Bobby Garon: Florida Homeowners Should Review Their Flood Insurance Before Hurricane Season Ends

As the Atlantic hurricane season runs through November 30 and federal flood insurance is authorized only through December 11, Naples, Florida-based finance and insurance professional Bobby Garon says Florida homeowners should check their flood and hurricane coverage now.

Naples, Fla., Nov. 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bobby Garon, a Naples, Florida-based finance and insurance professional, is urging Florida homeowners to review their flood and hurricane coverage following Hurricane Isaias, which made landfall near Destin last month as a Category 2 hurricane.

“Isaias hit the Panhandle, and the rest of us in Florida should take it as a nudge to pull out our policies,” said Bobby Garon. “Most homeowners policies leave out flood, and the time to find that out is before the water arrives.” Garon outlined in more detail what to check in his recent blog post: Florida Flood Insurance After Hurricane Isaias, and What to Check Before Hurricane Season Ends. The Atlantic hurricane season runs through November 30, and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is authorized only through December 11.

What Did Hurricane Isaias Mean for Florida Homeowners?
Newsweek reported that Isaias was the first hurricane to strike the continental United States since Milton in 2024. According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), insurers had reported about $652 million in estimated insured losses across more than 62,000 claims of all types as of October 27. Garon says his thoughts are with the Panhandle families still recovering.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Flood Damage in Florida?
Most residential homeowners insurance policies exclude flood damage, according to the OIR. This means that flood protection must be bought separately through the NFIP or a private flood insurer. OIR also lists flood damage outside standard homeowners’ coverage among the common reasons a claim closes without payment, and after Hurricane Helene (in 2024) those denials made up 20 percent of the claims closed without payment.

What Does Florida Flood Insurance Cost, and How Long Does It Take to Start?
The average NFIP policy in Florida costs $1,421 a year. According to FEMA, NFIP coverage for a single-family home is available up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for contents, and a new policy typically has a 30-day waiting period before it goes into effect. Homeowners whose rebuilding costs exceed those limits can ask their agent about private or excess flood coverage.

“Flood insurance belongs in the monthly budget from the start,” Garon said. “With the typical 30-day waiting period, a policy bought once a storm is already forming won’t be in place in time to help.”

What Happens If the NFIP Lapses After December 11?
Congress has extended the NFIP’s authorization through December 11, 2026, according to the Congressional Research Service. After that date, the authority to issue new flood insurance contracts expires unless Congress reauthorizes the program, and policies already in force continue through the end of their policy term. When the program lapsed for 43 days in the fall of 2025, no new federal flood policies were sold or renewed, the Insurance Journal reported. Private flood insurers operate outside the NFIP.

“If you’ve been meaning to get a flood quote, the waiting period and the December 11 deadline are two reasons to call your agent this month,” Garon said.

What Is a Hurricane Deductible, and What Does Yours Come To in Dollars?
Florida law requires insurers to offer hurricane deductible options of $500, 2 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent of the policy’s dwelling limit, with some exceptions for higher-value homes, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services. On a home with a $500,000 dwelling limit, a 2 percent deductible is $10,000 and a 10 percent deductible is $50,000. OIR data show that 3,931 residential property claims from Isaias had been closed without payment as of October 27 because the damage fell below the deductible. Garon covered deductibles and coverage limits in Insurance Basics Everyone Should Understand.

“Ask your agent what your hurricane deductible comes to in dollars,” Garon said. “Depending on the option you chose, that number can run into the tens of thousands, and you want to know it before a storm is in the Gulf.”

What Florida Homeowners Should Do Next
Garon recommends bringing three questions to your agent before November 30:

1. Ask if you have flood coverage and at what limit
2. Find out what your hurricane deductible comes to in dollars
3. Inquire whether your dwelling limit matches what it would cost to rebuild today.

He also suggests walking through the house with your phone to video your belongings and saving a copy to the cloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does homeowners’ insurance cover flood damage in Florida?
Most residential homeowners policies exclude flood damage, according to OIR. Flood coverage is bought separately through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood insurer.

How long is the waiting period for new flood insurance?
FEMA says a new NFIP policy typically has a 30-day waiting period before it goes into effect.

What happens if the NFIP lapses after December 11?
The authority to issue new flood insurance contracts expires until Congress reauthorizes the program, and policies already in force continue through the end of their policy term.

What is a hurricane deductible?
It is a separate deductible for hurricane damage, set as a percentage of the policy’s dwelling limit. Florida law requires insurers to offer options of $500, 2 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent, with some exceptions for higher-value homes.

When does hurricane season end?
NOAA says the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.

About Bobby Garon
Bobby Garon is a finance and insurance professional based in Naples, Florida, where he lives with his wife and infant son. He holds FINRA Series 6, Series 63, and Securities Industry Essentials (SIE) licenses, along with Florida Life and Annuity and Property & Casualty insurance licenses. His professional experience includes client-facing roles at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Morgan Stanley, as well as work as a Licensed Commercial and Personal Lines Insurance Advisor at Brown & Brown Insurance. He writes about financial education, leadership, personal growth, family, and community involvement on his website bobbygaron.com, as well as on Substack and Medium. His licenses and employment history can be independently verified through FINRA BrokerCheck.

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Bobby Garon
(954) 400-6145
liammg99@gmail.com