Florida Insurance Mediation: How the $350 DFS Program Works for Home Claims

$350. That's what a state-run mediation conference costs in a Florida homeowners claim dispute, and by law your insurance company pays all of it. You pay nothing unless you skip the conference and want it rescheduled. The program is run by the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) under s. 627.7015 of the Florida Statutes, and it's non-binding: if the mediator can't get you and the adjuster to a number you'll accept, you walk away with every other option still open.

It's a quick, low-stakes way to get a disputed property claim in front of a neutral person, and it's often confused with appraisal. With Hurricane Isaias claims moving from "open" to "paid" or "denied" in the Panhandle right now, here's how it actually works.

Source: s. 627.7015, Fla. Stat. (2026); Florida DFS, Mediation and Neutral Evaluation; Rule 69J-166.031, F.A.C.

Where Hurricane Isaias claims stand

Isaias came ashore near Destin on the night of Oct. 9, 2026, as a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph winds (Florida Division of Emergency Management). The Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) is collecting claims data from insurers; its Oct. 23 notice to industry set the latest reporting deadline for Oct. 27.

The results, as of Oct. 27: 44,426 homeowners claims. About 44% are closed. Of the closed ones, 12,893 closed without payment and 6,786 closed with payment. Another 21,647, roughly half of all homeowners claims, were still open with no payment made yet.

Open, no payment yet21,647Closed without payment12,893Closed with payment6,786Open, some payment made3,100

Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Hurricane Isaias claims data, data as of Oct. 27, 2026 (insurer-reported, homeowners line only)

Show the numbers

Status	Claims
Open, no payment yet	21,647
Closed without payment	12,893
Closed with payment	6,786
Open, some payment made	3,100

Why this matters for mediation: most of those open claims haven't reached a decision yet, and a claim can't be mediated until the insurer makes one. Florida gives insurers 60 days from notice of a claim to pay or deny it, in whole or in part (s. 627.70131(7)(a)). For anyone who reported in the days after landfall, that 60-day mark falls in early to mid-December. That's when the disputes start, and when this program becomes useful.

Most closings without payment fall under OIR's "administrative reasons" (inquiries, withdrawn claims, duplicates, no contact with the policyholder). The next biggest group is damage below the deductible.

Administrative reasons8,359Damage below deductible3,429Other exclusions or no policy in force923No flood coverage182Fraud0

Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Hurricane Isaias claims data, data as of Oct. 27, 2026 (insurer-reported, homeowners line only)

Show the numbers

Reason	Claims
Administrative reasons	8,359
Damage below deductible	3,429
Other exclusions or no policy in force	923
No flood coverage	182
Fraud	0

Some of those 3,429 below-deductible closings may be exactly right. Some may not be, if the adjuster missed part of the roof or priced the repair low. If you think your covered damage is higher and the gap is $500 or more after the deductible (DFS's test), that's a scope-of-damage dispute DFS can mediate. One catch: under Rule 69J-166.031(4)(a)1., the insurer doesn't have to send you a mediation notice when it decides your loss is under the deductible. You'd have to ask on your own.

The same goes for wind-versus-water fights. Your homeowners policy normally excludes flood, and many Panhandle homes took storm surge. If you and the insurer disagree about what caused the damage, that's a cause-of-loss dispute, and it's eligible. If the facts are agreed (the water came in from surge) and the policy simply doesn't cover it, it isn't. Flood claims under a National Flood Insurance Program policy go through the NFIP, not this program. My Florida flood insurance page covers the coverage side.

Which disputes qualify, and which don't

The program covers residential property claims for damage to your house, dwelling, mobile home or condominium (DFS). Condo association master policies and apartment buildings go through a separate commercial residential version of the same program.

Who can ask: you as the policyholder, your insurer, or a contractor holding a valid assignment of your benefits, though an insurer doesn't have to take part when an assignee asks (s. 627.7015(1)). For residential policies issued on or after Jan. 1, 2023, post-loss assignments are void under s. 627.7152(13), so for most homeowners that third path is closed anyway.

Source: s. 627.7015, Fla. Stat. (2026); DFS, Request Mediation and Neutral Evaluation; Rule 69J-166.031, F.A.C.

Both sides can still agree in writing to mediate a dispute outside these lines. If the insurer rejects mediation because it thinks your dispute doesn't qualify, it has to say why in writing, and DFS decides.

When you can ask for mediation

Not on day one. A claim becomes eligible after the insurer pays or denies it (in full or in part) under s. 627.70131(7), or elects to reinspect after a notice of intent to sue (s. 627.7015(2)). DFS puts it plainly on its request page: a claim determination, including an offer to pay, has to exist first. Give the insurer a chance to fix the problem before you file.

