 10 percent on a home and often 2 to 5 percent or more on commercial and association property. On a building insured for $10 million, a 5 percent hurricane deductible is $500,000.

To find yours, read the declarations page and the deductible endorsement. Florida requires any policy with a separate hurricane deductible to say so on its face in bold type, and personal residential policies must show the actual dollar amount on the declarations page.

Percentage deductibles versus flat deductibles

A flat deductible is a fixed dollar amount, such as $2,500. A percentage deductible is a share of a coverage limit, and for homes Florida law ties it to the dwelling limit. Before issuing a personal residential policy, Fla. Stat. 627.701(3) requires the insurer to offer hurricane deductible options of $500, 2 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent of the dwelling limit, with some exceptions for higher-value homes. A personal residential policy on a home valued under $500,000 generally cannot carry a hurricane deductible above 10 percent of the dwelling limit unless the owner signs a specific handwritten election.

Percentage deductibles grow with the coverage limit. If your dwelling limit went up at renewal because of an inflation guard or a new replacement-cost estimate, your hurricane deductible went up with it, even if the percentage did not change.

When the hurricane deductible applies

On residential policies, Florida law defines the window. Under Fla. Stat. 627.4025, a hurricane is a storm system the National Hurricane Center has declared a hurricane, and its duration in Florida runs from the time NHC issues a hurricane warning for any part of Florida until 72 hours after the last hurricane watch or warning for any part of Florida ends. Wind damage inside that window falls under the hurricane deductible. Residential coverage here includes homeowners, condo unit owner, and tenant policies, and also condominium association, cooperative, and apartment building policies.

Hurricane coverage under that statute includes interior damage from rain, sand, or debris when the windstorm first creates an opening in the building. So a roof torn open by wind, followed by rain soaking the interior, is generally one hurricane loss subject to one hurricane deductible.

Calendar-year application on residential policies

For personal residential policies, Fla. Stat. 627.701(5)(a) applies the hurricane deductible on a calendar-year basis, not per storm. If you already had a hurricane loss earlier in the same calendar year under a policy from the same insurer or insurer group, the insurer may apply, to the next hurricane, the greater of the remaining hurricane deductible or your all other perils deductible.

Insurers may require you to report hurricane losses that fall below the deductible, or keep receipts for them, to count them toward a later storm in the same year. That is a practical reason to report and document even a small hurricane loss.

For commercial residential policies, such as condominium associations and apartment buildings, 627.701(5)(b) requires the insurer to offer a choice between an annual hurricane deductible and a per-hurricane deductible. Check which one your association or building selected.

Commercial property: per building, per location, or total insured value

Commercial policies are where the deductible wording matters most, because it is not standardized. Common versions include a percentage of the value of each building that was damaged, a percentage of the total insured value at a location, or a percentage of the total insured value on the whole schedule, usually with a stated minimum dollar amount. Some policies call it a named storm deductible and apply it to tropical storms as well as hurricanes. Some apply it per occurrence, which means a second storm in the same season can trigger a second deductible.

None of that can be assumed. Read the declarations page, the deductible endorsement, and the statement of values, the schedule of buildings and their insured values. The statement of values drives the dollar amount on a percentage deductible, and it is often out of date.

A worked example

Take a three-building apartment community with each building insured for $4 million, $12 million total, and a 5 percent hurricane deductible. Wind damage after the storm: Building A, $350,000. Building B, $150,000. Building C, none.

  • If the deductible applies per building: A's deductible is $200,000, so the claim on A is $150,000. B's deductible is also $200,000, and its $150,000 of damage falls below it, so B pays nothing. Total claim: $150,000.
  • If the deductible applies to total insured value at the location: the deductible is 5 percent of $12 million, or $600,000. Total damage of $500,000 falls below it. Total claim: $0.
  • If the same buildings each sat on their own policy at $4 million and the damage on A were $1.2 million: $1.2 million minus the $200,000 deductible leaves $1 million, before any other policy terms such as coinsurance or depreciation.
  • On a home with a $400,000 dwelling limit and a 2 percent hurricane deductible: the deductible is $8,000. A $30,000 roof and interior loss leaves $22,000.

