Wind vs. flood in South Florida: why your HO-3 does not cover the surge

A standard homeowners form is built for fire, theft, liability, and many kinds of sudden damage. In Florida it is also built around wind — with a separate hurricane deductible, often 2% or 5% of the dwelling limit. On a $500,000 Coverage A, a 5% hurricane deductible is $25,000 out of pocket before the carrier pays the roof.

That deductible is not the same as your $2,500 all-other-perils deductible. A tree through the lanai in March is one number. A named storm in September is the other. We put both on the quote so September is not a surprise.

Homeowners policies exclude flood. Storm surge, overflow of a canal, a king-tide backup that enters the house from the ground — those are flood. Rain through a wind-torn roof can be a wind claim. Water that rises from the bay is not. The difference is the source, and adjusters are trained on that sentence.

Palmetto Bay sits with canals and low lots. Doral has drainage that fails when the rain is vertical for an hour. Both zip codes buy flood as a separate policy: NFIP, or a private flood market we place next to it. The house policy will not quietly pick it up.

Florida lets carriers use hurricane deductibles as a percentage of dwelling. Lower percentage, higher premium. We quote 2% and 5% when the market allows. A family that can fund $10,000 but not $25,000 should not buy 5% because it looks cheaper on an annual bill.

Some policies apply the hurricane deductible once per season, some per event. The form matters. So does whether a tropical storm that was never a hurricane still triggers it. We read the form instead of repeating a slogan.

Carriers in South Florida underwrite the roof like it is the whole house — because for wind, it is. Age, material, permit history, and whether the roof was done to current Miami-Dade code will move you between markets, or out of them. A 15-year shingle roof is a different appetite than a 4-year metal roof with a permit we can pull.

If you are shopping because a renewal doubled, bring photos, the roof invoice, and the last four-point if you have it. We do not guess the year from the street.

Home and flood should be read together. Dwelling limit on the HO-3, building limit on flood, contents on both, loss-of-use on the home side, additional living expense that flood may treat differently. Elevation certificates change flood price. They do not change wind price.

Start a quote for home. We will tell you if the flood conversation has to happen the same day — which, in most of Miami-Dade, it does.