For families who own significant homes in Florida, hurricane season is not a single event. It is a six-month stretch from June 1 through November 30 that rewards those who prepare early and calmly. The 2024 season made that clear: Hurricanes Helene and Milton generated more than 436,000 insurance claims in Florida and nearly $5.2 billion in reported payouts, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Many of the homes behind those numbers were well built and well cared for. What separated a difficult season from a devastating one was often the planning that happened months before the first watch was issued.
At Eton Bridge, we believe preparation is a form of care, for your home, your family, and the legacy you have built. This checklist reflects the conversations we have with our private clients every spring.
Before the Season: Review Your Coverage With Fresh Eyes
The most important hurricane decisions are made long before a storm forms. Once a hurricane watch is issued for your area, insurers generally stop accepting new policies or coverage increases, so changes must be in place well ahead of time.
- Confirm your dwelling limit reflects today’s rebuilding cost. Custom millwork, imported stone, impact glass, and specialized trades have become far more expensive. A limit set even three years ago may fall short. Ask whether your policy includes guaranteed or extended replacement cost.
- Know your hurricane deductible in dollars. Florida hurricane deductibles are typically 2 to 10 percent of the dwelling limit. On a $4 million home, a 5 percent deductible is $200,000. That should be a planned number, not a surprise.
- Verify flood coverage. Standard homeowners policies exclude flood. Most National Flood Insurance Program policies take 30 days to begin, and NFIP building coverage stops at $250,000, far below the value of most luxury homes. We review private and excess flood options with every Florida client.
- Check additional living expense. If your home is uninhabitable after a storm, your policy should cover a comparable residence, not simply a hotel room, for as long as the rebuild realistically takes.
- Schedule valuables. Fine art, jewelry, wine, and collectibles should be individually scheduled with current appraisals so a claim is settled at agreed value.
Protecting the Home Itself
Insurers reward homes that are built and maintained to resist wind. Many of these improvements also earn wind mitigation credits that reduce premiums.
- Install impact-rated windows and doors or keep a tested shutter system, and practice deploying it before you need it.
- Have the roof inspected each spring, including flashing, tile attachment, and secondary water barriers.
- Reinforce garage doors, which are often the weakest point in a wind-driven storm.
- Trim trees and remove dead limbs well away from the roofline and pool cage.
- Service your standby generator, confirm its fuel supply, and make sure it is installed and vented safely.
- Keep a current wind mitigation inspection on file. It supports both your premium and your claim.
Document Everything Before the Storm
A thorough record of your home is one of the most valuable tools in a claim. Walk every room with video each spring, opening closets and cabinets. Photograph exterior elevations, the roof, landscaping, outdoor kitchens, and docks. Store the files in the cloud along with appraisals, receipts, and your policy documents. When adjusters are overwhelmed after a major storm, a well-documented claim moves faster and is far less likely to be disputed.
Vehicles, Yachts, and Aircraft
Hurricanes threaten more than the main residence. Collector and exotic cars should be moved to a secure, elevated garage or relocated out of the storm path. Yacht policies often require a written hurricane plan, and failing to follow it can jeopardize coverage. We cover this in detail in our guide to yacht insurance and named storms. Aircraft owners should coordinate hangar arrangements or relocation flights early, before airports close.
When a Storm Is Approaching
- Secure outdoor furniture, sculptures, and planters, which become projectiles in high wind.
- Move art and valuables away from windows and off lower floors if flooding is possible.
- Turn off and protect pool equipment, and lower but do not drain the pool.
- Coordinate with your household staff and property manager, and confirm who will check the home after the storm.
- Follow evacuation orders. No property is worth a family member’s safety.
After the Storm: Let Us Carry the Weight
When it is safe to return, photograph all damage before cleaning up, make temporary repairs to prevent further loss, and keep receipts. Then call your advisor. At Eton Bridge, our role does not end when the policy is issued. We help our clients report claims promptly, coordinate with adjusters, connect them with reputable restoration specialists, and advocate for a fair and timely settlement. You should not have to navigate that process alone.
Preparing Your Household Team
For families with house managers, caretakers, and household staff, a hurricane plan is only as strong as the people carrying it out. We recommend a written, shared plan that answers a few simple questions: who installs shutters and when, who moves vehicles and valuables, who has authority to authorize emergency repairs, and how everyone will communicate if power and cell service are lost. Store contact information for your advisor, restoration contractors, roofers, and your property manager in a printed binder as well as on phones. A short pre-season walkthrough with your team can save hours of confusion when a storm is approaching.
Special Considerations for Older and Historic Homes
Many of Florida’s most beautiful homes, from Palm Beach estates to historic Coral Gables residences, were built long before today’s wind codes. These homes can still be strong and insurable, but they deserve extra attention. Roof-to-wall connections, original windows, and older electrical systems should be evaluated. If the home must be rebuilt after a storm, current codes may require upgrades that standard policies cover only partially, so ordinance or law coverage becomes especially important. Historic preservation requirements may also affect the materials and methods used in repairs.
A Plan Built Around Your Life
Every estate, collection, and family is different. If you would like a hurricane-season review of your home, flood, auto, yacht, and aviation coverage, request a private client review and we will build a plan that protects what you have worked so hard to create.
Sources
Flood Insurance for High-Value Florida Homes: Why NFIP Limits Are Not Enough
