Hurricane Season Preparation Checklist

Before the season (before June 1)

• Schedule an annual review of all your policies with your licensed agent before June, not during a storm watch.
• Confirm your dwelling limit reflects today's rebuilding cost: residential reconstruction costs rose 25.9% from March 2020 to May 2023.
• Look up your evacuation zone with your county emergency management office and decide where the family will go.
• Name one family member as coordinator and an out-of-area contact everyone can call.
• If you made wind-resistant improvements, request a new wind mitigation inspection; the official form is valid up to five years if there are no material changes.
• Service your generator and test battery-powered or battery-backup carbon monoxide detectors.

Policies and documents

• Read the declarations page of every policy: named insureds, limits, deductibles and endorsements.
• Convert your hurricane deductible into dollars. As a hypothetical example, 2% of a $2,000,000 dwelling limit is $40,000. Plan for that liquidity.
• Confirm you have a flood policy in force for both building and contents. Remember the NFIP's 30-day waiting period.
• If your home's value exceeds NFIP limits ($250,000 building, $100,000 contents), ask about an excess flood policy.
• Check your ordinance or law coverage (in Florida, insurers must offer 25% or 50% of the dwelling limit) and your loss of use limit.
• Make a room-by-room photo and video inventory with serial numbers, receipts and appraisals. Store it in the cloud.
• Keep digital copies of your policies and the claims phone numbers for each insurer and your agent somewhere you can reach from your phone.

The house

• Test your hurricane shutters or opening protection; label panels, store hardware together and time how long installation takes.
• Inspect the roof, flashing and gutters, and trim trees near the house.
• Plan where to store outdoor furniture, planters and sculptures that could become projectiles.
• Generator: per the CDC, never use it inside the home, basement or garage, or less than 20 feet from any window, door or vent.
• Do not plug a portable generator into a wall outlet; ask a licensed electrician about proper installation.
• Make sure the adults in the home know how to shut off the main water valve and the electricity.

Boats

• Read the hurricane provisions of your marine policy; many require a written plan and may carry a special named storm deductible.
• Review your marina contract: whether it requires removing the boat before a storm, whether it must be an additional insured, and what liability you assume.
• Reserve haul-out or dry storage space early, because demand rises when a storm approaches.
• Put in writing who will move the boat if you are traveling, and confirm that person meets the policy's conditions.
• Photograph the boat, engines, electronics and equipment, including serial numbers.
• If you plan to move the boat to another area, confirm the destination is within your navigation limits.

Cars and collections

• Confirm your cars carry comprehensive coverage: flood or falling-tree damage is typically claimed there, not under the homeowners policy.
• Plan where to move the cars, especially classics, to higher or sheltered ground.
• Verify that important jewelry, art and watches are scheduled and that appraisals are current.
• For art, plan how to move works away from windows and lower floors, and discuss off-site storage options with a conservator.
• Ask whether your collections policy covers pieces while in transit or stored elsewhere.
• If you have a wine cellar or other temperature-sensitive pieces, plan for a power outage that lasts several days.

When a storm forms

• Buying flood insurance now is usually too late: the NFIP waiting period is 30 days, and many insurers typically suspend new policies or changes when a storm threatens.
• Follow National Hurricane Center advisories and your county's orders; if you are told to evacuate, evacuate.
• Record an updated video of the house, inside and out, before putting up protection.
• Carry out the boat plan early; moving a boat in high winds is dangerous.
• Coordinate with household staff and release them early enough to protect their own families.
• Charge phones and batteries, and take documents, medications and your list of policy numbers with you.

After the storm

• Safety first: return only when authorities allow it, stay away from downed lines and do not drive through flooded streets.
• Document the damage with photos and video before cleaning up, except what is urgent for safety or to prevent further damage.
• Take reasonable steps to prevent further damage, such as tarping the roof or extracting water, and keep every receipt.
• Notify your insurers promptly. Florida law allows one year from the loss to give notice of a property claim (18 months for a supplemental claim), but policies typically ask for prompt notice.
• Remember that flood and wind may be separate claims, with different policies, deductibles and deadlines.
• Before signing, verify contractor licenses with Florida DBPR and any public adjuster's license with Florida DFS.
• Keep a log of every call, email, visit and payment related to the claim.

This checklist is educational and general. It does not guarantee coverage or replace official instructions or the terms of your policy. Review your coverages, deductibles and deadlines with your own licensed insurance agent, and legal or tax questions with your attorney or CPA.