Short answer: Most Florida homeowners insurance policies cover sudden, accidental damage to siding from named perils like wind, hail, and impact — subject to your deductible. They generally do not cover gradual deterioration, wear-and-tear, or pre-existing damage. The details matter, and your specific policy is what controls.
What’s usually covered
- Wind damage from named storms and severe thunderstorms
- Hail damage
- Impact damage from falling trees or wind-blown debris
- Sudden water intrusion caused by covered storm damage
What’s usually not covered
- Old siding finally failing from age, sun, and humidity
- Long-term water damage from a slow leak nobody noticed
- Damage that existed before the policy started
- Cosmetic-only damage on some carriers’ policies (read the fine print)
Hurricane deductibles are different
Florida policies typically have a separate, higher hurricane deductible — often 2%, 5%, or even 10% of the home’s insured value. That’s a lot of money. Before you file a hurricane claim, do the math: if your hurricane deductible is $20,000 and your damage is $8,000, there’s no claim to file.
How to document a claim
- Take photos and videos of the damage as soon as it’s safe.
- Save any debris that caused the damage if you can do so safely.
- Get a written scope and photo file from a licensed local contractor.
- Report the claim to your carrier promptly.
- Be available for the adjuster visit and provide your contractor’s documentation.
- Keep a paper trail of everything in writing — texts, emails, notes from phone calls.
Red flags to avoid
- Anyone offering to “waive your deductible” — illegal in many states
- Anyone asking you to sign an Assignment of Benefits without understanding what it does
- Door-to-door storm chasers with no local presence
- Big upfront deposits before any work or written contract
Our role
We don’t file claims for homeowners and we don’t practice public adjusting. What we do is provide a clear, accurate, photo-documented scope of the damage and the repair — the kind of document an adjuster can actually work from. From there, the claim is between you and your carrier.
If you’d like a free, no-obligation inspection after a storm, we’re happy to come out and tell you straight what we’re seeing.