Best Ways to Prepare Your Home Before Hurricane Season

Published by Adjusterman LLC, a licensed Florida public adjusting firm. We don’t sell or earn commissions on anything listed here.

Updated September 23, 2026

The National Hurricane Center’s official Atlantic season runs from June 1 to November 30, and NHC climatology puts the peak around September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. The National Weather Service puts it simply: the best time to prepare is before the season begins.

Most checklists stop at water, batteries and shutters. Those matter, and they are on this list. But in Florida the insurance side of preparation is just as important, because the evidence that settles a claim has to exist before the storm arrives. A policy you have never read, a deductible you have never converted into dollars, and a house with no “before” photos are all problems you can fix in an afternoon in May and cannot fix in October.

The twelve steps below are grouped roughly in the order we would do them: know your risk, harden the house, line up the paperwork, then stock up and write the plan.

How we put this list together

We chose these steps from the official guidance Floridians are pointed to most often: the Florida Division of Emergency Management (floridadisaster.org), the National Hurricane Center, Ready.gov and FEMA’s flood program. Then we added the insurance steps a Florida public adjuster sees missed most often, each tied to the statute or official form behind it.

Nothing here is a product recommendation, and we do not earn anything from any link. Government programs are described from their own sites and statutes; see the note at the end of the page on affiliation.

The list

1. 1. Know your evacuation zone, and whether your home is one to shelter in

   Best for: Everyone, first

   Tool

   Know Your Zone map (FDEM)

   Leading hurricane killer

   Storm surge (NHC)

   The Florida Division of Emergency Management’s Know Your Zone map tells you whether your address sits in a lettered evacuation zone. Zone A is typically the most vulnerable and the first to be ordered out. The National Hurricane Center calls storm surge the leading cause of hurricane fatalities, and its storm surge risk maps show that surge can reach many miles inland in some areas.

   FDEM’s guidance is direct: if you are in an ordered evacuation zone, a low-lying flood area or a mobile home, follow evacuation orders. If you are not, sheltering at home may be an option, which is why the rest of this list is about making the house able to take it. FDEM notes that homes built after 2002 generally include features that make them more resilient.

   Consider checking every year, as FDEM advises, even if you have lived at the address for a long time.

   floridadisaster.org

2. 2. Protect the openings: windows, doors and the garage door

   Best for: The house

   Five critical areas (FDEM)

   Roof, straps, windows, doors, garage doors

   Minimum covering FDEM names

   Rated shutters or properly secured 5/8" plywood

   FDEM calls protecting “the areas where wind can enter” the most important precaution you can take. Its Planning for Your Home page says windows, doors and garage doors should be impact resistant or have a protective covering, such as rated hurricane shutters or properly secured 5/8" plywood.

   The garage door deserves special attention. The IBHS FORTIFIED program explains that wind and pressure entering through a failed garage door commonly lead to blown-out walls and collapsed roofs, which is why its standard requires pressure-rated garage doors, and impact-rated ones with windows in hurricane-prone areas.

   If you are choosing between systems, our comparison of hurricane shutters and impact windows walks through each type and how it is recorded on the state wind mitigation form.

   Consider pre-cutting, labeling and test-fitting any panels or plywood now, while stores are stocked and nobody is in a hurry.

   floridadisaster.org

3. 3. Check the roof and attic before the season, not after

   Best for: The house

   Roof age rule

   Under 15 years: cannot be refused for age alone (s. 627.7011)

   Sealed deck

   Can cut water intrusion by up to 95% (IBHS)

   Look at the roof from the ground and the attic from inside: missing or lifted shingles, cracked or loose tiles, rusted metal, daylight through the decking, stains on the underside of the sheathing, and whether the rafters or trusses are tied to the walls with metal straps or clips. Photograph what you see, dated.

   Florida law protects owners with newer roofs: an insurer may not refuse to issue or renew a homeowners policy on a roof less than 15 years old solely because of its age, and for an older roof it must allow an inspection first (s. 627.7011). If you are re-roofing anyway, IBHS research behind its FORTIFIED Roof standard found that sealing the roof deck seams can reduce water intrusion by up to 95% when the covering blows off. Our guide to roof types for Florida hurricane resistance covers the options.

   Consider booking any roof repair in the spring; after a storm, roofers are scarce and a pre-existing leak becomes the insurer’s first argument.

   fortifiedhome.org

4. 4. Get a wind mitigation inspection (form OIR-B1-1802)

   Best for: Premium and evidence

   Form

   OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26)

   Valid for

   Up to 5 years if nothing material changes

   Who may sign

   Inspectors listed in s. 627.711(2)

   Florida requires insurers to offer discounts, credits or deductible reductions for construction features shown to reduce windstorm loss, including roof strength, roof covering performance, roof-to-wall strength and opening protection (s. 627.0629). The way you prove those features is the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form, OIR-B1-1802, completed by one of the licensed or certified inspectors, contractors, engineers or architects the statute lists.