Two timing rules work in your favor:

• The insurer has to tell you. It must notify you of your right to mediate when the policy is issued, at each renewal, and when you file a first-party claim (s. 627.7015(2)). If it skips that notice, you aren't required to go through the policy's appraisal process before suing for breach of contract (s. 627.7015(7)).
• The insurer's own deadlines pause, they don't disappear. While a DFS mediation is pending, the claim-handling deadlines in s. 627.70131 are tolled, and the tolling ends when the mediation ends (s. 627.70131(8)(a)).

And one that works against you: a loss that doesn't meet the notice deadlines in s. 627.70132 can't be mediated at all. For a hurricane, the date of loss is landfall, so Isaias claims must be reported by Oct. 9, 2027 (new or reopened claims) or April 9, 2028 (supplemental claims). My post on the Florida hurricane claim deadline walks through all of those dates.

How to request it

DFS takes requests three ways (DFS residential mediation guide):

1. Online, through the DFS mediation request page.
2. By form. Fill out Form DFS-I0-2082 and email it to Mediation@MyFloridaCFO.com, fax it to 850-488-6372, or mail it to the DFS Division of Consumer Services, 200 E. Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399.
3. By phone, if you don't have a lawyer or public adjuster: 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236). Out of state, (850) 413-5818 (DFS).

Have this ready before you start: your policy number and claim number, the exact name of the insurance company, the property address, a short description of the dispute with the dollar amount in disagreement, and any other policy that might cover the same property for wind or flood. If a public adjuster or attorney represents you, DFS needs a copy of the public adjuster contract or the attorney's letter of representation so they're included in notices.

The form has four checkboxes for the type of dispute: unsatisfactory settlement offer, cause of loss, scope of damages, scope of repair. Check every one that fits. Write the number. "They lowballed me" tells the mediator nothing. A line like "insurer estimate $11,200, my contractor's estimate $19,800" (made-up numbers) tells them where to start.

The timeline, step by step

Here's the sequence under the current rule and DFS's own description. Days are calendar days unless marked otherwise.

Source: s. 627.7015 and s. 627.70131, Fla. Stat. (2026); Rule 69J-166.031, F.A.C.; DFS request page

Read the timing as a target, not a promise. The same rule says those time limits don't apply for two years after a declared disaster, and continuances are allowed for good cause: illness, an emergency, the need for more information, or getting an engineer or other professional to attend. After a storm the size of Isaias, expect the calendar to stretch. If waiting would cause real hardship (a severe illness, significant financial hardship), you can ask the mediator for an expedited conference.

What happens at the conference

It's a meeting, not a hearing. The mediator is a Florida Supreme Court certified circuit court mediator approved by DFS (or one grandfathered in under older rules), and their job is to get both sides talking, narrow the issues and look for a deal. They don't decide who's right. DFS lists what mediation won't do: give legal advice, determine a question of fact, put a value on your claim, act as your representative, or tell a company to pay.

Some rules that shape the room, from Rule 69J-166.031 and DFS's program page:

• The conference is held at a location the mediator picks within 15 driving miles of your property, unless everyone agrees otherwise or DFS assigns a site after a declared disaster.
• Every named insured on the policy must attend. You can bring a contractor, a public adjuster, an engineer or an interpreter. You don't need a lawyer.
• The insurer's representative must have authority to settle the full value of the claim, including the ability to pay the full settlement within 10 days. If they show up without that authority, the law treats it as a failure to appear (s. 627.7015(3)).
• The insurer must bring a copy of your policy and the entire claims file.
• What's said and handed over is treated as settlement negotiation and is confidential. Both sides must negotiate in good faith, but nobody is required to settle.
• Arriving more than 30 minutes late counts as not showing up.

There's no set length. DFS says the conference can run as long as both sides agree they're making progress. Bring specific dollar estimates or quotes for every item in dispute, plus photos, reports, letters and bills. An itemized contractor estimate does more for you in that room than anything you can say.

If you settle: the 3-business-day window

If you reach a written settlement, you have 3 business days to change your mind (s. 627.7015(6)(a)). Cash or deposit any check or draft paid for the disputed items and that right is gone. If you don't rescind, the settlement is binding and releases the specific claims you presented at that conference.

Example: say you sign a settlement on a Thursday. Under the rule, the day you sign doesn't count, so your three business days are Friday, Monday and Tuesday (with no holiday in between). Don't deposit the check until you're sure.

