🌀 Buyers & sellers
Insurance OnThe Coast
Coastal Florida insurance is manageable once you know its four moving parts: a percentage-based hurricane deductible you choose, a wind-mitigation inspection whose credits can cut premiums 20–45%, a roof whose age drives which carriers will even quote, and a separate flood policy that no homeowners policy replaces. Shop quotes the week you go under contract — never the week of closing.
Educational guide, not legal, tax, or lending advice. Figures are typical for our Florida markets — programs, rates, and rules change, so verify current numbers with your lender, title company, or county.
The six things to understand
The hurricane deductible is a percentage
Florida policies carry a separate hurricane deductible — typically 2%, 5%, or 10% of your dwelling coverage, not a flat number. On a $400,000 dwelling limit, a 2% hurricane deductible is $8,000 out of pocket before coverage starts. It applies per named-storm season, and choosing it is the biggest lever on your premium.
Wind mitigation = real discounts
A ~$150 wind-mitigation inspection documents your roof shape (hips beat gables), how the roof is attached (clips vs. straps), roof-deck nailing, and opening protection (impact windows/shutters). The credits are mandated by Florida law and routinely cut premiums 20–45% on qualifying homes.
Roof age is underwriting destiny
Most carriers hesitate on shingle roofs older than about 15 years and metal/tile past 25–40. Florida law now protects roofs with 5+ years of remaining life from being declined solely on age, but in practice a newer roof means more carriers, better rates. Buyers: price the roof into your offer. Sellers: a new roof is often the highest-ROI pre-listing project.
Four-point inspections for older homes
Homes roughly 30–40+ years old need a four-point inspection (roof, electrical, plumbing, HVAC) before most carriers will bind. Deal-killers are predictable: certain older electrical panels, polybutylene plumbing, and roofs at end of life. Knowing this before you list — or offer — prevents ugly surprises in escrow.
Citizens is the safety net, not the goal
Citizens Property Insurance is Florida's state-backed insurer of last resort. It works, with caveats: coverage caps, eligibility rules, and 'depopulation' offers that can move you to a private carrier. A good independent agent shops the private market first — and on the Space Coast, plenty of homes place privately with the right mitigation documentation.
Flood is ALWAYS a separate policy
No Florida homeowners policy covers rising water — storm surge included. Flood coverage comes from the NFIP or private flood carriers, and lenders require it in high-risk zones. Even in an X zone it can be cheap enough to be a no-brainer.
See exposure town by town
Our interactive map rates every town we serve on a 1–5 insurance-exposure scale — barrier-island wind pricing versus inland-friendly rates — alongside flood zones, prices, and schools. It's the fastest way to feel the insurance gradient across the Space Coast and Central Florida before you fall for a house.
Open the map's insurance layer →Frequently asked questions
How much is homeowners insurance in coastal Florida?
It varies more by roof, construction, and distance to the coast than any statewide average suggests. As planning numbers across our markets: inland Central Florida homes often run roughly $1,900–$2,500 a year, mainland coastal $2,500–$3,500, and barrier-island homes $4,000–$5,500+ — with wind-mitigation credits and a newer roof moving any of those substantially.
When should I get insurance quotes when buying?
The same week you go under contract. The quote feeds your lender’s escrow math and debt-to-income approval, older homes may need four-point and wind-mitigation inspections to bind, and you must have coverage bound before closing. Waiting is the most common self-inflicted delay in coastal escrows.
What is a wind mitigation inspection and is it worth it?
A short inspection (~$100–$175) that documents your home’s wind-resistant features for insurer credits mandated by Florida law. On coastal homes the credits routinely repay the inspection cost many times over every single year. If you buy a home with impact windows or a newer roof, get one immediately.
Does homeowners insurance cover hurricanes?
Wind damage from hurricanes, yes — subject to your separate percentage-based hurricane deductible. Rising water (storm surge or rain flooding), no — that requires a separate flood policy regardless of who insures the home.
Why did the seller’s insurance quote differ so much from mine?
Premiums are priced to the policyholder and the current book of business, not inherited: their policy may predate rate changes, carry different deductibles, or reflect mitigation credits they documented and you haven’t yet. Get your own quotes early and re-run them after a wind-mitigation inspection.
Is insurance cheaper for condos?
Your personal HO-6 policy is usually cheap ($400–$1,500) because the association’s master policy covers the building shell — but you pay your share of the master premium through association fees, which have risen with Florida’s post-Surfside reserve requirements. Review both when budgeting.
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