Hurricane Damage Claims in Tallahassee, FL

Tallahassee sits in Florida's Big Bend region, a corridor that has absorbed direct hurricane landfalls more frequently than most Floridians realize. Hurricane Michael's devastating path through Leon County in 2018 left thousands of homeowners battling insurance companies for months — sometimes years — after their roofs were torn apart and their properties flooded. If a storm has damaged your home or business, understanding how Florida's insurance claim process works is essential to recovering what you are owed.

Florida law imposes specific obligations on both policyholders and insurers. Knowing your rights before you speak with an adjuster can make the difference between a fair settlement and a severely underpaid claim.

What Hurricane Damage Policies Typically Cover in Florida

Florida homeowners' insurance policies are governed by Florida Statute Chapter 627, and most standard policies cover wind damage caused by named storms. However, coverage is rarely as simple as it appears on the declaration page. Many Tallahassee homeowners discover too late that their policy contains exclusions or sublimits that significantly reduce their recovery.

Common covered losses after a hurricane include:

• Roof damage from wind and wind-driven rain
• Structural damage to walls, windows, and doors
• Interior damage caused by a breach in the building envelope
• Detached structures such as garages and fences
• Personal property destroyed by the storm
• Additional living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable

Flood damage is separate. Most standard homeowners' policies do not cover rising water. If floodwaters entered your home as a result of a hurricane, that claim typically flows through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private flood policy — not your standard wind policy. Sorting out what caused your damage is one of the most contested issues in post-hurricane litigation.

Florida's Hurricane Deductible: What Tallahassee Homeowners Must Know

Florida law allows insurers to impose a separate, higher hurricane deductible that applies specifically to named-storm losses. Unlike your standard all-other-perils deductible, which is usually a flat dollar amount, the hurricane deductible is typically calculated as a percentage of your home's insured value — most commonly 2%, 5%, or 10%.

For a home insured at $350,000 with a 5% hurricane deductible, you are responsible for the first $17,500 of covered losses before the insurer pays anything. This surprises many policyholders who assume their deductible is the $1,000 or $2,500 figure they see listed elsewhere on their policy.

The hurricane deductible only applies when the National Weather Service officially designates the storm as a hurricane at the time it strikes your property. Storms that make landfall as tropical storms may trigger only the standard deductible. Reviewing your policy language carefully — and challenging any misapplication of the hurricane deductible — can recover thousands of dollars in a disputed claim.

The Claims Process: Steps to Protect Your Recovery

Florida Statute 627.70132 requires that hurricane damage claims be filed within three years of the date of loss. While that window may seem generous, delaying your claim creates serious problems: evidence degrades, contractors become unavailable, and insurers grow skeptical of late-reported damage. Take the following steps as soon as it is safe to do so.

• Document everything before making any repairs. Photograph and video every damaged area from multiple angles. This includes your roof, interior ceilings, walls, windows, flooring, and any personal property. Date-stamp your documentation and preserve it in a secure location off-site or in cloud storage.
• Make only emergency temporary repairs. You have a duty under your policy to mitigate further damage. Tarping a damaged roof or boarding broken windows is appropriate and required. Full permanent repairs should wait until after the adjuster inspects the property and the claim is documented.
• Submit written notice to your insurer promptly. Most policies require prompt notice of loss. A written submission creates a paper trail that protects you if the insurer later claims you failed to report timely.
• Keep all receipts and invoices. Emergency repairs, hotel stays, meals, and any other out-of-pocket expenses related to the storm may be reimbursable under your additional living expenses coverage.
• Request a complete copy of your policy. You are entitled to a full copy including all endorsements and exclusions. Read it before you speak at length with any adjuster.

Why Insurance Companies Dispute Hurricane Claims

Florida's property insurance market is notoriously adversarial. Insurers operating in Leon County and throughout north Florida routinely deploy tactics designed to minimize payouts. Recognizing these strategies early allows you to push back effectively.

Causation disputes are the most common battleground. When a home suffers both wind damage and flooding, insurers frequently attribute as much damage as possible to flooding — which they do not cover — and as little as possible to wind, which they do. This manufactured ambiguity allows them to deny or significantly reduce what they pay on the wind claim while pointing to the flood policy for everything else.

Pre-existing condition denials are another frequent tactic. Adjusters will inspect your roof and claim that damage resulted from deferred maintenance or pre-existing wear rather than the storm. Florida courts have addressed this issue, and an insurer cannot escape liability by conflating normal wear with storm-caused damage when the hurricane is the efficient proximate cause of the loss.

Low-ball estimates from insurer-retained adjusters are standard practice. The adjuster who comes to your home works for — or is paid by — the insurance company. Their estimate often omits line items, undervalues materials, or ignores code-upgrade costs that Florida building codes may now require as part of a proper repair.

Hiring a licensed public adjuster or retaining an attorney before accepting any settlement gives you an independent assessment of your loss. Under Florida law, if your claim results in litigation and you prevail, the insurer may be required to pay your attorney's fees — a provision designed to level the playing field for policyholders.

When to Contact an Attorney About Your Tallahassee Hurricane Claim

Not every disputed claim requires litigation, but several situations call for immediate legal involvement. Contact an attorney if your insurer has:

• Denied your claim outright without a credible explanation
• Issued a payment that does not come close to covering your actual repair costs
• Failed to acknowledge receipt of your claim or communicate within the timeframes required under Florida Statute 627.70131
• Sent a reservation of rights letter, which signals they are considering denying part or all of the claim
• Requested an examination under oath or asked you to sign broad authorizations before explaining what the claim decision will be

Florida's bad faith statutes, found at Section 624.155, provide additional remedies when an insurer fails to settle a claim in good faith. These provisions can significantly increase the ultimate recovery in cases where an insurer has acted unreasonably in handling a legitimate claim.

Tallahassee homeowners who suffered damage from Hurricane Michael, Hermine, or any subsequent storm still within the claims window should act promptly. An experienced Florida property insurance attorney can evaluate your policy, review the insurer's handling of your claim, and advise you on the most effective path to a full recovery.

Need Help? If you have questions about your case, call or text 833-657-4812 for a free consultation with an experienced attorney.

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