Why the first estimate matters more under a big deductible

When the deductible is $500,000, every item the first estimate misses comes straight out of the owner's pocket until the deductible is cleared. A carrier estimate that comes in just under the deductible closes the file. A complete scope, with the roof, the building envelope, interior finishes, code upgrades where covered, and mitigation costs, can be the difference between a closed file and a paid claim. When I worked on the carrier side, the estimates that landed just under the deductible were rarely the ones that had been scoped line by line.

When the hurricane deductible does not apply

  • Non-hurricane perils: fire, theft, vandalism, or a plumbing leak fall under the all other perils deductible, even during hurricane season.
  • Outside the window: on residential policies, wind damage that occurs outside the statutory hurricane window is not a hurricane loss, even in a strong storm. A tropical storm that never became a hurricane does not trigger a residential hurricane deductible.
  • Named storm wording: many commercial policies use a named storm deductible that applies to any storm NHC names, including tropical storms. That wording is broader than the residential hurricane definition.
  • Flood: storm surge and flood are claimed under a flood policy with its own separate deductible. The hurricane deductible on the property policy does not apply to the flood claim, and the flood deductible does not reduce the wind claim.

Condo associations and the deductible

Under Fla. Stat. 718.111(11)(j), property insurance deductibles on the association's policies are generally a common expense, and under 718.111(11)(c) the board sets the deductible based on available funds and assessment authority. A large hurricane deductible can lead to a special assessment, which is where a unit owner's HO-6 loss assessment coverage may help. Our condo association hurricane claim guide covers that side in detail.

Commonly Asked Questions

What is a hurricane deductible?

It is a separate deductible that applies to wind damage caused by a hurricane, usually written as a percentage of the insured value instead of a flat dollar amount. On a home insured for $400,000, a 2 percent hurricane deductible is $8,000.

How do I find my hurricane deductible?

Look at the declarations page and the deductible endorsement. Florida requires a policy with a separate hurricane deductible to say so on its face in bold type, and personal residential policies must show the actual dollar amount on the declarations page.

Does the hurricane deductible apply once per year or once per storm in Florida?

For personal residential policies, Fla. Stat. 627.701(5)(a) applies it on a calendar-year basis, so a second hurricane in the same calendar year may only be subject to the remaining deductible or the all other perils deductible, whichever is greater. Commercial residential policies must be offered a choice of annual or per-hurricane. Other commercial policies follow their own wording.

When does the hurricane deductible apply in Florida?

On residential policies, from the time NHC issues a hurricane warning for any part of Florida until 72 hours after the last Florida hurricane watch or warning ends, under Fla. Stat. 627.4025. Commercial policies often use their own named storm wording.

Is a named storm deductible the same as a hurricane deductible?

Not always. A named storm deductible often applies to any storm the National Hurricane Center names, including tropical storms, while the residential hurricane deductible applies only to hurricanes within the statutory window. Read the definition in your policy.

How does a hurricane deductible work on commercial property?

It depends on the policy. It may apply per damaged building, per location, or to the total insured value on the schedule, often with a minimum dollar amount. The statement of values drives the dollar figure, so check that it is current.

Does the hurricane deductible apply to storm surge?

No. Storm surge is flood, which property policies exclude. Surge damage is claimed under a flood policy, which has its own separate deductible.

About the Author

James Coyne

Florida Licensed Public Adjuster, License W482618. Founder of Coyne Commercial Group, Firm License G350978, Sanford, Florida. Represents commercial property owners, condominium and HOA associations, and homeowners on insurance claims statewide.

Sources

This page is for general information, not legal advice or a coverage determination. Confirm any deadline or obligation against your policy, your association’s governing documents, and current Florida law.

THIS IS A SOLICITATION FOR BUSINESS. IF YOU HAVE HAD A CLAIM FOR AN INSURED PROPERTY LOSS OR DAMAGE AND YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PAYMENT BY YOUR INSURER, YOU MAY DISREGARD THIS ADVERTISEMENT.

Not sure the loss clears your deductible?

Send us the declarations page, the deductible endorsement, and your photos or the carrier estimate. We will tell you how the deductible applies to your property and whether the scope supports a claim worth filing.

Or call or text James directly: 321-501-6718

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