The Florida rules that decide a property insurance claim, in plain words, each with its source. Every topic links to our full guide. Last verified: October 26, 2026.
Claim deadlines
Florida sets your reporting deadlines and the insurer's response times by statute. Most count from the date of loss.
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Report a new or reopened claim | Within 1 year after the date of loss | Fla. Stat. §627.70132 |
| Report a supplemental claim | Within 18 months after the date of loss | Fla. Stat. §627.70132 |
| Insurer acknowledges your claim | Within 7 days | Fla. Stat. §627.70131 |
| Insurer pays or denies | Within 60 days after notice of the claim, in writing | Fla. Stat. §627.70131 |
| Notice of intent to sue | At least 10 business days before filing a lawsuit | Fla. Stat. §627.70152 |
| File a lawsuit on the policy | Within 5 years after the date of loss | Fla. Stat. §95.11 |
Your insurers
163 companies reported Florida residential policies to the state in July 2026, 7,717,729 policies in all. Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the state-created insurer of last resort, and the state approves private insurers to take policies out of Citizens.
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Largest by policies (July 2026) | State Farm Florida 666,923 · Universal Property 582,637 · Slide 476,824 · Tower Hill 428,138 · American Integrity 424,101 | Florida OIR monthly MIR report, July 2026 |
| Citizens Property Insurance Corporation | A government entity created by the Legislature, not a private insurance company; the state's insurer of last resort | Fla. Stat. §627.351(6) |
| Citizens take-out approvals we track | 30 OIR consent orders, each with its own policy count and assumption date | Florida OIR consent orders |
Coverage rules
Some rules come from the statute and some from the endorsements on your own policy. Check your declarations page for the forms list.
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Matching | On a homeowners policy, unless the policy says otherwise, when replaced items don't match in quality, color or size, the insurer must make reasonable repairs or replacements in adjoining areas. Many policies now cap matching at 1% of the dwelling limit | Fla. Stat. §626.9744 |
| Roof: the old 25% rule | When 25% or more of a roof or roof section is being repaired, replaced or recovered, only that part must meet current code, if the existing roof was built to the 2007 Florida Building Code or later | Fla. Stat. §553.844(5) (SB 4-D, 2022) |
| Hurricane deductible | Insurers must offer $500, 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit; it applies once per calendar year | Fla. Stat. §627.701 |
| Water damage limit | Many policies cap non-weather water damage at $10,000. No Florida statute requires it; it comes from the policy form | Policy endorsement |
| Mold | Usually excluded unless it results from a covered sudden water loss, and then capped by a separate sublimit | Policy terms |
Disputes
Florida has a state mediation program, the appraisal clause in most policies, and a required notice before any lawsuit. Since the 2022 and 2023 reforms, a homeowner who sues generally can't recover their own attorney fees.
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State mediation | For disputes of $500 or more on personal and commercial residential policies. The insurer pays all costs ($350 for a residential mediation). You can back out of a settlement within 3 business days unless you've cashed or deposited the check | Fla. Stat. §627.7015; Fla. Admin. Code 69J-166.031 |
| Appraisal | Settles how much, not whether; each side picks an appraiser, the two pick an umpire, and any two of the three set the amount | Policy appraisal clause; Parrish v. State Farm Florida (Fla. 2023) |
| Attorney fees | No one-way attorney fee awards remain for Florida property insurance suits: SB 2-A (2022) ended them and HB 837 (2023) repealed §627.428 and §626.9373 | Ch. 2022-271; ch. 2023-15, Laws of Fla. |
| State consumer help | Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services | myfloridacfo.com |
Condos and HOAs
The association insures the building and the unit owner insures what the master policy excludes. Deductibles and shortfalls on the master policy become a common expense, which is how special assessments happen.
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Master policy value | Insured at replacement cost, which may be based on an independent appraisal or an update; replacement cost must be redetermined at least once every 3 years | Fla. Stat. §718.111(11) |
| Milestone inspections and reserve studies | Required for condo buildings three stories or taller, with structural integrity reserve studies | Fla. Stat. §553.899; §718.112 |
Public adjusters
Public adjusters are licensed by the Department of Financial Services. Florida caps their fees by statute and requires the license numbers in the contract.
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fee caps | 10% on claims from a declared state of emergency made within one year after the declaration; 20% otherwise, including 20% of new money on a reopened or supplemental claim; lower caps (1% or 0%) in some situations | Fla. Stat. §626.854(11) |
| License numbers in the contract | The adjuster's and the firm's license numbers must be in the contract | Fla. Stat. §626.8796 |
| Status updates | A public adjuster must answer your written request for a claim status update within 14 days (added in 2026) | Fla. Stat. §626.854(24) (ch. 2026-174) |
| Check a license | DFS Licensee Search | licenseesearch.fldfs.com |
| Anti-public adjuster endorsements | Some policies restrict hiring a public adjuster; the Attorney General announced an investigation on October 20, 2026 | Florida Attorney General |
If your insurer fails
When a licensed insurer is ordered into liquidation, the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association (FIGA) pays covered claims up to its cap. Surplus lines policies are not covered. Eight Florida property insurers have been ordered into liquidation since 2021.
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FIGA limit | Covered claims under $300,000, plus $200,000 more for structure and contents on a homeowners policy; associations: under $200,000 times the number of units. Never more than the policy would have paid | Fla. Stat. §631.57 |
| Surplus lines | Not covered by FIGA | Fla. Stat. §631.52 |
Storms
Recent federal disaster declarations for Florida hurricanes, from FEMA. Every city page on this site shows the storms that passed within 50 miles and the county's declarations.
| What | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Milton | Major disaster declared October 11, 2024 (DR-4834) | OpenFEMA |
| Hurricane Helene | Major disaster declared September 28, 2024 (DR-4828) | OpenFEMA |
| Hurricane Debby | Major disaster declared August 10, 2024 (DR-4806) | OpenFEMA |
| Hurricane Idalia | Major disaster declared August 31, 2023 (DR-4734) | OpenFEMA |
| Hurricane Ian | Major disaster declared September 29, 2022 (DR-4673) | OpenFEMA |
Have a claim in Florida?
Call Homeland first: (305) 783-3777, 24/7. We check your deadlines, read your policy and handle the claim for you. Hablamos español.
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General information, not legal advice. Laws and policy forms change, and how they apply depends on your policy and the facts of your claim. Homeland Public Adjusters is a public adjusting firm, not a law firm.
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