Your hurricane deductible, in plain words.

If you own a home in Florida, there's a good chance your policy has two deductibles, not one. The second one only shows up when a hurricane does, and it's the part that catches people off guard after a storm. Here's how it works, without the jargon.

First, what a deductible is

A deductible is the part of a covered loss you pay yourself before your insurance picks up the rest. Most homeowners policies have one standard deductible for everyday claims, like a kitchen fire or a burst pipe. Simple enough.

Then there's the hurricane deductible

In Florida, homeowners policies commonly carry a second, separate deductible that applies to hurricane damage. It typically works differently from your standard deductible, and that difference is worth understanding before you ever need it.

The big one: a hurricane deductible is often calculated as a percentage of your home's insured value rather than a flat dollar amount. So instead of a set number you already know, it's a share of what your home is insured for. Because it's a percentage, the actual figure can work out differently from the everyday deductible you're used to.

When it kicks in

A hurricane deductible doesn't apply to just any windy afternoon. Policies spell out the specific conditions that trigger it, usually tied to a named or declared storm. The exact rules, including how the deductible applies from one storm to the next across a season, vary by policy.

This is where your declarations page comes in. Your policy's declarations page, the summary at the front of your policy, spells yours out, and we'll walk you through it. If you're not sure which deductible applies to what, that's a short conversation, not a mystery.

What to look for on your policy

• Whether you have a separate hurricane or windstorm deductible at all
• Whether it's a flat amount or a percentage of your insured value
• What triggers it, and how it applies across a storm season
• Whether wind is included in your homeowners policy or written separately

Wind mitigation can affect what you pay

One thing a lot of homeowners don't realize: a wind mitigation inspection can affect what you pay. It looks at features of your home, like your roof and your openings, that influence how it holds up in a storm. We can talk through whether one makes sense for your property.

Three policies that should work together

Wind, flood, and homeowners are three different kinds of protection, and in Florida they often live in three different places. A home can look fully covered and still have a gap. Because we're independent, we review all three together so you know exactly where one ends and the next begins, before the season, not after.

And when something does happen, you're not starting from scratch with an 800 number. You're calling the same office that set your policy up, and knows how your deductibles are structured. For thirty years, that's been the whole point of doing this the way we do.

This guide is general information, not insurance or legal advice. Policies differ — for guidance on your specific situation, call us at (305) 220-7940 and we'll go through your policy together, in English o español.