Hurricane Prep 10 min read· Mar 14, 2026

How to prepare your home before hurricane season

Pre-June checklist: roof, openings, documents, evacuation. Calm, not panic.

Florida's home insurance market behaves differently from the rest of the country. Coverage availability, renewal logic and underwriting all depend on a handful of property characteristics — and hurricane is usually near the top of the list.

In this guide we'll walk through what underwriters actually look at, what's negotiable, and which steps consistently move the needle for Florida homeowners.

Why this matters in Florida

More than 11 carriers exited the Florida market between 2021 and 2024. The carriers that remain underwrite tightly — small flags now create renewal risk that wouldn't have triggered a phone call five years ago.

What underwriters actually evaluate

Roof age, material and remaining useful life
Wind mitigation credits and inspection recency
4-point pass/fail status — electrical, plumbing, HVAC, roof
Open claims and prior loss history
Distance to coast and FEMA flood zone classification

FAQs

Most concepts apply, but condo HO-6 policies and the master association policy have different rules. We cover both in the Insurance Education category.

What to do next

Upload your declaration page and most recent wind mitigation inspection in the Document Analyzer. You'll get a property-specific report with concrete next steps.

HomeShield Editorial

The HomeShield editorial team is composed of former insurance underwriters, public adjusters and Florida homeowners writing without sponsorship from carriers or contractors.