Prioritize safety and follow emergency instructions. When safe, photograph the damage, list affected belongings, and notify your insurer promptly. Arrange reasonable emergency measures to prevent further damage and keep receipts. Document conditions before and after repairs, and preserve damaged items when safe and feasible. Do not delay necessary safety measures while waiting for legal advice.

Your homeowners or separate windstorm policy may cover hurricane-related wind damage, subject to its terms, exclusions, limits, and deductible. Certain rain damage may also qualify, including when wind creates an opening through which rain enters. Rising floodwater and storm surge are generally excluded from standard homeowners coverage and typically require separate flood insurance.

Ask for the insurer’s written explanation and the policy provisions supporting its decision. Photographs, inspection findings, repair records, and evidence of how water entered the property may help distinguish causes. A Florida hurricane damage attorney can review the dispute, including whether different portions of the loss involve different policies. The same damage cannot be recovered twice.

A hurricane deductible is often calculated as a percentage of the insured dwelling limit, not the repair bill. For example, a 2% deductible on $300,000 of dwelling coverage equals $6,000.

For personal residential policies, Florida law generally applies the hurricane deductible on a calendar-year basis for covered losses insured by the same insurer or insurer group. A later hurricane claim may still have a deductible: generally the greater of the remaining hurricane deductible or the applicable other-perils deductible. Review your declarations page and prior claims.

Disputes may concern the cause of damage, pre-existing conditions, policy exclusions, repair scope, pricing, documentation, or reporting requirements. A payment below your contractor’s estimate does not automatically establish wrongdoing, but it deserves a careful comparison. Hurricane damage lawyers can review the evidence and assess whether the insurer properly applied the policy.

Report the damage promptly. Under the current general rule in Florida Statute §627.70132, initial and reopened property claims require notice within one year of the date of loss, while supplemental claims generally require notice within 18 months.

The applicable requirements can depend on your policy, loss date, and exceptions. These are not the same as lawsuit deadlines, and NFIP flood claims follow separate federal requirements. Have your specific deadlines reviewed rather than waiting.

An insurer’s adjuster evaluates the claim for the insurance company. A licensed public adjuster you hire can help document damage and negotiate a claim on your behalf. An attorney provides legal advice, evaluates coverage disputes, and can represent you in litigation.

Their roles and fee arrangements differ. Before hiring either, understand the services offered, licensing, contract terms, and any separate costs.

Depending on your coverage, benefits may include covered building repairs, damaged belongings, debris removal, and eligible additional living expenses if a covered loss makes your home uninhabitable. Deductibles, exclusions, and limits apply; no payment amount is guaranteed.

Senft Legal offers a free initial case evaluation. Before representation begins, the firm will explain proposed attorney fees, case expenses, and payment terms in writing.