Dwelling coverage protects the structure of your home. That includes your walls, roof, floors, and built-in systems. If a hurricane damages your roof or a fire destroys a wall, this is what pays to rebuild.

Other structures covers things like a fence, detached garage, or storage shed on your property.

Personal property protects your belongings — furniture, electronics, clothing, and more. If a covered event damages or destroys them, this coverage helps replace them.

Loss of use (also called additional living expenses) pays for a hotel or rental if your home becomes unlivable after a covered loss. This one surprises many homeowners. It’s worth knowing you have it.

What Standard Policies Do NOT Cover in Florida

This is where many South Florida homeowners get caught off guard.

Flood Damage

Your standard homeowners policy does not cover flooding. Not from a storm surge. Not from a river overflowing. Not from heavy rain that soaks into your home from the ground up.

Florida has more flood zone properties than almost any other state. If your home floods and you don’t have a separate flood insurance policy, you pay out of pocket.

External resource: Check your flood zone status through FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center.

Sinkholes

Standard policies typically exclude sinkhole damage. Florida law does require insurers to offer sinkhole coverage as an add-on, but it’s not automatic. Ask your agent if you’re covered.

Wear and Tear

Insurance covers sudden, accidental damage — not gradual deterioration. A roof that’s leaked for years due to neglect is not a covered claim. Regular maintenance matters.

Understanding Your Hurricane Deductible in Florida

Here’s something every South Florida homeowner needs to know. Your hurricane deductible is not a flat dollar amount like $500 or $1,000.

It’s a percentage of your dwelling coverage — typically 2% to 5%.

So if your home is insured for $400,000 and you have a 2% hurricane deductible, you pay the first $8,000 out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. At 5%, that’s $20,000.

This applies any time a named storm triggers the deductible — which in Florida is most hurricane-related claims.

Knowing this number before a storm hits is critical. Ask us to walk through your deductible with you. It takes five minutes and could save you from a major surprise.

Replacement Cost vs. Actual Cash Value — Why It Matters at Claim Time

These two terms sound similar. They are very different.

Replacement cost value (RCV) pays what it actually costs to replace your damaged property today — with a similar item at current prices.

Actual cash value (ACV) pays replacement cost minus depreciation. That five-year-old AC unit that cost $6,000 new? After depreciation, your payout might be $2,500.

Many South Florida homeowners are surprised to learn their policy pays ACV, not RCV. If that’s the case for you, you may want to discuss an upgrade with your agent.

Common Claim Mistakes South Florida Homeowners Make

Even with good coverage, small mistakes can slow down — or reduce — your payout.

• Not documenting belongings ahead of time. Take a home inventory video and store it in the cloud. Do it now, before a storm threatens.
• Waiting too long to report damage. Most policies require prompt notice. Don’t delay.
• Making repairs without approval. Emergency repairs are fine. But major work done before your adjuster reviews the damage can create disputes.
• Assuming flood damage is covered. It’s not. See above.
• Not reading the hurricane deductible. Many homeowners don’t know their number until they file. Know yours today.

Review Your Coverage Before the Next Storm Season

Florida’s rainy season runs June through November. That’s also peak hurricane season. The best time to review your homeowners insurance coverage is before a storm is in the forecast — not during one.

We work with multiple carriers to make sure you have the right protection at the right price. As an independent agency, we shop for you.

Ready for a no-obligation coverage checkup? Our team will review your current policy, walk through your deductibles, and make sure there are no gaps. Request your free review here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does homeowners insurance cover hurricane damage in Florida? Yes — but with important limits. A standard policy covers wind damage from a hurricane, but a separate hurricane deductible applies. That deductible is typically 2–5% of your dwelling coverage, not a flat dollar amount. Flood damage from storm surge is not covered under a standard policy.

Q: Is flood insurance required in Florida? It depends on your location. If your home is in a high-risk flood zone and you have a federally backed mortgage, flood insurance is required. Even if it’s not required, we strongly recommend it for most South Florida homeowners due to our exposure to tropical storms and heavy rain.

Q: What’s the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value? Replacement cost pays what it takes to replace your property at today’s prices. Actual cash value subtracts depreciation from that amount. Replacement cost coverage typically costs more but pays out significantly more at claim time — often making it the smarter choice.

Q: What does homeowners insurance cover in Florida for personal property? Your personal property coverage protects belongings like furniture, electronics, clothing, and appliances from covered events like fire or windstorm. Coverage limits vary by policy. Some high-value items — like jewelry or art — may need a separate rider to be fully protected.

Synergy Insurance Group has served South Florida homeowners since 2006. We’re an independent agency headquartered in Sunrise, FL. We represent multiple carriers so we can find the right fit for your home and your budget.

The post What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover in Florida? (And What It Doesn’t) appeared first on Synergy Insurance.

Home insurance rates in Florida are finally dropping — and the reductions hitting Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties are the most significant in recent memory. After three years of painful increases, real relief is on the way.

Here’s what changed, what it means for your wallet, and how to make sure you’re actually getting the savings you deserve.

Why Florida Home Insurance Rates Went So High

To understand why rates are dropping, it helps to know why they went up in the first place.

Florida wasn’t just expensive because of hurricanes. The bigger driver was litigation abuse.

At its peak, Florida accounted for roughly 8% of homeowners insurance claims nationwide — but nearly 80% of all insurance lawsuits in the country. Two practices were largely to blame:

• One-way attorney fees — Lawyers could sue insurers and force them to pay massive legal costs, even on small disputes. This created a huge incentive to file lawsuits.
• Assignment of Benefits (AOB) fraud — Contractors could “sign over” your policy rights to themselves, then bill insurers directly. Inflated invoices were rampant.

