🌀 Hurricane Season: Prepare Before a Storm Is Named
Florida hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30. Central Florida is far enough inland to avoid storm surge, but it is fully exposed to wind, rain and flooding. Before a storm is named, review your policy and deductible, photograph every room, get shutters or plywood ready, stock supplies and know your evacuation zone. If a storm has already hit and you can't find a crew, see what to do after the storm.
· Sources linked below
Active loss? Call. Don't fill in a form.
After the storm: can't find a crew?
After a hurricane, restoration companies across Central Florida can be booked for days, so ask each one for a firm arrival time and keep photographing the damage while you wait. Call or text CFDR at 321-420-7274 and Ryan matches homes within about 90 minutes of Orlando with a restoration company from CFDR's network.
Can't find a restoration company after a hurricane? → · Emergency roof tarping · Florida claim deadlines
Before the season: early preparation
Review your insurance policy
Know your coverage limits, your hurricane deductible and what is excluded (flood is excluded from homeowners policies, so review your flood policy too if you have one). Call your agent with questions now, not during a storm.
Save your insurer's claims number
Write down the company's claims phone number, not just its main line, and keep it with your policy documents so you can report a claim as soon as the storm passes.
Document your home inventory
Photograph or video every room, closet and valuable item. Store copies in the cloud, not just on your phone. Your insurer may ask for proof.
Have the roof and exterior checked
Ask a licensed roofer or a home inspector to look at the roof, windows and garage door. Verify any license before you hire.
Trim trees and remove dead branches
Falling branches damage roofs. Use a professional arborist and do the work while the weather is calm.
Clean gutters and downspouts
Clogged gutters send heavy rain over the edge and against the walls and foundation instead of away from the house.
June 1: season starts, stock supplies
Stock food and water
Stock at least 72 hours of non-perishable food and drinking water for everyone in the household, including pets. Ready.gov has a supply list.
Stock medications
Refill prescriptions early in the season; pharmacies may close during and after a storm.
Have shutters or plywood ready
Have your window protection on hand or installed, and test-fit it before a storm is named.
Check generator fuel and test it
Test-run it, keep fuel stored safely, and only ever run it outdoors, away from doors and windows.
Keep some cash at home
Card readers and ATMs may be down after a storm if the power is out.
72 hours before the storm: final actions
Install shutters or boarding
Secure all windows and doors to limit flying glass and water intrusion.
Fill bathtubs with water
Tap water may be unusable after a storm. Stored tub water can be used for flushing and cleaning.
Top off generator fuel
Check how long your generator runs on a tank so you know how much fuel to store.
Secure outdoor items
Patio furniture, trash cans and garden items become projectiles. Bring them inside or strap them down.
Photograph the exterior
Take dated photos of the roof, siding, windows, fence and yard once everything is secured. They prove the home's pre-storm condition if you file a claim.
Fill the car and charge everything
Fill your gas tank, and charge phones and backup batteries while the power is still on.
Decide: shelter in place or evacuate
Know your evacuation zone. If officials tell you to evacuate, go.
After the hurricane passes
✓ Wait for the official all-clear before leaving shelter. The calm of the eye is deceptive; the back half of the storm follows.
✓ Photograph and video all damage (exterior, interior, contents) before touching anything.
✓ Report the claim promptly. Florida bars a hurricane claim not reported within 1 year of landfall (s. 627.70132).
✓ Make and document emergency repairs to prevent further damage, and keep every receipt (s. 627.7142).
✓ Hold off on permanent repairs until the adjuster has inspected; emergency protective measures only.
✓ Avoid flooded areas: electrocution hazard and contamination.
✓ Don't throw out damaged items before photographing them.
✓ Need a crew? Call CFDR and Ryan matches you with a restoration company; ask it for an arrival time first.
Ask the matched company for its arrival time before you agree to anything.
Where Does CFDR Fit in Hurricane Season?
BEFORE (prep)
CFDR does not inspect roofs, install shutters or do storm-proofing. Use a licensed roofer or inspector and verify the license first.
DURING (storm)
Follow your local officials. Call 911 for emergencies. CFDR is not an emergency service.
AFTER (recovery)
Call or text CFDR and Ryan matches you with a restoration company for water extraction, drying, tarping or board-up, and repairs. The company contracts with you directly.
Download Your Hurricane Preparedness Checklist
Print this checklist and post it on your fridge. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30; start preparing well before it.
Storm Already Hit?
Protect the property, photograph everything and report the claim. Then call Ryan and he matches you with a restoration company.
Who is CFDR?
Private Orlando restoration referral service, not FEMA. Call or text 321-420-7274 24/7 and Ryan Solberg matches you with a local restoration company. You pay CFDR nothing, and CFDR does not bill your insurer.
Where does CFDR match companies?
CFDR matches homes and businesses within about 90 minutes' drive of downtown Orlando: Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Volusia, Polk, Brevard, Sumter and Marion counties. That covers Orlando, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, Sanford, Winter Park, Apopka, Clermont, Lakeland, Winter Haven, Daytona Beach, DeLand, Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville, Leesburg, The Villages and Ocala. Tampa and Brandon are edge areas: Ryan matches them when a network company covers the address. Outside these counties, call about large commercial, multi-unit or whole-home losses.
- Orange County
- Seminole County
- Osceola County
- Lake County
- Volusia County
- Polk County
- Brevard County
- Sumter County
- Marion County