2026

You Think Your Home Is Insured for Market Value. It’s Not. When homeowners think about value, they usually think in terms of the real estate market. Insurance does not. Market value reflects land, location, demand, neighborhood trends, and what a buyer is willing to pay. Those factors matter when selling a home, but they do not determine how much insurance coverage you need. Home insurance...

Florida Homeowners Are Facing $10,000 Deductibles. Here Is Why Many Florida homeowners are surprised to learn that their deductible is not a fixed dollar amount. Instead, most policies include a percentage-based hurricane deductible. This means the deductible is calculated as a percentage of the insured value of the home. For a property insured at $500,000 with a two percent deductible, the...

The Cheap Policy Trap: Why Saving $800 Could Cost You $80,000 Most homeowners believe they are protected simply because they have an insurance policy in place. In reality, many policies are structured in ways that significantly limit what is paid during a claim. The result is that homeowners often discover coverage gaps only after damage has already occurred. Actual Cash Value vs. Replacement...

Vacant Homes Are a Target and Your Insurance May Not Cover the Damage An empty home creates a different level of risk that many homeowners do not fully understand. In Florida, this situation is common with second homes, renovations, and properties between tenants. Most policies define a home as vacant after a period of time without regular occupancy, often around 30 to 60 days. Once a home is...

You Filed One Claim and Now You Are a High RiskHomeowner You Filed One Claim and Now You Are a High Risk Homeowner Most people believe insurance works in a simple way. You pay your premium, something happens, you file a claim, and the policy responds. What they do not understand is what happens after the claim is closed. In today’s market, especially in Florida, a single claim can change how...

Why Insurance Companies Are Leaving Florida (And What It Means for You) Florida homeowners have been hearing it more and more: Insurance companies are pulling out of the state. But what does that actually mean — and why is it happening? What’s Really Happening Over the past several years, a number of insurance carriers have reduced their exposure in Florida or stopped writing new policies...

Flood Insurance in Florida: What’s Not Covered (And Why Most Homeowners Get This Wrong) Most Florida homeowners think they’re protected from water damage. They’re not. One of the biggest misconceptions in Florida insurance is this: a standard homeowners policy does not cover flood damage. What Counts as a Flood? In insurance terms, a flood is not just a hurricane or storm surge. Rising water from...

Do You Need Flood Insurance If You’re Not in a Flood Zone? (Most People Do) One of the most common assumptions Florida homeowners make is this: “I’m not in a flood zone, so I don’t need flood insurance.” That assumption is wrong more often than people realize. What “Not in a Flood Zone” Actually Means Flood zones are based on mapping, historical data, and probability — not certainty. Being...

Florida’s Roof Age Rule: Why Your Insurance Can Be Dropped Overnight For many Florida homeowners, the roof is no longer just a maintenance issue — it is an insurance issue. And in today’s market, roof age can directly affect whether you keep your coverage, how much you pay, and whether a carrier is willing to renew your policy at all. Why Roof Age Matters So Much in Florida Florida roofs take...