Homeowners Insurance
Homeowners insurance financially protects your home from damages caused by hurricanes, fires, tornadoes, tropical storms, burglary and other disasters.
When a covered disaster damages your home and personal property, your homeowners insurance may help pay to repair or rebuild your home and replace damaged or stolen personal property.
Review the resources below to learn more about homeowners insurance.
Homeowners Insurance Policies
Homeowners Insurance Claim Process
Sinkholes and Catastrophic Ground Cover Collapse
Florida Law Requirements for Homeowners Insurance
Florida law does not require homeowners to have homeowners insurance. However, for most consumers, their home is one of their largest assets and insurance will help to offset the cost to repair or replace the home.
Additionally, if you have a mortgage, your lender may require you to have homeowners insurance, as they have a financial interest in the property and want to ensure it’s protected.
Homeowners Insurance Policies
Applying for Homeowners Insurance - What You Need to Know
A comprehensive guide of everything you need to know when obtaining homeowners insurance: required applicant information, common homeowners insurance coverages, possible discounts, deductibles and answers to common questions to help guide you through the process from start to finish.
Homeowners Insurance: A Toolkit For Consumers
This toolkit provides an overview of homeowners insurance including types of coverages, deductibles and factors to consider when determining your coverage needs. It also includes printable pages to start your home inventory and document vital insurance information.
Review the Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services' toolkit in English or Spanish.
Florida's Hurricane Deductible
Understanding Florida's Hurricane Deductible when getting your homeowners insurance policy may save you from unexpected expenses in the event of a storm. This guide details Florida law regarding when the hurricane deductible applies, for what duration and how many times the deductible can be applied in a calendar year.
Review the Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services' toolkit in English or Spanish.
Premium Discounts for Hurricane Loss Mitigation
A comprehensive guide of everything you need to know when obtaining homeowners insurance: required applicant information, common homeowners insurance coverages, possible discounts, deductibles and answers to common questions to help guide you through the process from start to finish.
Review the Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services' toolkit in English.
For more information on Hurricane Mitigation, visit the Plan, Prepare, Protect: Are You Disaster Ready? Mitigation page.
Be Your Own Advocate
By being an informed, knowledgeable consumer, you can effectively advocate for yourself. You’re your own best advocate! Asking the right questions can help you understand your insurance policy, have adequate coverage, ensure your needs and expectations are met, and that your claim is being handled properly.
Use the questions on the Be Your Own Advocate page as a guide to ensure you understand your insurance coverage and know what to ask your insurance company or insurance agent to make sure you have adequate coverage.
Surplus Lines - Bridging the Gap: Understanding Florida's Excess and Surplus Market
Surplus lines insurance is an alternative type of insurance coverage for consumers who cannot get coverage in the standard or “admitted” market. Standard companies will not write policies for unusual, high-risk situations. While the admitted market is where most consumers find coverage, the surplus lines market is vital as a supplement for those consumers and businesses that cannot find coverage otherwise.
Review the Florida Surplus Lines Service Office guide in English and Spanish.
A Guide to Title Insurance
A title is the foundation of real estate ownership and refers to your legal right to own, use, control, possess or dispose of the home. Before issuing a title insurance policy, a title agent will check for any defects in your title. Your free and clear ownership could be jeopardized if there are any problems with the title, such as a lien filed by someone who worked on the property, unpaid taxes, an easement, an undisclosed claim from an heir of a previous owner or any number of other possible title defects. Title insurance helps protect you or your lender from prior rights or claims other parties may have to the property, as well as from any outstanding debts of previous property owners
Review the Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services' toolkit in English or Spanish.
Homeowners Insurance Policy Endorsements - Residential
Purchasing sufficient coverage for your home and your personal property is an important decision. Your homeowners insurance policy may not provide you with all of the benefits and options you need to protect your home and personal property, and it may be necessary to enhance or make changes to your policy. Most homeowners insurance companies offer endorsements for this purpose.
An endorsement is an addition or adjustment to your insurance coverage, terms or conditions of the policy. An endorsement is also referred to as a rider or an amendment. It is simply a way for you to add or change the coverages on your policy so you will have the additional coverage you need for your home and personal property.
Homeowners Insurance Claim Process
Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights
When filing a homeowners insurance claim, be sure to be informed of your rights and responsibilities as a policyholder in the insurance claims process. This guide outlines the rights you have according to Florida law and details the steps you are responsible for in the process. Ensuring you know the requirements of each party may make the claims process easier for you.
What to Expect After Filing a Homeowners Claim
Learn more about what to expect after reporting a claim to your insurance company, including immediate steps to take and a timeline of actions and communications that should take place between you and your insurance company. This guide includes consumer tips and resources to help guide you through the claim process.
Review the Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services' guide in English, Spanish or Creole.
Working With a Public Adjuster
Before deciding if working with a Public Adjuster is the right choice for you, it is important to know your legal rights as a policyholder and the Public Adjuster’s responsibilities. This consumer guide details the information required in a valid contract, explains how Public Adjusters handle claims and the fees a Public Adjuster is permitted to charge you. By being informed about the process prior to signing a contract, you can serve as your best advocate.
Review the guide in English.
Mediation Program - Residential Property Claim Disputes
Residential property mediation allows you to settle disputes regarding all residential property claims resulting from damage to your house, dwelling, mobile home or condominium. The Department of Financial Services mediation program assist consumers who are having difficulty getting residential insurance claims resolved.
Review the Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services' guide in English or Spanish.
Sinkholes and Catastrophic Ground Cover Collapse
Sinkholes and Catastrophic Ground Cover Collapse
Florida has more sinkholes than any other state in the nation, making them an unpredictable part of the landscape. This consumer guide details the difference between sinkhole coverage and catastrophic ground cover collapse and offers tips on sinkhole activity and coverage when buying a home and steps to take sinkhole has opened on your property.
Review the Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services' guide in English.
Settling Your Sinkhole Claim
In the event of damage on your property due to a sinkhole, the Department of Financial Services offers the Neutral Evaluation program to assist with settling your claim. The Neutral Evaluation program provides a professional engineer or a professional geologist to serve as an objective third party to determine the existence of a sinkhole loss and the method of repair and remediation. This guide provides details on the program, including eligibility and the request process.
Review the Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services' guide in English.
Homeowners Insurance Resources
Florida Department of Financial Services
DIVISION OF INSURANCE AGENT & AGENCY SERVICES
Obtain accurate information regarding insurance agents, adjusters and other licensed insurance professionals. You may also file a complaint and check the status of an agent’s or adjuster’s license.
DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES
The Division’s toll-free Insurance Consumer Helpline has dedicated Insurance Specialists who advocate for consumers and assist with insurance-related questions and issues, including filing a formal complaint against your insurance company.
- Phone: 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236)
- www.MyFloridaCFO.com/Division/Consumers
Florida Market Assistance Plan
Authorized by the Florida Legislature in 1985, the Florida Market Assistance Plan (FMAP) Online Referral Service is a free and convenient referral service that matches Florida property insurance shoppers with local agents who can secure coverage from Florida-authorized insurance companies.
- Phone: 800-524-9023
- www.fmap.org
Full Coverage: Your Directory of Insurance Resources
Contact Your ICA
Florida's Insurance Consumer Advocate
Office of the Insurance Consumer Advocate
200 East Gaines Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399
Phone: (850) 413-5923
Email: YourFLVoice@MyFloridaCFO.com
