By Robert Malcolm · FL DFS #W716942 · Reviewed: · 1 min read
Short answer: Tropical storm and tornado damage is Florida's non-hurricane severe-weather claim category, and which deductible applies usually decides what you recover. Isolated tornadoes and thunderstorm straight-line wind fall under your standard deductible, not the higher hurricane or named-storm deductible, unless the tornado formed inside a hurricane's outer bands. We anchor the loss to National Weather Service data and hold the carrier to [Fla. Stat. 627.70131](/resources/florida-statutes/627-70131-claim-response-deadlines/) response deadlines.
What we handle
- Tropical storm damage (named but sub-hurricane)
- Subtropical storm damage
- Tornado damage (F0-F5)
- Microburst damage
- Straight-line wind damage from severe thunderstorms
Key distinctions
- Tropical storm: named storm below hurricane threshold; may trigger named storm deductible if your policy has one
- Subtropical storm: named subtropical system; typically handled same as tropical storm
- Tornado: concentrated rotational wind damage; subject to standard deductible (unless specifically within a hurricane event)
- Hurricane outer bands: tornadoes in hurricane outer bands may be covered under the hurricane deductible even when the specific tornado damage is far from the storm center
Deductible application
- Hurricane deductible: applies only to hurricane-force events (depends on policy definition)
- Named storm deductible: applies to tropical/subtropical storms with named designation (if your policy carries this endorsement)
- Standard deductible: applies to non-named events (isolated tornadoes, straight-line thunderstorm wind)
Review your policy carefully. The deductible you face is often contested.
Documentation
- National Weather Service data for the specific date and location
- Storm Prediction Center tornado reports where applicable
- Neighborhood damage patterns
- Weather radar confirming the event's characteristics
A documented result
- $401,300 the carrier's initial offer
- $1,005,750 what Ocean Point recovered
Read the full case: John and Joanne's Hobe Sound tornado claim