Florida Hurricane Deductible: How the 2%, 5% and 10% Options Work After Isaias
On a $400,000 dwelling limit, a 2% hurricane deductible is $8,000. At 10% it's $40,000. That's the money you pay before your Florida homeowners policy pays anything on hurricane wind damage, and under s. 627.701, Florida Statutes it applies once per calendar year, not once per storm.
Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin at about 9:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, October 9, 2026, as a Category 2 storm with 105 mph winds (FDEM). If you're in the Panhandle and looking at a damaged roof this week, the hurricane deductible is the first number that decides whether a claim pays and how much. Here's how Florida's law sets it, when it kicks in, and how it carries into the next storm.
Source: s. 627.701(3) and (5) and s. 627.4025(2)(c), Florida Statutes (2026).
What a Florida hurricane deductible is
A Florida homeowners policy with a separate hurricane deductible carries two deductibles. One is the hurricane deductible, which applies to "loss caused by a hurricane" (s. 627.4025(2)(d)). The other, often called the all-other-perils (AOP) deductible, covers everything else the policy covers: a kitchen fire, a burst pipe, a summer thunderstorm that isn't part of a hurricane.
The hurricane deductible is usually a percentage of your Coverage A (dwelling) limit. That's why it gets big fast. Florida law treats it seriously enough to require warnings: a policy with a separate hurricane deductible must print on its face, in bold type no smaller than 18 points, "THIS POLICY CONTAINS A SEPARATE DEDUCTIBLE FOR HURRICANE LOSSES, WHICH MAY RESULT IN HIGH OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES TO YOU" (s. 627.701(4)(a)).
More useful in practice: the insurer has to compute the actual dollar amount of your hurricane deductible and show it prominently on the declarations page, and at renewal on the renewal declarations page or the premium renewal notice (s. 627.701(4)(b)). You shouldn't have to multiply anything. Find the dollar figure.
The options insurers must offer: $500, 2%, 5%, 10%
Before issuing a personal residential policy, the insurer must offer hurricane deductibles of $500, 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit, unless a percentage works out to less than $500 (s. 627.701(3)(a)). The written offer has to say which deductible you'll get if you don't pick one, and the insurer must remind you of the options in an OIR-approved notice with each renewal. If it skips that renewal notice, that's a violation of the insurance code, but it doesn't change your coverage.
The $500 option isn't universal. The statute carves out exceptions by dwelling limit, and the first full exemption from the $500 option starts at $250,000.
| Dwelling limit | What the insurer must offer |
|---|---|
| Under $100,000 | $500, 2%, 5%, 10% |
| $100,000 to under $250,000 | $500, 2%, 5%, 10%; or, instead of $500, a policy with up to a 2% deductible that the insurer guarantees not to nonrenew to reduce hurricane exposure for one renewal period |
| $250,000 to under $1 million | 2%, 5%, 10% (the $500 option is not required) |
| $1 million to under $3 million | 2% (or 3% in its place), 5%, 10%; no $500 required |
| $3 million or more | 5% and 10%; neither $500 nor 2% is required |
Source: s. 627.701(3)(a), (c) and (d), Florida Statutes (2026). Deductible programs in effect on June 14, 1995 (or similar programs with a minimum of at least 2%) are exempt under s. 627.701(3)(b).
Two more rules sit on top of that list. First, going above 10% on a home valued under $500,000 takes real effort: you have to personally write or type the statement, sign and date it, and every other named insured has to sign it too: "I do not want the insurance on my home to pay for the first (specify dollar value) of damage from hurricanes. I will pay those costs. My insurance will not." If there's a mortgage, the lender has to approve it in writing, and the percentage can only change at renewal (s. 627.701(4)(d)). The Legislature made that hard on purpose.
Second, if you've hardened the house (wind-mitigation features), the insurer has to give you the option of a reduced hurricane deductible or the mitigation discount under s. 627.0629, on an OIR-approved form (s. 627.701(9)). It's worth knowing both choices exist.
What 2%, 5% and 10% mean in dollars
Percentages hide the size of the check. Here's the plain arithmetic at three dwelling limits. These are hypothetical limits, not quotes, and your actual deductible is whatever dollar figure your declarations page shows.
| Dwelling limit (Coverage A) | 2% deductible | 5% deductible | 10% deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | $5,000 | $12,500 | $25,000 |
| $400,000 | $8,000 | $20,000 | $40,000 |
| $600,000 | $12,000 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
Source: percentages from s. 627.701(3)(a), Florida Statutes (2026); dollar amounts calculated. At these limits the insurer isn't required to offer $500 (s. 627.701(3)(d)1).