The release has limits. Under Rule 69J-166.031(10)(b), other claims under the policy are presented separately, and the release isn't a final waiver if reasonably unforeseen circumstances later produce additional costs that would have been covered. That's not a license to settle low and reopen later. Supplemental claims still face the 18-month notice limit in s. 627.70132.

Source: Rule 69J-166.031(6), F.A.C.; Florida DFS

The insurer pays the whole $350. If you fail to appear and want a new date, you pay the $350 for the rescheduled conference before DFS sets it. If the insurer fails to appear without good cause, it pays your actual cash expenses of attending plus the cost of a second conference. Your own travel and other expenses are yours, and so is anyone you choose to hire: a public adjuster's percentage or an attorney's fee is a separate contract between you and them.

Mediation vs. appraisal vs. a lawsuit

Florida homeowners usually have four ways to fight over a claim. They're not interchangeable, and the order matters.

Source: s. 627.7015, s. 627.7074, s. 627.70151, s. 627.70152, s. 95.11, Fla. Stat. (2026); Florida DFS

Appraisal. The statute describes DFS mediation as available before the appraisal process starts, and it calls appraisal "potentially expensive and time-consuming." Once a dispute is in appraisal, DFS won't mediate it. The appraisal clause itself lives in your policy, so the rules for choosing appraisers, the umpire and who pays come from the policy wording. The statute only limits the reasons either side can disqualify an umpire (s. 627.70151). One more link: if the insurer asked for the mediation and either side rejects the result, you aren't required to go through appraisal before suing (s. 627.7015(7)).

A lawsuit. Since 2021, you can't simply file. You first file a written notice of intent to initiate litigation with DFS, at least 10 business days before suing, and only after the insurer has made a coverage decision (s. 627.70152(3)). The insurer has 10 business days to respond. If the dispute is about the amount rather than a denial, it can answer with a settlement offer or by requiring appraisal or another form of alternative dispute resolution. If that process hasn't wrapped up within 90 days after the 10-day notice period ends, you can file without another notice. A suit filed without the notice gets dismissed (without prejudice). The outer limit for suing over a property policy is 5 years from the date of loss (s. 95.11).

I didn't find anything in s. 627.7015 that pauses the 5-year lawsuit clock while you mediate, so don't let a dispute drift near that deadline. My overview of Florida homeowners insurance laws covers how these claim rules fit together.

Sinkhole claims: neutral evaluation instead

Sinkhole disputes have their own track. Under s. 627.7074, once a sinkhole report has been issued, either you or the insurer can request neutral evaluation, and it's mandatory for the other side if requested. It replaces DFS mediation for that claim (though it doesn't cancel your policy's appraisal clause).

• A DFS-certified neutral evaluator, a professional engineer or geologist, looks at causation, every method of stabilization and repair above and below ground, and the cost.
• You and the insurer pick from the DFS list. If you can't agree within 14 business days, DFS appoints one. Each side can strike two evaluators without giving a reason.
• The evaluator sets the conference within 14 business days of referral and makes reasonable efforts to hold it within 90 days of DFS receiving the request. The report goes to both sides and DFS within 14 days after the conference.
• The insurer pays reasonable costs. If you want a court reporter there, that's on you.
• It's non-binding, but the report is admitted in any later lawsuit. Filing the request also extends the time to sue: until 60 days after the evaluation ends or the normal deadline in s. 95.11, whichever is later.

If the insurer denies a sinkhole claim without testing and a sinkhole report, DFS says you have 60 days from the denial to demand geological testing in writing. You pay 50% of the actual testing cost or $2,500, whichever is less, and you're reimbursed if a sinkhole loss is confirmed.

What changed (and didn't) in 2026

Mediation is still voluntary for you. SB 108 in the 2026 session would have made mediation a required step before any property insurance lawsuit. It died in the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on March 13, 2026, and a similar House bill, HB 341, also died. Section 627.7015 was last amended in 2023.

The DFS rule may be rewritten. DFS has proposed a substantial rewrite of Rule 69J-166.031 that would, among other things, allow conferences by phone or video and require each side to send the mediator a short pre-mediation statement 10 days before the conference. The residential fee in the proposal stays at $350. The rule hearing was moved to Aug. 5, 2026, and DFS held a further public hearing on the proposal on Sept. 30, 2026. As of late October 2026, the Florida Administrative Code still shows the 2016 version in force, so everything above follows that rule. If DFS tells you something different when you call, its current process controls.