   The form is valid for up to five years if nothing material changes, and it requires a photo or document for each feature claimed. That makes it more than a discount tool: it is a dated, professional record of your roof, straps and openings before any storm, which is exactly what a claim dispute over “pre-existing condition” turns on.

   Eligible owners can get the inspection free through the state’s My Safe Florida Home program, which the law limits to site-built, owner-occupied single-family homes with a homestead exemption (s. 215.5586). Program grants for recommended upgrades are available only to low- and moderate-income applicants in homes built before 2008 with an insured value of $700,000 or less, are matched $1 from the owner for every $2 from the state up to $10,000 (low-income owners pay no match), and depend on each year’s legislative funding.

   Consider keeping the signed form and its photos with your policy, not only with your agent.

   floir.gov

5. 5. Read your declarations page and check your limits

   Best for: The claim

   Where to look

   Declarations page and endorsements

   Law and ordinance offer

   25% or 50% of dwelling limit (s. 627.7011)

   Pull up the current declarations page and check, at minimum: the dwelling limit (would it rebuild the house at today’s costs?), the other-structures and contents limits, whether contents settle at replacement cost or actual cash value, whether you have additional living expense coverage and how much, and every endorsement listed.

   Look for law and ordinance coverage in particular. Florida insurers must offer it at 25% or 50% of the dwelling limit, and it pays the extra cost of rebuilding to current code, which on an older home after a major loss can be a large number (s. 627.7011). If a term is unfamiliar, our post on ACV vs RCV explains how settlement basis changes the check.

   Consider calling your agent in spring to adjust limits, well before any storm is in the forecast.

   iii.org

6. 6. Convert your hurricane deductible into dollars

   Best for: The claim

   Options insurers must offer

   $500, 2%, 5%, 10% of dwelling limit

   Applies

   Once per calendar year, same insurer (s. 627.701(5))

   Hurricane window

   From first FL hurricane warning to 72 hours after the last watch/warning ends

   Before issuing a personal residential policy, a Florida insurer must offer hurricane deductibles of $500, 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit, with some exceptions for higher-value homes, and must print the actual dollar amount of the hurricane deductible on the declarations page (s. 627.701). On a $400,000 dwelling limit, a 2% deductible is $8,000 and a 5% deductible is $20,000. Know your number and plan your cash for it.

   Two details surprise people. First, the hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year across hurricane losses with the same insurer or group, so keep records of any smaller hurricane loss that falls under it. Second, the hurricane window is statewide: it starts when a hurricane warning is issued for any part of Florida and ends 72 hours after the last hurricane watch or warning for any part of Florida is lifted (s. 627.4025). More in our post on hurricane vs all-other-perils deductibles.

   Consider whether a lower deductible is worth the premium difference once you see both numbers in dollars.

   flsenate.gov

7. 7. Decide on flood insurance now, not when a storm has a name

   Best for: The claim

   NFIP waiting period

   Generally 30 days after purchase

   Homeowners policy

   Most do not cover flood (FEMA)

   FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program says most homeowners and renters policies do not cover flood damage, and that NFIP policies generally have a 30-day waiting period after purchase before they take effect, with limited exceptions such as a policy required by a lender (NFIP fast facts). Buying the day a cone appears on the map is too late.

   FEMA also notes that about one third of NFIP claims from 2013 to 2023 came from outside high-risk flood areas. Storm surge and heavy rain do not follow zone lines. If you already have flood coverage, check the building and contents limits and put the flood policy number in your claim file alongside the homeowners policy.

   Consider flood coverage even outside a mapped high-risk zone, especially near canals, rivers or low-lying streets.

   agents.floodsmart.gov

8. 8. Build the “before” file: dated photos and video of the whole house

   Best for: The claim

   Time needed

   About an hour for most homes

   Redo

   Every season and after any renovation

   The most valuable claim document you will ever own is a dated record of your property undamaged. Walk every room from its corners, every exterior wall, the roof from the ground (or a drone if you are comfortable flying one legally), the attic, closets and under sinks, and the model and serial plates on the HVAC, water heater and major appliances.

   Narrated video is faster than stills and harder to dispute. Save the files to cloud storage, not only to your phone, and name the folder with the date. After a storm this is what ends “that damage was already there” arguments. For how to shoot the damage afterward, see documenting storm damage before you clean up.

   Consider doing this the same weekend you check the roof; one ladder, one trip.

9. 9. Make a contents inventory you can hand to an adjuster

   Best for: The claim

   Policy duty

   Inventory with quantity, description, ACV and amount of loss

   Keep

   Receipts, appraisals, manuals

   Under the standard Homeowners 3 form, after a loss you must prepare an inventory of damaged personal property showing quantity, description, actual cash value and amount of loss, with the bills and receipts that support it. Building that list from memory after a storm, in a damaged house, is where contents claims shrink. Building it now takes an evening. Our guide to home inventory tools for Florida homeowners compares apps and methods.

   Start with high-value items: electronics, furniture, jewelry, tools, appliances and anything in the garage. Photograph receipts and appraisals and store them with the video.

