Florida property insurance claims: deadlines and steps, in order (2026)

How long do I have to file a property insurance claim in Florida?

Missing the notice deadline can bar the claim, so give notice even before you know the full scope. Policies issued before the 2023 changes can differ; the contract in force controls, so read your policy.

How long do I have to file a hurricane claim in Florida?

The same one year, counted from landfall (s. 627.70132(3)). Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key on Oct 9, 2024 (NWS Melbourne event summary), so its 1-year notice deadline was Oct 9, 2025.

Report damage that falls below your hurricane deductible too. The deductible applies once per calendar year, and insurers may ask for records of smaller hurricane losses so they count toward it if a second storm hits (s. 627.701(5)(a)3).

How long does my insurance company have to respond in Florida?

Older pages still say 14 and 90 days. Those are pre-2023 numbers; SB 2-A shortened them effective March 1, 2023 (ch. 2022-271).

How do I get my insurance to pay for water damage in Florida?

Nobody can make an insurer pay. What you control is notice, documentation, stopping further damage and the deadlines above. The steps below put those in order.

What are the steps to file a water damage claim in Florida?

1. Make it safe and stop the source. Shut off the water main or breaker, leave if there is fire or structural risk, and give your insurer a number where it can reach you (s. 627.7142, advisory 7).
2. Photograph and video everything before you touch it: standing water, the failed pipe or appliance, each room, serial numbers (s. 627.7142, advisory 3).
3. Report the claim to your insurer today, in writing if you can. The 1-year and 18-month limits are in the table above (s. 627.70132(2)).
4. Citizens policyholder with a non-weather water loss? Ask about Emergency Water Removal Services before hiring an outside dry-out company. If you decline it, Citizens limits that kind of loss to $10,000, including $3,000 for reasonable emergency measures, as of 09/28/2026 (Citizens FAQ; details on the Citizens page). With any insurer, confirm managed-repair provisions before you sign a repair contract (s. 627.7142, advisory 2).
5. Dry it out, board it up and keep every receipt. Your policy requires you to protect the property from further damage, and the state's Bill of Rights tells you to make necessary emergency repairs and keep the receipts and damaged materials (s. 627.7142, advisory 3).
6. Hire only a licensed, insured contractor; get an itemized estimate; do not sign an assignment of benefits. Verify the license with DBPR, ask for proof of insurance (s. 627.7142, advisories 5 and 6), and see how to check a restoration company and avoid liens. A contractor must give a good-faith itemized estimate before an agreement to repair under an insurance claim (s. 489.147(2)(e)), and assignments of benefits are void on policies issued on or after Jan 1, 2023 (s. 627.7152(13)).
7. Know the insurer's clock and keep a log. Write down every call and email against the deadlines in the second table (s. 627.70131).
8. Answer the adjuster's document requests within 10 days. Otherwise the insurer's deadlines can pause (s. 627.70131(8)). Cooperate with inspections; the adjuster must show a license number and give you 48 hours' notice (s. 627.70131(3)(b), s. 626.854(14)).
9. Understand the payment. On a replacement-cost policy the first check may be actual cash value less your deductible; the holdback is released as work is done and expenses are incurred, so send invoices promptly (s. 627.7011). Check your policy for sublimits: many cap mold, and many exclude sewer backup unless endorsed. Flood is a separate NFIP claim with a 60-day proof-of-loss deadline (FEMA).
10. If you disagree with the result: supplemental claim within 18 months, then free DFS mediation, then appraisal under your policy, then a licensed public adjuster or an attorney. The next sections cover each.

Does Citizens cover water damage?

Citizens covers sudden water damage from plumbing and appliances on its HO-3 and DP-3 forms, with limits that depend on whether you use its Managed Repair Program. Flood and sewer backup are not covered. Citizens water damage limits and what to do first →

What can a restoration contractor do for my claim, and what can't it?

CFDR is a referral service and does none of these.

In Florida, only a licensed public adjuster or an attorney may be paid to negotiate a claim for you (s. 626.854).

What if my claim is denied or underpaid?

• Supplemental claim: notice within 18 months of the date of loss (s. 627.70132(2)).
• Free DFS mediation:is held within 21 days, and you have 3 business days to back out of a mediated settlement (DFS mediation page; s. 627.7015).
• Appraisal: if your policy has an appraisal clause, read it for the steps and costs.
• A licensed public adjuster or an attorney. Public adjuster fees are capped at 10% for claims from a declared state of emergency in the first year and 20% otherwise (s. 626.854(11)).
• Pre-suit notice, then a lawsuit within 5 years of the date of loss (s. 627.70152(3)(a), s. 95.11(2)(e)).

More detail: Underpaid insurance claim in Florida. CFDR's line is for active damage; claim disputes go to the DFS Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-693-5236.

What is the Florida Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights?

Your insurer must give you the Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights within 14 days of your first claim communication (s. 627.7142). It does not create a lawsuit right of its own. In summary, you have the right to:

• an acknowledgment of your claim within 7 days;
• on written request, a covered, partly covered or denied answer, or a written statement that it is still investigating, within 30 days of a complete proof of loss;
• a copy of the adjuster's detailed estimate within 7 days of its creation;
• full payment, payment of the undisputed portion, or a denial within 60 days;
• interest if it pays or denies late;
• free DFS mediation of a disputed claim, under most circumstances;
• neutral evaluation of a covered sinkhole claim;
• contact the DFS Division of Consumer Services helpline for help with any claim.

The statute also advises you to:

• file claims directly with your insurer;
• contact your insurer before signing any repair contract, to confirm managed-repair provisions or preferred vendors;
• make and document necessary emergency repairs, keep receipts and damaged property if feasible, and photograph before and after;
• read carefully any contract with out-of-pocket fees or a fee based on a percentage of insurance proceeds;
• confirm your contractor is licensed in Florida and ask for references;
• require proof of insurance before repairs begin;
• secure the property, shut off gas, water and electricity, and give your insurer a phone number if you must leave.

Do I need a public adjuster?

Not for every claim. A licensed public adjuster is paid a percentage of the claim, so the fee matters most on large or disputed losses. See Public adjusters in Florida and verify any license through DFS before you sign.

Related: Assignment of benefits in Florida · Water damage emergency steps · What a contractor documents for your claim · How to read a restoration estimate