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Florida Insurance · Storm Season

What Your Hurricane Deductible Really Costs.

In Florida your hurricane deductible is not a flat dollar amount. It is a percentage of your dwelling coverage, and most people have no idea what that works out to until a storm hits. A 10 percent deductible on a $400,000 home is $40,000 out of pocket before your insurer pays a cent. See your real number across all three tiers, before season, not after.

Your policy
The rebuild coverage on your declarations page, not your market value. The hurricane deductible is a percentage of this.
Florida policies commonly offer 2%, 5%, or 10%. A higher percentage lowers your premium but raises your out-of-pocket after a storm.
The flat deductible for non-hurricane claims (fire, theft, burst pipe). Shown for comparison.
Your hurricane deductible
$8,000out of pocket
This is what you pay on hurricane damage before your insurer pays anything. Have it available in cash or reserves before storm season.
Applies to hurricane losses only. Your all-other-perils deductible covers non-hurricane claims separately.
All-other-perils deductible
$2,500
The flat amount on non-hurricane claims like fire, theft, or a burst pipe. Much smaller than the hurricane deductible in most cases.
Your out-of-pocket at each tier
Hurricane deductibleOut of pocketPremium effect
The calendar-year rule
One full hurricane deductible per year
Under Florida law, you generally pay the full hurricane deductible once per calendar year with the same insurer. If a second hurricane causes a covered loss that same year, your standard deductible usually applies instead. Confirm the exact terms with your policy.

A percentage, not a flat number.

Most homeowners think of a deductible as a fixed amount, $1,000 or $2,500. In Florida, hurricane damage works differently. Your hurricane deductible is a percentage of your dwelling coverage, the Coverage A figure on your declarations page, and it is its own separate deductible. Policies typically let you pick 2 percent, 5 percent, or 10 percent. On a home insured to rebuild at $400,000, those translate to $8,000, $20,000, and $40,000. That is the money you have to come up with after a storm before your insurer pays the first dollar.

This is the gap that catches people. They budget for a $2,500 deductible, a hurricane hits, and suddenly the number is $20,000 because they chose 5 percent to keep the premium down and never converted it to dollars. This tool does that conversion for all three tiers at once, so you can see the real exposure and decide whether the premium savings of a higher deductible is worth the cash you would need on hand.

The tradeoff, in plain terms.

A higher hurricane deductible lowers your annual premium, because you are taking on more of the first-dollar risk. That can be a smart move if you have the reserves to cover the larger number after a storm. It is a trap if you do not. The honest test is simple: could you write a check for the deductible at each tier tomorrow? If 10 percent of your dwelling coverage is a number you could not absorb, the premium savings is not worth it, no matter how good it looks on the renewal. Insure to accurate rebuild cost too, since an inflated Coverage A figure quietly inflates your hurricane deductible.

How the calendar-year provision helps.

Florida law softens the blow in an active season. You generally pay the full hurricane deductible only for the first hurricane that causes a covered loss in a calendar year. For additional hurricanes that same year with the same insurer, your standard all-other-perils deductible typically applies instead, so you are not hit with a second full percentage deductible. The exact mechanics can vary by policy, so read your declarations and confirm with your agent, but it is real relief in a multi-storm year.

See your whole storm-season cost.

The deductible is one piece. Your full exposure also includes your annual premium, whether you now need flood coverage, and your property tax. Pair this with the insurance savings calculator to check whether your premium tracked the 2026 market cuts, the flood insurance calculator to see if flood is now required, and your county property tax page for the rest of the carrying cost. See the local picture in Jacksonville insurance costs by area.

Common questions.

How does a hurricane deductible work in Florida?
It is a percentage of your dwelling coverage (Coverage A), not a flat dollar amount. Policies commonly offer 2%, 5%, or 10%. On a $400,000 home that is $8,000, $20,000, or $40,000 out of pocket on hurricane damage before your insurer pays. It is separate from your all-other-perils deductible, which still applies to non-hurricane claims.
Is it based on home value or coverage?
On your dwelling coverage amount, not market value or purchase price. Use the Coverage A figure on your declarations page. An inflated Coverage A raises your hurricane deductible in dollars, which is a reason to insure to accurate rebuild cost.
Does it apply to every storm?
Generally once per calendar year. You pay the full hurricane deductible for the first hurricane causing a covered loss that year. For additional hurricanes that same year with the same insurer, your standard deductible usually applies instead. Confirm the specifics with your policy.
Should I take a higher deductible to lower my premium?
Only if you have the reserves. A higher hurricane deductible lowers premium but raises what you must cover after a storm. On a $400,000 home, 10% means finding $40,000 instead of $8,000. Match the deductible to the cash you actually have, not just the premium you want.

Disclaimer: This calculator applies your selected percentage to the dwelling coverage you enter. Hurricane deductible options, the calendar-year provision, and policy terms vary by insurer and policy form; some policies also offer a flat dollar hurricane deductible in limited cases. This is general information, not insurance advice or a quote. Confirm your deductibles and terms with your declarations page and a licensed insurance agent. Momentum Realty is a licensed real estate brokerage, not an insurance agency.

Buying in Florida and sizing up your true storm-season cost?

Talk to Jon or Brittany. We will help you pencil out the deductible, premium, flood, and taxes on a specific home so there are no surprises after closing, or after a storm.

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