How to Shop Homeowners Insurance in Florida (2026)

Florida's insurance market is unlike any other state. Premiums jumped 40%–120% since 2021 and many national carriers have left the state. Here's what to compare, what FL-specific traps to avoid, and how to cut your premium.

What Makes FL Insurance Shopping Different

Most state-level insurance shopping advice doesn't apply to Florida. The state's unique factors:

• Most national carriers have left FL — State Farm, Farmers, Nationwide, and others have reduced or eliminated FL homeowners coverage. You're working with FL-admitted carriers you may never have heard of.
• FL Citizens Insurance is the insurer of last resort — state-backed, politically managed rates, currently in a depopulation (take-out) process pushing policyholders to private carriers.
• Separate hurricane/windstorm deductibles — your standard deductible ($1,000, $2,500) applies to most claims; a separate hurricane deductible (often 2%–5% of insured value) kicks in for named storm damage. On a $350K home at 2%, that's a $7,000 deductible before your carrier pays anything for hurricane damage.
• Four-point inspection required by many FL carriers for homes 10+ years old before they'll write or renew coverage.

The 5 Things to Compare When Shopping FL Insurance

1. Dwelling Coverage (Coverage A)

This covers the cost to rebuild your home. Make sure it's set to replacement cost value (RCV), not actual cash value (ACV). ACV pays what your structure is worth after depreciation — which is often far less than what it costs to rebuild. In FL's current construction market, rebuilding a 2,000 sq ft home costs $200–$350/sq ft, so a $400,000 insured value on a $500K home may not be enough.

Get an "extended replacement cost" endorsement if available — it covers overages up to 25%–50% above your dwelling limit if construction costs spike after a disaster (they did after every major FL hurricane).

2. Hurricane/Windstorm Deductible

This is the most important FL-specific comparison and the most commonly misunderstood by new FL buyers. Your policy likely has TWO deductibles:

• All-peril deductible: $500–$2,500 flat (applies to fire, theft, water damage, etc.)
• Hurricane/windstorm deductible: 1%–5% of insured dwelling value (applies when a named hurricane causes damage)

On a $400,000 insured dwelling, a 2% hurricane deductible = $8,000 you pay before insurance contributes. A 5% deductible = $20,000. When comparing policies, you're not comparing one number — you're comparing two deductible structures.

3. Loss of Use / Additional Living Expenses

If your FL home is uninhabitable after a storm, this coverage pays for temporary housing and living expenses. In FL's hotel-scarce post-hurricane environment, this matters. Standard is $20,000–$50,000 or 20%–30% of dwelling coverage. Make sure it's adequate for FL hotel/rental rates (easily $3,000–$5,000/month).

4. Water Damage Coverage

A critical FL distinction: most homeowners policies cover sudden, accidental water damage (burst pipe, AC overflow) but NOT flood damage. Flood insurance is a separate policy through NFIP or private insurers. Make sure you understand which water events your policy covers. Some FL policies also exclude "seepage" and slow leaks — read the exclusions section.

5. Carrier Financial Stability (A.M. Best Rating)

With so many smaller FL-admitted carriers, financial stability matters. After a major hurricane, your carrier needs to actually pay claims. Check every carrier's A.M. Best rating before binding. A- or higher is solid; below B++ is a concern. Several FL carriers have gone insolvent after major storm seasons — Florida Insurance Guaranty Association (FIGA) provides some protection for insolvent carriers, but the claims process is slow.

How to Save on FL Homeowners Insurance

Get a Wind Mitigation Inspection

This is the single highest-ROI action most FL homeowners can take. A licensed FL inspector evaluates your roof shape (hip vs gable), roof-to-wall connections, opening protection (impact windows/doors, rated shutters), and roof covering. A strong report can reduce your windstorm/hurricane premium 20%–40%. Cost: $100–$200. It pays for itself in the first month of premium savings on most FL homes.

Get a 4-Point Inspection

Required by many FL carriers for homes 10+ years old. It covers four systems: HVAC, electrical panel (no Federal Pacific or aluminum wiring — these are red flags), plumbing (no polybutylene), and roof. A clean 4-point report keeps you in the standard market; problems may make certain carriers decline to write coverage. Cost: $75–$150. If inspected during a home purchase, this report can be reused for insurance shopping.

Raise Your All-Peril Deductible

Going from a $1,000 to a $2,500 all-peril deductible typically saves 10%–15% on the non-hurricane portion of your premium. Since you shouldn't be filing small claims anyway (each claim raises your rate and can trigger non-renewal in FL's fragile market), a higher deductible makes sense for most FL homeowners with adequate savings.

Bundle Home + Auto

If your insurer writes both home and auto, bundling typically saves 10%–20%. Note: given how many FL-specific home carriers don't write auto policies, this option may be limited — but verify before buying from separate carriers.

New Roof Discount

FL carriers heavily discount for newer roofs. A new roof can cut your premium by 20%–35% and may be the difference between finding coverage at all (some carriers won't insure roofs over 15 years on asphalt shingle). If your roof is aging, know that carriers may begin non-renewing coverage — get ahead of it.

Citizens Insurance vs. Private Market: What to Know

Frequently Asked Questions