Whittel & Melton Citrus County Storm and Hurricane Insurance Claim Attorneys

2020 is one of the most active storm seasons ever in the waters around the State of Florida, the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.

Storm Deductible Confusion?!

In Florida, property insurance policies have two types of deductibles: a standard one for most losses and a separate one for hurricanes. The standard deductible applies to most covered events, while the hurricane deductible only applies to named hurricanes.

The most recent major hurricanes to hit Florida were Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018, Hurricane Sally on September 16, 2020, and Hurricane Zeta on October 28, 2020. Hurricane deductibles are usually 2-3% of the home insurance limit, significantly higher than standard deductibles for other claims.

In November 2020, the Eta storm initially started as a Tropical Storm in South Florida counties like Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach County, but later evolved into a Hurricane before reverting back to a Tropical Storm as it moved across Florida.

Don’t Get Fooled by Your Insurance Company!

First, an insurer may wrongly apply a hurricane deductible to your claim for a tropical storm. Second, insurers in Florida often advise customers not to file a claim unless the damage exceeds the hurricane deductible, which is not good advice.

As the policyholder, it’s not your responsibility to know the exact damage immediately after a storm. Many Floridians have been told it’s too late to file a claim after initially being advised not to do so.

If you have an Insurance claim related to a Citrus County Storm or Hurricane, call us at 352-726-0078. We can help determine the applicable deductible, assess the damage, and guide you through the insurance claim process.