Homeowners Insurance in Orlando & Central Florida

Florida has some of the highest homeowners premiums in the country — the statewide average is roughly 2–3× the national average. Orlando-area costs are typically driven by roof age, home value, wind exposure, and carrier appetite. As an independent agency, we shop multiple admitted and surplus-lines carriers to find the lowest qualified rate for your exact home.

Most Florida homeowners policies cover wind and hurricane damage, but with a separate hurricane deductible (usually 2%, 5%, or 10% of the dwelling limit rather than a flat dollar amount). That deductible can be significant — on a $400,000 home, a 5% deductible is $20,000 out of pocket. We help clients balance deductible size against premium to find the right trade-off.

We strongly recommend it. Roughly 25% of flood claims come from properties outside FEMA high-risk zones, and standard homeowners policies never cover flood. Central Florida's low elevation, heavy rain events, and hurricane risk make flood insurance worth considering for most homes. Preferred Risk policies in non-mandatory zones can cost a fraction of mandatory-zone policies.

Florida law requires carriers to include limited 'catastrophic ground cover collapse' coverage, but traditional sinkhole coverage is typically an optional endorsement. Given that Central Florida sits in one of the most sinkhole-prone regions of the state, we actively review this coverage with every Florida homeowner client.

Florida's market has been volatile — carriers have exited the state, tightened underwriting, and non-renewed policies over roof age, prior claims, or location. If you've been non-renewed, don't panic: as an independent agency we have access to many carriers still writing in Florida (including the E&S market and Citizens). We frequently place clients who thought they were out of options.

Roof age is one of the biggest underwriting factors in Florida. Most admitted carriers prefer roofs under 15 years; some will go to 20–25 with a favorable inspection. Older roofs may still be insurable via E&S markets or with actual cash value (vs. replacement cost) settlement. We'll run carrier eligibility before quoting so you don't waste time on a carrier that won't bind.

Replacement cost pays to rebuild or replace without depreciation. Actual cash value subtracts depreciation — which, on a 15-year-old roof, can mean tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket. Always confirm how your policy pays claims, particularly on the roof. We prefer replacement cost whenever we can get it in Florida's market.

A standard homeowners policy typically excludes or sharply limits coverage for short-term rentals. We place proper dwelling-fire or short-term rental policies that include both property and liability protection appropriate for rental use — critical for owners across Orlando, Kissimmee, and the broader Central Florida tourism corridor.