These costs didn’t just hurt insurance companies. They got passed straight to you in the form of higher premiums. Carriers couldn’t price the risk anymore — they were pricing the lawsuit lottery. Many simply left Florida altogether.

What Changed: The Reforms That Are Working

In 2022 and 2023, Florida’s legislature passed sweeping reforms. They eliminated one-way attorney fees. They ended AOB abuse. They tightened claims timelines and cracked down on fraud.

The results are showing up in your premium.

Since the reforms took effect, 17 new homeowners insurance companies have entered Florida, and 83 rate-decrease filings were scheduled to take effect in January 2026.

Citizens Insurance — Florida’s insurer of last resort — peaked at 1.42 million policies in October 2023. By early 2026, that number had dropped to just 336,000, a 76% decline, as homeowners found competitive coverage in the private market.

More carriers. More competition. Lower rates.

How Much Are Home Insurance Rates Dropping in South Florida?

This is where it gets real for homeowners in our area.

Governor DeSantis announced that Citizens Property Insurance policyholders across South Florida will see some of the largest reductions in the state, beginning at renewal in Spring 2026:

• Broward County: ~27,000 homes, average reduction of 14.1%
• Miami-Dade County: ~42,000 homes, average reduction of 14.0%
• Palm Beach County: ~26,000 homes, average reduction of 11.9%

Statewide, Citizens policyholders will see an average reduction of 8.7%, with more than 150,000 homeowners experiencing reductions of 10% or more.

And this isn’t just for Citizens policyholders. If you’re on a private carrier, you’re likely seeing rate pressure ease as well. With more companies competing for your business, agents now have real options to put on the table for the first time in years.

One More Savings Layer: The FIGA Assessment Ends in October 2026

Here’s something most homeowners don’t know about — but should.

Since October 2023, a 1% emergency assessment has been added to every Florida property insurance policy. It was created to help repay debts left behind when more than ten Florida insurers became insolvent.

The good news? It’s ending early.

The FIGA emergency assessment will end on October 1, 2026 — two years ahead of the original schedule. Officials estimate this will save Florida homeowners and businesses up to $650 million over the following two years.

For individual policyholders, savings will vary based on premium cost:

• A $2,000 annual premium may save about $20 per year
• A $3,500 annual premium may save about $35 per year
• A $5,000 annual premium may save about $50 per year

It’s not a huge number on its own — but stack it on top of a 12–14% rate reduction, and it adds up.

Why Right Now Is the Right Time to Shop Your Policy

Rate reductions don’t always happen automatically. Here’s the thing most policyholders miss:

You have to take action to capture the savings.

Your insurer will apply new rates at your next renewal — but that could be months away. And if you’re on the wrong carrier or haven’t shopped in a few years, you may be significantly overpaying right now.

With 17 new carriers in the market and real competition returning to South Florida, this is the best environment we’ve seen to shop your renewal in years.

If your policy renews in the next 90 days, this is the time to review it. If it renews later in the year, it’s still worth getting a fresh quote today. We may be able to move you to a better rate right now rather than waiting.

Don’t Just Look at the Headline Premium

When you’re comparing quotes, the premium number is just the starting point. Here are three things to look at closely before switching or renewing:

Deductibles

Florida home policies typically carry separate hurricane and windstorm deductibles — often 2–5% of your home’s insured value. On a $400,000 home, a 2% hurricane deductible means you pay the first $8,000 out of pocket after a storm. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.

Replacement Cost vs. Actual Cash Value

A replacement cost policy pays what it costs to rebuild or replace your home and belongings at today’s prices. An actual cash value policy subtracts depreciation first. The difference can be tens of thousands of dollars after a major loss.

Law & Ordinance Coverage

If your home is older and gets damaged, local building codes may require upgrades when you rebuild — updated electrical panels, hurricane straps, new plumbing. Standard policies often don’t cover those costs. Law and ordinance coverage fills that gap. It’s especially important in South Florida, where building codes have changed significantly over the years.

Are You Ready for Hurricane Season Too?

Lower rates are great news. But a competitive premium doesn’t help you if your coverage has gaps going into storm season. Before you finalize your renewal, make sure your policy includes solid hurricane coverage, flood protection, and enough dwelling coverage to actually rebuild.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Florida home insurance rate drops for all homeowners or just Citizens policyholders?

The biggest announced reductions are for Citizens policyholders, but the entire market is changing. With 17 new carriers now competing in Florida, private insurers are filing for lower rates too. If you haven’t shopped your policy recently, there’s a good chance we can find you a better rate regardless of who you’re currently with.

When will I see the lower rates on my policy?

New rates take effect at your next renewal date. If your renewal is coming up soon, the timing is perfect. If it’s several months out, it may still be worth getting a quote now — in some cases, switching early makes financial sense if the savings are significant enough.

What is the FIGA assessment and when does it end?

The FIGA (Florida Insurance Guaranty Association) emergency assessment is a 1% surcharge added to all Florida property policies in October 2023. It helped pay outstanding claims from insolvent insurers. It ends on October 1, 2026 — two years ahead of schedule — saving Florida policyholders an estimated $650 million.

Does my homeowners policy cover flood damage?

No. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flooding, even if caused by a hurricane or tropical storm. Flood coverage requires a separate policy. If you’re in South Florida and don’t have flood insurance, that’s a serious gap in your protection.

Learn more about flood insurance

Ready to find out if you’re overpaying? Our team reviews your current policy at no cost and shops it against the best carriers available in South Florida.

The post Home Insurance Rates Florida 2026: What South Florida Homeowners Need to Know appeared first on Synergy Insurance.