How the Florida Hurricane Deductible Works (and How to Budget for It)
On a storm claim your regular deductible does not apply. The hurricane deductible is a percentage of your home’s value, and it surprises people. Here is the math.
Last reviewed July 2026. General guidance, not legal advice.
Many Florida homeowners assume their $2,500 deductible applies to a hurricane claim. It does not. A separate, much larger percentage-based deductible applies to hurricane losses.
How it is calculated
The hurricane deductible is a percentage of your Coverage A dwelling limit, not a flat dollar amount. Under Florida Statute 627.701, insurers must offer options such as 2%, 5%, and 10% (plus a $500 flat option on many policies). On a $400,000 dwelling limit, a 2% deductible is $8,000 and a 5% deductible is $20,000.
When it applies
It applies to hurricane losses as defined by statute and your policy, tied to the hurricane warning period, and it generally applies once per hurricane season rather than per storm. Non-hurricane wind or water damage falls under your lower standard deductible.
How to budget and check
- Find the exact dollar amount on your declarations page (Florida requires it to be shown).
- Confirm which deductible the carrier applied to your loss.
- Verify it was applied only once per season if you had more than one storm.
Official sources
How the Florida Hurricane Deductible Works (and How to Budget for It) FAQs
It is a percentage of your dwelling limit, not a flat amount. On a $400,000 home, a 2% deductible is $8,000. Florida law (Fla. Stat. 627.701) requires insurers to offer these percentage options.
It applies to hurricane losses as defined by statute and policy, and generally only once per hurricane season rather than separately for each storm.
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