Now put a storm on it. Say a hypothetical $400,000 home takes $30,000 of covered wind damage: shingles, a section of soffit, interior drywall where rain came through the opening. Here's what the homeowner carries under each option before the policy pays.
Source: calculated under s. 627.701(3)(a), Florida Statutes (2026). Hypothetical figures; not a real claim.
Show the numbers
| Hurricane deductible | You pay |
|---|---|
| 2% ($8,000) | $8,000 |
| 5% ($20,000) | $20,000 |
| 10% ($40,000) | $30,000 |
At 2% the policy pays $22,000. At 5% it pays $10,000. At 10% it pays nothing, because the $40,000 deductible is more than the damage. That happens a lot. Florida OIR's claims data for 2024's Hurricane Helene listed "below deductible" as the single largest reason homeowners claims closed without payment (I cover those numbers in the hurricane claim deadline post). Whatever a high deductible does to your premium, it moves the first chunk of every hurricane onto you.
When the hurricane deductible applies (and when it doesn't)
Florida law defines the hurricane for residential policies by the clock, not by what you saw out the window. A "hurricane" is a storm the National Hurricane Center has declared a hurricane, and its duration in Florida runs from the moment the NHC issues a hurricane warning for any part of Florida until 72 hours after the last hurricane watch or warning for any part of Florida ends (s. 627.4025(2)(c)).
Three details trip people up:
- A watch doesn't start it. The window opens with a warning. A hurricane watch can only keep it open at the tail end.
- "Any part of Florida" means statewide timing. The window isn't limited to the counties under the warning. What still has to be true is that the damage was caused by the hurricane's windstorm: wind, gusts, hail, rain, tornadoes or cyclones "caused by or resulting from a hurricane" (s. 627.4025(2)(b)).
- Rain inside counts only through an opening. Hurricane coverage includes interior rain damage if the wind first damaged the building and made an opening the rain came through (s. 627.4025(2)(a)). Rising water is a different peril entirely; more on that below.
Here's how that played out for Isaias, using the NHC's public advisories.
| NHC advisory | What it said for Florida | Effect on the hurricane window |
|---|---|---|
| #4, 10 a.m. CDT Wed Oct 7 | Hurricane Watch, Bay St. Louis, MS to Indian Pass, FL | None yet: a watch alone doesn't start it |
| #6, 10 p.m. CDT Wed Oct 7 | Hurricane Warning, Ocean Springs, MS to the Bay/Gulf County Line, FL | Window opens |
| #14, 10 p.m. CDT Fri Oct 9 | Hurricane Warning, Mississippi/Alabama border to the Bay/Gulf County Line | Window still open (landfall near Destin that evening) |
| #14A, 1 a.m. CDT Sat Oct 10 | Remaining Florida Hurricane Warning changed to a Tropical Storm Warning; no hurricane watch or warning left for Florida | 72-hour tail starts |
| Computed | 72 hours after 1 a.m. CDT Sat Oct 10 | Window closes about 1 a.m. CDT (2 a.m. EDT) Tue Oct 13 |
Source: NHC public advisories #4, #6, #14, #14A; window defined in s. 627.4025(2)(c), Florida Statutes (2026). End time is my calculation from the advisory times; your policy's definition and your insurer's determination control.
So for Isaias, wind damage from roughly late Wednesday, October 7, through early Tuesday, October 13, falls inside the hurricane period. If a separate thunderstorm knocks a tree onto your house later in October, that's an other-perils loss with your regular deductible. Check your own policy's definition of "hurricane" too; it's where the insurer will start.
One deductible per calendar year, not per storm
This is the part of the law that protects you in a bad season. For personal residential policies issued or renewed since May 1, 2005, the hurricane deductible applies on an annual basis to all covered hurricane losses in the calendar year, across one or more policies from the same insurer or insurer group (s. 627.701(5)(a)1).
For a second hurricane in the same year, the insurer may apply the greater of two numbers: what's left of your hurricane deductible, or your all-other-perils deductible (s. 627.701(5)(a)3). So once you've burned through most of the hurricane deductible, your floor for the next storm becomes the regular deductible.
