Storm surge hit your home.
Here's what you're dealing with.

No. Storm surge is classified as flood damage — water that originates from outside the home due to a body of water overflowing its banks. Standard Florida homeowners insurance (HO-3) universally excludes flood damage. Storm surge is only covered by NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) policies or private flood insurance policies. The distinction matters enormously after a hurricane: wind damage to your roof may be covered by homeowners, but the surge water that entered through the resulting opening is still a flood loss under NFIP. Coverage can overlap — damage caused simultaneously by wind and water requires careful adjuster assessment of what portion of damage was wind vs. flood.

Storm surge typically presents as a high-water line visible on walls — the tide mark from the surge height. Everything below the water line is Category 3 (black water) contamination regardless of the source body of water. This means: all drywall below the water line must be demolished (not dried), all insulation removed, all flooring materials replaced. Flood water carries sediment, sewage, marine organisms, agricultural and industrial chemicals, and petroleum products — standard water mitigation drying protocols do not apply. Contents below the water line are almost all total losses. The subfloor, framing, and concrete slab may survive with proper treatment, but building materials that were submerged in storm surge are biohazard waste.

NFIP claims process: (1) Call your flood insurance carrier within 60 days of the loss to file a claim and request an adjuster. (2) Document everything before demolition — photograph the high-water line on every wall from floor to ceiling, all damaged materials in place, all contents. (3) Mitigate promptly — NFIP policies require you to mitigate further damage; failure to act can reduce your claim. (4) Work with the NFIP adjuster on the scope — NFIP adjusters use NFIP-specific pricing, not standard Xactimate rates used for homeowners claims. (5) File a Proof of Loss within 60 days of the loss. NFIP limits are $250,000 for building coverage and $100,000 for contents. Excess flood insurance (private) can supplement beyond NFIP limits.

The salvageability decision after storm surge follows Category 3 protocols strictly. Structural: concrete block walls, poured concrete, steel, and pressure-treated lumber below the water line can be cleaned, treated, and retained. Standard wood framing may be retained if mold remediation and antimicrobial treatment is applied within 24–72 hours before mold becomes entrenched. Non-structural: drywall, insulation, OSB sheathing, carpet, and particleboard are always demolished — they cannot be safely dried and decontaminated from Category 3 water. Contents: hard non-porous materials (glass, ceramic, metal, hard plastics) may be cleaned and disinfected. Soft goods (upholstered furniture, mattresses, clothing that cannot be laundered on high heat) are typically total losses. Electronics submerged in salt water (common with storm surge from the ocean or estuaries) are almost always total losses.

Mold can begin growing in storm surge-saturated building materials within 24–48 hours in Florida's climate. Storm surge water introduces significant microbial loading from outside water sources — including mold spores from multiple environments. Combined with Florida's summer temperatures (78–95°F) and the moisture content of saturated drywall and insulation, mold growth conditions are essentially optimal the moment the surge recedes. This is why demolition of Category 3-contaminated materials must begin as quickly as access is safe (storm has passed, structure is safe to enter, electrical is off). Attempting to dry Category 3 storm surge materials in place is both ineffective and hazardous — the protocol is removal, not drying.