Florida Home Insurance for Natural Disasters

Florida home insurance is required by mortgage lenders, and it is rightfully so. Given the frequency of natural disasters such as flooding, hurricanes and tropical storms in the state, it is in the best interest of both lenders and borrowers to have adequate Florida home insurance coverage. Because of the geographic location of the state, Florida home insurance law requires that all Florida home insurance policies must cover sinkholes in addition to the basic protection against wind, hail, smoke, fire, lightning, falling objects, explosions, vandalism and burglary.

Depending on where in the state you live, Florida home insurance companies may consider you to have high-risk property. For instance, if you live in an area that has had repeated flooding, or if you live on the coast and are susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms, most Florida home insurance will charge much higher premiums to compensate for their high pay-out rates. Florida home insurance policyholders can expect large premium increases after they file weather-related claims, or if they live in areas that have been repeatedly damaged by natural disasters in recent times.

In Florida, it is extremely important to have flood insurance. Flood insurance must be purchased separately from your regular Florida home insurance, because flood insurance rates are regulated by the federal government. You can purchase flood insurance through your regular Florida home insurance company, or you can purchase it directly from the National Flood Insurance Program. The NFIP is a part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. FEMA is responsible for regulating all of the nation’s flood insurance rates, and for ensuring that claims are handled in an honest timely manner by private Florida home insurance companies.

When deciding on a flood insurance policy, you should consider the private Florida home insurance company’s record on handling claims quickly in the past. Because rates are set by the government, you can base your decision on factors other than cost. Research the Florida home insurance company’s reputation with its policyholders, and find the Florida home insurance company that provides the best customer service.

Before you purchase any type of Florida home insurance policy, it is important for you to know exactly what is covered and what is not. For instance, some Florida home insurance companies put elimination clauses in their policies to exclude coverage of certain types of items, like expensive art or music and collections. If you have an expensive and valuable collection that you would like to be insured by a Florida home insurance company, you may be able to add a rider to your policy. Some Florida home insurance companies will insure collections for an extra charge on your monthly premium.

You should also keep track of additions to your property, and you should make adjustments to your Florida home insurance accordingly. For instance, if you purchase a new expensive stereo system, you should remember to add it to your property list so you will be able to report it to your Florida home insurance company in the event of its loss.

________________________________________________________

Finding Florida insurance is easy!! Use our free quote system to instantly compare Florida  homeowners insurance in minutes. Using the "free quote" box above compares 1000's of local agents for free.