A worked example makes it clearer. Say a hypothetical $400,000 home has a 2% hurricane deductible ($8,000) and a $2,500 AOP deductible. Two hurricanes hit in the same calendar year, and the second one does $20,000 of damage.
| Scenario A | Scenario B | No credit for storm 1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storm 1 damage (reported) | $5,000 | $7,000 | not on record |
| Insurer pays on storm 1 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Hurricane deductible left | $3,000 | $1,000 | $8,000 |
| Storm 2 deductible (greater of left or AOP) | $3,000 | $2,500 | $8,000 |
| Insurer pays on $20,000 storm 2 loss | $17,000 | $17,500 | $12,000 |
Source: calculated under s. 627.701(5)(a)1 and 3, Florida Statutes (2026). The statute says the insurer "may" apply the greater-of rule; read your policy. Hypothetical figures.
Look at the last column. The $5,000 difference between Scenario A and no credit comes down to paperwork. The statute lets insurers require you to report hurricane losses that fall below the deductible, or keep receipts and records of them, before they'll count toward a later storm (s. 627.701(5)(a)3). If you fix storm-one damage yourself and never tell anyone, you may be starting the next storm from zero.
Some fine print from the same subsection:
- Multiple structures. If your policy applies a separate hurricane deductible to each structure, the annual rule runs separately for each one (s. 627.701(5)(a)2).
- Multiple policies, same insurer group. If you have hurricane losses on more than one policy from the same insurer group, the hurricane deductible for the year is the highest one stated in any of those policies (s. 627.701(5)(a)4).
- Lowering it mid-year doesn't help this year. If you had a hurricane loss and your new or renewal policy has a lower hurricane deductible, the insurer must tell you in writing that the lower amount won't apply until January 1 of the next year (s. 627.701(5)(a)4).
- Switching insurers. The carryover works within the same insurer or insurer group. If you moved to an unrelated insurer after a storm, don't assume the first storm counts against the new deductible.
- Condo associations are different. For commercial residential policies, the kind that cover a condo association's building, the insurer must offer both an annual hurricane deductible and a per-hurricane one (s. 627.701(5)(b)). Ask your association which it has, because a per-storm master-policy deductible can come back to owners as an assessment. The Florida condo insurance page covers unit-owner coverage.
Hurricane vs. other-perils vs. roof vs. flood deductibles
Four different deductibles can show up after one Florida storm, and they don't stack the way people expect.
| Deductible | What it applies to | How it's set | How often |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Windstorm loss during the statutory hurricane period | Usually 2%, 5% or 10% of dwelling limit (or $500 where offered) | Once per calendar year, carried across hurricanes |
| All other perils (AOP) | Covered losses that aren't hurricane | Flat dollars; insurer must offer $500 (s. 627.701(7)) | Each loss |
| Separate roof deductible (if your policy has one) | Certain roof claims adjusted at replacement cost | Up to the lesser of 2% of Coverage A or 50% of roof replacement cost | Does not apply to a roof loss from a hurricane |
| NFIP flood | Flood, including storm surge, under a separate flood policy | Chosen amount up to $10,000; separate building and contents deductibles | Each flood loss |
Source: s. 627.701(7) and (10), Florida Statutes (2026); NFIP Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form, Section VI (44 CFR Part 61, App. A(1)); 44 CFR 61.5.
The roof rule is worth a second look. Florida lets insurers add a separate roof deductible, but the statute says it doesn't apply to a roof loss resulting from a hurricane as defined in s. 627.4025, and if a roof deductible is applied, no other deductible applies to the same loss (s. 627.701(10)(a)). For Isaias roof damage inside the hurricane window, expect the hurricane deductible, not the roof deductible.
Flood is the big one. Storm surge and rising water are flood, and a standard homeowners policy doesn't cover flood at all. Under the NFIP's Standard Flood Insurance Policy, "in each loss from flood, separate deductibles apply to the building and personal property" (SFIP Dwelling Form VI.B). FEMA must offer deductible options up to $10,000, with minimums from $1,000 to $2,000 depending on the building's rating and coverage amount (44 CFR 61.5). Say a Panama City Beach house has wind damage to the roof and surge in the garage. That one storm can mean a hurricane deductible on the homeowners claim, plus a building deductible and possibly a contents deductible on the flood claim. If you're not sure whether you have flood coverage, the Florida flood insurance page explains how it works.
If Isaias damaged your home: what to do about the deductible
The deductible math only works in your favor if the claim is on record. A few practical steps:
- Find the dollar figure. Pull your declarations page and look for the hurricane deductible in dollars (required by s. 627.701(4)(b)). If your policy has an inflation guard, the insurer must warn you that the deductible at the time of loss may be higher than shown (s. 627.701(4)(c)), so ask the claims rep to confirm the number.
- Report even if you think it's under the deductible. The calendar year isn't over, and a below-deductible loss you reported can shrink your deductible on a later hurricane this calendar year. Keep receipts for tarps, board-up and tree removal.
