Legal hurricane definition
F.S. §627.4025(2)(c) defines "hurricane occurrence" as:
Verified fact: s. 627.701, Florida Statutes, requires insurers to offer hurricane deductibles of 500 USD, 2 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent of the policy dwelling limits, with the statutory disclosure that the policy carries a separate hurricane deductible; carriers may offer additional steps (a 3 percent option is common in the market) beyond that mandatory menu, and the hurricane deductible applies to losses from declared hurricane events as the policy form defines them, on a calendar-year aggregate basis in standard Florida forms. Source: Florida Statutes s. 627.701, 2025 text, flsenate.gov, consulted June 11, 2026.
SCOPE NOTE: this guide covers WHAT hurricane coverage is and how the deductible behaves inside your policy (trigger, season aggregate, wind-only territory); the arithmetic of choosing and computing your own number lives in the companion guide, calculating the Florida hurricane deductible, upgraded alongside this page.
- Period starting at the official announcement of a hurricane watch or warning by the National Hurricane Center.
- Continues throughout the watch/warning.
- Ends 72 hours after the last watch/warning ends.
So even tornado-related damage during this window can fall under the hurricane deductible if associated.
Hurricane deductible: the statutory menu and market steps
- Percentage of Coverage A (insured building value), not of the loss.
- Example: Coverage A $500K, 5% deductible = $25,000 paid before insurer steps in.
- Higher deductible = lower annual premium (15-30% savings between 2% and 10%).
- "All Other Perils" (AOP) deductible = standard for other perils (theft, fire, plumbing). Typically $1,000: $2,500.
- Insured pays the higher of the two per loss.
Annual aggregate (FL only)
F.S. §627.701(3)(b) imposes annual aggregate calculation:
- If multiple hurricanes hit in the same season, the insured pays the full deductible once.
- For subsequent hurricane losses the same season, remaining deductible = max(standard, AOP).
- Typical: Ian (September) then Nicole (November) 2022: hurricane deductible paid once for Ian, AOP only for Nicole.
Wind-only and coastal zones
- In very exposed zones (Keys, Cape Coral, Sanibel, Miami Beach oceanfront), many private carriers exclude windstorm.
- The insured then buys two policies: private HO-3 (no wind) + Wind-only from Citizens (HRA: High Risk Account zone).
- Wind-only covers only wind and hail; other perils require base HO-3.
- Check HRA zones on Citizens website.
For Canadians: caution
- Choosing a high (5-10%) hurricane deductible only if you have the savings to pay cash. With $600K Coverage A, 10% = $60,000 out of pocket before insurer.
- Plan the CAD↔USD FX needed: savings in CAD may suffer slippage if urgent conversion.
- Document the home before each season (detailed photos, video) to aid claims.
- Keep copy of the policy, inspection reports (4-point, wind mitigation, roof): speeds claims.
- Major hurricanes: Andrew 1992, Charley 2004, Wilma 2005, Irma 2017, Michael 2018, Ian 2022, Idalia 2023, Helene/Milton 2024.
Official forms and reference pages
Reader responsibility
Always use the latest version available on the official site cited below. Thresholds, rates and deadlines change. CanadaFlorida is not a substitute for a licensed professional.
A worked example: one season, one aggregate, 2026
Two named hurricanes cross Lee County in one season. Diane's policy carries a 2 percent hurricane deductible on a 350,000 USD Coverage A: 7,000 USD. Storm one causes 9,000 USD of wind damage: she absorbs 7,000, the policy pays 2,000. Storm two, five weeks later, causes 6,000 USD more. Under the calendar-year aggregate in standard Florida forms, her hurricane deductible for the season is already satisfied: the second claim applies the remaining deductible balance (zero) subject to the form's all-other-perils floor, so the policy responds from the first dollar logic the form prescribes. Typical range: the season-aggregate mechanics above follow the standard Florida personal-lines wording; exact second-storm treatment varies by form, June 2026 reading, and the form's own deductible section is the binding text.
Opinion: the aggregate is the least understood and most valuable sentence in the policy for a multi-storm season; read your form's hurricane-deductible section once a year, in June, not in the cone of uncertainty.
Who decides what
| Aspect | State (FL) | Federal US |
|---|---|---|
| Deductible menu and disclosures | s. 627.701 and OIR-approved forms | No role |
| Hurricane trigger | Policy definitions tied to declared hurricane events | National Hurricane Center declarations feed the trigger |
| Storm surge | Flood, excluded from the dwelling form | NFIP carries it |
Common mistakes
- Confusing the hurricane deductible with the AOP deductible. Two regimes in one policy; the named-storm event decides which applies.
- Missing the season aggregate. Standard forms apply the hurricane deductible once per calendar year; the second storm is not a second full retention.
- Assuming surge is wind. Rising water is flood: the NFIP policy's file, whatever the wind did.
- Treating the 3 percent step as statutory. The mandatory menu is 500 USD, 2, 5, 10 percent; other steps are carrier offerings.
- Never reading the form's own deductible section. The binding mechanics are in your form, not in summaries, this page included.
The owner's coverage checklist
- Locate the hurricane-deductible section in YOUR form; note trigger and aggregate wording.
- Confirm the chosen percentage and its dollar value at the current Coverage A.
- Verify wind-only or X-wind status if coastal; know who carries the wind.
- Pair the flood policy: surge never rides on this deductible.
- For the arithmetic of choosing, run the companion calculating guide.
Frequently asked questions
When does the hurricane deductible apply instead of my regular one?
When the loss comes from a declared hurricane event as your form defines it; other windstorms ride the all-other-perils deductible.
Does it reset for every storm?
Standard Florida forms apply it on a calendar-year aggregate: one season, one hurricane retention, with form-specific wording for subsequent storms.
What menu must insurers offer?
500 USD, 2, 5, and 10 percent of dwelling limits under s. 627.701; carriers commonly add steps like 3 percent on top.
Is storm surge covered here?
No: surge is flood and lives in the NFIP or private flood policy, with its own deductible.
Where do I compute my own number?
In the companion guide on calculating the deductible, which carries the worked three-deductible example and the choosing framework.
Every figure, rate, threshold, and deadline in this guide is drawn from a verifiable primary source listed at the bottom of the page. The article is updated whenever the underlying rules change, with a fresh review date stamped at the top.
Sources and references
Public sources verified as of the last review date (Florida Statutes, Florida Department of Revenue, Citizens, FEMA, DBPR).