Hurricane Damage Insurance Claims in Florida

Hurricane claims are the most complex, most commonly disputed, and most financially significant claim type Florida policyholders face. Deductibles are higher (named storm or hurricane deductibles typically 2-5% of dwelling). Causation is contested (wind vs. flood). Scope is aggressive (post-storm claim surge produces under-scoped estimates). Ocean Point represents Florida homeowners through every phase of a hurricane claim: notice, documentation, estimate, negotiation, appraisal, and CRN if needed.

What we handle

Residential hurricane claims (single-family, condo, townhome, HOA)
Commercial hurricane claims (retail, office, industrial, hospitality)
Wind, wind-driven rain, and roof damage
Interior water intrusion from windstorm
Structural damage from wind and debris
Loss of use / ALE for displacement periods
Business interruption for commercial properties
Supplemental and reopened hurricane claims (within 18 months of loss per Fla. Stat. 627.70132)

Why hurricane claims are commonly underpaid

Causation disputes. Wind vs. flood allocation. Wind-driven rain vs. gradual water intrusion. Pre-existing vs. event damage.
Deductible mis-application. Hurricane deductibles invoked for non-hurricane events.
Post-event scope pressure. Carriers processing thousands of claims produce rushed, under-scoped estimates.
Code upgrades missing. Law and ordinance coverage frequently not included.
Matching ignored. Fla. Stat. 626.9744 requires matching; carriers often pay partial replacement only.

What Florida OIR data shows

Per Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reporting:

Hurricane Helene (2024): 33% of closed claims without payment were denied as below-deductible; 20% on flood-coverage grounds
Hurricane Milton (2024): 41% of closed claims without payment were denied as below-deductible

Many of these denials are defensible; many are not. A public adjuster's re-estimate often establishes damage above the deductible threshold.

Florida statutory context

Fla. Stat. 627.70131: carrier response deadlines (7-day ack, 30-day inspection, 60-day pay/deny)
Fla. Stat. 627.70132: 1-year new-claim deadline, 18-month supplemental deadline
Fla. Stat. 626.9744: matching statute
Fla. Stat. 624.155: bad faith and Civil Remedy Notice

How Ocean Point handles your hurricane claim

Free claim review: at no cost, we assess the claim's recovery potential
On-site inspection: licensed adjuster documents the full scope
Policy review: every coverage, endorsement, and exclusion identified
Xactimate re-estimate: reflecting actual repair cost
Submission and negotiation: line-by-line with the carrier
Escalation if needed: appraisal, mediation, CRN, or coordination with counsel