   Consider asking about scheduling jewelry and other valuables; the standard form caps theft of jewelry and watches at $1,500 unless you add coverage.

   iii.org

10. 10. Clear the yard, gutters and trees

    Best for: The house

    Source

    Ready.gov hurricane guidance

    When

    Trimming in spring; loose items when a watch is issued

    Ready.gov’s hurricane checklist includes de-cluttering drains and gutters, bringing in outside furniture and considering hurricane shutters. Dead branches and weak trees near the house are the other big source of preventable damage, and they are much easier to deal with in May than when every tree service in the county is booked.

    Keep before-and-after photos of any tree work. If a limb comes through the roof anyway, you want to be able to show that the tree was sound and maintained.

    Consider hiring a licensed, insured tree service for anything near the roof or power lines.

    ready.gov

11. 11. Build the supply kit and plan for several days on your own

    Best for: Your family

    Water (Ready.gov)

    One gallon per person per day, for several days

    Checklist

    FDEM Disaster Supply Kit Checklist

    Ready.gov recommends water at one gallon per person per day for several days, a several-day supply of non-perishable food, a battery or hand-crank radio with a NOAA Weather Radio tone alert, flashlights, first aid supplies, medications, and phone chargers with a backup battery. FDEM publishes a Florida-specific Disaster Supply Kit Checklist you can print.

    Add two claim items to the kit: a waterproof pouch with copies of your policy and declarations pages, and a notebook for logging every call, visit and expense after the storm.

    Consider a kit in the car too if you are in an evacuation zone.

    ready.gov

12. 12. Write the claim plan and know the deadlines

    Best for: The claim

    Notice of a new or reopened claim

    Within 1 year of the date of loss

    Supplemental claim

    Within 18 months

    Hurricane date of loss

    The date of landfall

    Florida bars a new or reopened property claim unless notice reaches the insurer within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim unless notice is given within 18 months. For a hurricane, the date of loss is the date the hurricane made landfall (s. 627.70132). Write those rules down with your carrier’s claim number, your policy numbers, and who you will call for emergency tarping or water extraction.

    Know the NHC timing, too: a hurricane watch is issued 48 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected, and a warning 36 hours before (NHC glossary). Once winds reach tropical storm force, preparation becomes difficult. Your plan should be finished before the watch.

    Consider sharing the written plan with a relative outside the storm area, in case your phone is lost or dead.

    flsenate.gov

What to do in the 48 hours before landfall

• Put up shutters or panels and brace the garage door if it is not rated.
• Bring in everything loose from the yard and lanai.
• Take a final quick video of the house and yard, with the date visible on your phone.
• Charge phones and backup batteries; fill the car’s tank.
• Move valuables and documents off the floor and away from windows.
• Follow evacuation orders if your zone is called.

After the storm

Safety first, then document before anything moves, then emergency repairs with receipts, then notice to the insurer. Our post-hurricane checklist covers the order in detail. If the insurer’s estimate looks short, a licensed public adjuster can review it; Adjusterman LLC handles hurricane claims and homeowners claims across Florida, and a review tells you whether you have covered damage worth pursuing. Our ranked list of hurricane claim public adjusters in Florida explains how to check any adjuster’s license.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

Sources

1. National Hurricane Center, Tropical Cyclone Climatology
2. National Hurricane Center, Glossary (hurricane watch and warning)
3. National Hurricane Center, National Storm Surge Risk Maps
4. National Weather Service, What to Do Before the Tropical Storm or Hurricane
5. Florida Division of Emergency Management, Know Your Zone, Know Your Home
6. Florida Division of Emergency Management, Planning for Your Home
7. Florida Division of Emergency Management, Disaster Supply Kit Checklist
8. Ready.gov, Hurricanes
9. Ready.gov, Build a Kit
10. FEMA NFIP, Fast Facts on Floods and Flood Insurance
11. IBHS FORTIFIED, FORTIFIED Roof
12. Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, Wind Mitigation Resources
13. Florida OIR, Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802 (Rev. 04/26)
14. My Safe Florida Home (Florida Department of Financial Services)
15. Fla. Stat. s. 215.5586 (2026), My Safe Florida Home Program
16. Fla. Stat. s. 627.0629 (2026), Residential property insurance; rate filings
17. Fla. Stat. s. 627.711 (2026), Notice of premium discounts for hurricane loss mitigation; uniform mitigation verification inspection form
18. Fla. Stat. s. 627.701 (2026), Liability of insureds; coinsurance; deductibles
19. Fla. Stat. s. 627.4025 (2026), Residential coverage and hurricane coverage defined
20. Fla. Stat. s. 627.7011 (2026), Homeowners’ policies; offer of replacement cost coverage and law and ordinance coverage
21. Fla. Stat. s. 627.70132 (2026), Notice of property insurance claim
22. Homeowners 3 Special Form, ISO HO 00 03 (sample published by the Insurance Information Institute)

Adjusterman LLC, FL DFS Public Adjusting Firm License #W913130 · Michael Klavan, FL DFS Public Adjuster License #P151443. Public adjusters do not provide legal advice.