What I'd do

If an Isaias claim, or any Florida home claim, comes back lower than your repair estimate or gets denied on cause:

1. Get the decision in writing. The insurer must explain the basis for any payment, denial or partial denial, and the difference if it pays less than its own adjuster's detailed estimate (s. 627.70131(7)(a)).
2. Get your own number. An itemized estimate from a licensed contractor, plus photos. If the gap after your deductible is under $500, mediation isn't available unless the insurer agrees.
3. Call the insurer once more with that estimate. DFS asks you to try this first.
4. Request DFS mediation before you sign up for appraisal or call a lawyer. It costs you nothing if you show up, and you can still say no to any offer.
5. Don't deposit a settlement check until you're sure. That ends your 3-business-day window.
6. Watch the calendar. Late notice makes a claim ineligible, and the lawsuit deadline keeps running.

Stuck before a decision exists (no acknowledgment, no adjuster)? Call the DFS helpline, and OIR asks consumers to report problems with Isaias claims. At renewal, check your hurricane deductible on the declarations page (my hurricane deductible explainer covers how it applies), and see my Florida home insurance page for coverage questions.

FAQ

Who pays for insurance mediation in Florida?

The insurance company. A residential property mediation through the Florida Department of Financial Services costs $350 ($300 for the mediator and $50 for the administrator), and the insurer pays all of it. You pay $350 only if you fail to appear and want the conference rescheduled.

Is Florida DFS mediation binding?

No. Nobody has to accept an outcome. If you sign a written settlement, you have 3 business days to rescind it unless you have cashed or deposited the check; after that, it is binding and releases the specific claims presented at the conference.

How do I request mediation for a homeowners claim in Florida?

Request it online through the DFS mediation page, email or mail Form DFS-I0-2082, or call 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236) if you are not represented. The insurer must have made a claim decision first, and the dispute must be $500 or more after the deductible.

Can I go to mediation after my claim was denied?

Usually, yes. Denials and cause-of-loss disputes are eligible. They are not eligible if the insurer has a reasonable basis to suspect fraud, if the facts about the cause are agreed and the policy does not cover it, if the whole claim was denied for an intentional material misrepresentation, or if the claim was reported after the deadlines in s. 627.70132.

Is mediation the same as appraisal?

No. In mediation a neutral mediator helps you and the insurer negotiate and nobody decides for you. Appraisal is a process in your policy where appraisers and an umpire set the amount of loss. DFS mediation is meant to come before appraisal, and DFS will not mediate a dispute that is already in appraisal.

Your own policy wording and Florida law control how any claim is handled. 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

1. Florida Statutes s. 627.7015, alternative procedure for resolution of disputed property insurance claims (2026)
2. Florida Administrative Code Rule 69J-166.031, mediation of residential property insurance claims (text via Cornell LII)
3. Florida DFS: Mediation and Neutral Evaluation
4. Florida DFS: Request Mediation and Neutral Evaluation
5. Florida DFS: Residential Property Mediation Program guide (April 2024)
6. Florida DFS Form DFS-I0-2082, Request for Personal Residential Insurance Mediation
7. Florida Statutes s. 627.7074, sinkhole neutral evaluation (2026)
8. Florida Statutes s. 627.70131, insurer's duty to acknowledge and act on claims (2026)
9. Florida Statutes s. 627.70132, notice of property insurance claims (2026)
10. Florida Statutes s. 627.70151, appraisal umpire conflicts of interest (2026)
11. Florida Statutes s. 627.70152, suits arising under a property insurance policy (2026)
12. Florida Statutes s. 627.7142, Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights (2026)
13. Florida Statutes s. 627.7152, assignment of benefits (2026)
14. Florida Statutes s. 95.11, limitations of actions (2026)
15. Florida Senate: SB 108 (2026), Resolution of Disputed Property Insurance Claims
16. DFS Notice of Proposed Rule 69J-166.031 (2026), as posted by Insurance Journal
17. Florida DFS: rescheduled rule hearing for 69J-166.002 and 69J-166.031 (Aug. 5, 2026)
18. Florida Administrative Register notice 31353618 (Sept. 11, 2026): further hearing on Rule 69J-166.031, Sept. 30, 2026
19. Florida Administrative Code: Rule 69J-166.031 history (effective 4/20/2016)
20. Florida OIR: Hurricane Isaias claims data (as of Oct. 27, 2026)
21. Florida OIR: Notice to Industry, Hurricane Isaias Catastrophe Reporting (Oct. 23, 2026)
22. Florida OIR newsroom (DFS consumer helpline number)
23. Florida Division of Emergency Management: Hurricane Isaias update (Oct. 11, 2026)