- Separate wind from water. Photograph roof, window and wall damage separately from flood lines. Wind goes to the homeowners insurer; flood goes to the flood insurer, with its own deductibles.
- Know your clock. Florida gives you one year from landfall to give notice of a new hurricane claim and 18 months for a supplemental claim (s. 627.70132). For Isaias that's about October 9, 2027. My post on Florida hurricane claim deadlines has every date.
- Get help from the state. The Department of Financial Services runs a consumer helpline at 1-877-693-5236 and posted Isaias storm resources on its storm resources page.
On the regulator side, the Office of Insurance Regulation published a data call on October 12 ordering insurers to report Hurricane Isaias catastrophe claims (OIR newsroom). That's insurer reporting. It doesn't change your deductible, and as of October 13 I didn't see an OIR emergency order for Isaias on the newsroom page.
What to ask at renewal
The renewal notice is where you can actually change this, so read it rather than filing it.
- Which options am I being offered, and which one is the default? The insurer must send the notice of available hurricane deductibles with each renewal. If you don't choose, you get the default stated in the offer.
- Can I pay that number in cash after a storm? Look at the dollar figure, not the percentage. If 2% of your dwelling limit is more than you have in savings, the premium difference between options is only half the decision.
- Did my dwelling limit go up? Every increase in Coverage A raises a percentage deductible with it.
- Do I have mitigation credits? Ask whether a reduced hurricane deductible is offered for your wind-mitigation features instead of a premium discount.
- If I'm with Citizens and get a takeout offer, what's the hurricane deductible? Compare that line on the offer with your current declarations page before you decide. My Citizens 2026 post covers Citizens in more detail.
If you want a second set of eyes on your declarations page, the Florida home insurance page explains how I work with Florida homeowners. If you think an insurer applied the wrong deductible, ask for the calculation in writing and call the DFS helpline.
FAQ
How does the hurricane deductible work in Florida?
It applies to windstorm damage caused by a hurricane during the statutory hurricane period, and it applies once per calendar year to all covered hurricane losses under policies from the same insurer or insurer group (s. 627.701(5)(a)). For a later hurricane the same year, the insurer may apply the greater of what's left of the hurricane deductible or your other-perils deductible.
What are the hurricane deductible options in Florida?
Insurers must offer $500, 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit (s. 627.701(3)(a)). The $500 option isn't required at dwelling limits of $250,000 or more, a 3% option can replace 2% from $1 million to under $3 million, and 2% isn't required at $3 million or more.
How much is a 2% hurricane deductible?
It's 2% of your dwelling (Coverage A) limit: $5,000 on $250,000, $8,000 on $400,000 and $12,000 on $600,000. Florida requires the insurer to show the actual dollar amount on your declarations page.
When does the hurricane deductible apply in Florida?
Under s. 627.4025(2)(c), the hurricane period starts when the National Hurricane Center issues a hurricane warning for any part of Florida and ends 72 hours after the last hurricane watch or warning for any part of Florida ends. A watch alone doesn't start it.
Does the hurricane deductible apply to flood damage?
No. Flood, including storm surge, isn't covered by a standard homeowners policy. An NFIP flood policy has its own deductibles, with separate deductibles for the building and personal property in each flood loss.
Your own policy wording and Florida law control how any deductible is applied. Confirm your situation with a licensed agent, the Florida Department of Financial Services or Office of Insurance Regulation, or, for legal questions, an attorney.
Sources
- Florida Statutes s. 627.701, liability of insureds; coinsurance; deductibles (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.4025, residential coverage and hurricane coverage defined (2026)
- Florida Statutes s. 627.70132, notice of property insurance claims (2026)
- National Hurricane Center: Isaias public advisory #4 (Oct 7, 2026)
- National Hurricane Center: Isaias public advisory #6 (Oct 7, 2026)
- National Hurricane Center: Isaias public advisory #14 (Oct 9, 2026)
- National Hurricane Center: Isaias intermediate advisory #14A (Oct 10, 2026)
- Florida Division of Emergency Management: Isaias update (Oct 11, 2026)
- Florida OIR newsroom: Data Call Notice, Hurricane Isaias catastrophe reporting (Oct 12, 2026)
- Florida DFS: storm resources
- NFIP Standard Flood Insurance Policy, Dwelling Form (44 CFR Part 61, Appendix A(1))
- 44 CFR 61.5, NFIP deductibles
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax or insurance advice. Coverage depends on the actual policy, its terms, conditions and exclusions, and state law. Maru Insurance · WA License (WAOIC) #1365574 · FL License #G363233 · NPN 22261820.