How the hurricane deductible works in Florida
Most Florida homeowner policies carry a separate hurricane deductible, expressed as a percentage of the dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount. Because it is a percentage of Coverage A, it is usually much larger than your all-other-perils deductible, often thousands of dollars. The calculator above shows that dollar figure for the options Fla. Stat. 627.701 requires insurers to offer.
Two rules catch policyholders off guard. First, the deductible applies once per calendar year, so a second hurricane in the same year does not reset it in full. Second, a carrier cannot apply the hurricane deductible to a loss that is not a hurricane; an ordinary windstorm, hail, or water loss uses your standard deductible. If your carrier applies the larger hurricane deductible to a non-hurricane loss, or charges it twice in one year, that is a documented, statute-based dispute.