The storm is over. The claim isn't.
Hurricane and storm claims for Florida homeowners. Roof, screen enclosure, fence, windows, and the water that got in behind the wind. We put all of it on record, then we deal with your insurance company.
What often gets missed on a storm roof
A short or ground only inspection can miss storm damage. Here's what we check up close.
- Creased and lifted shingles that still lie flatWind breaks the seal and creases the tab. From the ground it looks fine. On the roof, a brittle test shows it won't reseal.
- The slope nobody walkedDamage on the back slope, behind the chimney, or on a flat section gets left off when nobody went up. We walk every slope we can safely reach.
- Water that followed the windA lifted shingle lets rain into the decking, the attic and the ceiling below. Weeks later there's a stain. The insurance company calls it a separate event.
- Screen enclosures, fences, gutters, soffitThe other structures on your policy. They often get priced as a patch when the whole run has to be replaced.
- Matching, code upgrades, and what your policy saysEndorsements on your policy can change what a repair has to include. We read the whole policy before we write the estimate.
- Drone photos of every slope, top down, before anyone repairs anything
- Test squares and chalk marks on the roof, each one photographed
- Brittle test and seal test on the shingles
- Every impact mark and crease, numbered
- Attic decking, insulation and ceilings checked with a thermal camera
- Moisture readings under any stain
- Screen enclosure, fence, gutters, soffit, windows, doors
- The date of loss tied to the storm record
- A line item estimate in the format insurance companies use
What goes in your file
Each line we claim gets a photo or a reading behind it wherever one can be taken.
Two hurricane claims, first offer to final check.
Tap a card to flip it.
Past results don't promise a result on your claim. Photos are representative, not the homes in these claims. See all results.
Hurricane questions, straight answers
Each one with the statute, not a paraphrase. All questions.
What is the public adjuster fee on a hurricane claim in Florida?
The cap is lower than on a normal claim. When the storm is the subject of a Governor declared state of emergency, the cap is 10 percent for claims made during the year after the declaration. After that year, the normal 20 percent cap applies.
“Ten percent of the amount of insurance claim payments or settlements, exclusive of attorney fees and costs, paid to the insured by the insurer for claims based on events that are the subject of a declaration of a state of emergency by the Governor. This provision applies to claims made during the year after the declaration of emergency. After that year, the limitations in subparagraph 2. apply.”
Florida Statute 626.854(11)(b)1
Can my insurance company drop me after a hurricane claim?
Not for the claim itself. An act of God claim can't be used as grounds for cancellation or nonrenewal unless your insurance company can show you ignored a reasonable request to prevent it happening again. After a declared hurricane there's a second protection: no cancellation or nonrenewal for 90 days after the home is repaired.
“Claims on property insurance policies that are the result of an act of God may not be used as a cause for cancellation or nonrenewal, unless the insurer can demonstrate, by claims frequency or otherwise, that the insured has failed to take action reasonably necessary as requested by the insurer to prevent recurrence of damage to the insured property.”
Florida Statute 627.4133(3)
“For a period of 90 days after the dwelling or residential property has been repaired, if such property has been damaged as a result of a hurricane or wind loss that is the subject of the declaration of emergency”
Florida Statute 627.4133(2)(e)1, the period in which an insurer may not cancel or nonrenew
At renewal they can still nonrenew for a substantial change in the risk, with 120 days written notice and a stated reason. The full answer.
Will insurance deny a hurricane claim on an old roof as wear and tear?
Often, yes. That's why we document the storm damage itself: creased and lifted shingles, impact marks, broken seals, with the date of loss tied to the storm. Wear and tear and wind damage look different up close, and the photos show it. Old roof, storm damage: both can be true.
What should I do before the insurance adjuster comes?
Tarp the roof so the damage stops spreading. Photograph everything before it's cleaned up, inside and out. Keep every receipt, the tarp included. Don't sign a contractor's assignment of benefits until you've read it with someone on your side. Then call us. Your insurance company must give at least 48 hours notice before an inspection (Florida Statute 626.854(14)). Call us as soon as the notice comes.
Start with a free assessment
Tell us what you found. We'll look, tell you what it means, and you decide. No cost, no obligation. Sending the form doesn't hire us.