For landlords
Insuring a Florida rental
Once a home is rented, tell your insurer and move to a policy written for rentals, because a homeowners policy assumes you live there. A Florida landlord policy covers the building, your liability and lost rent after covered damage, but flood needs its own policy, and the hurricane deductible can run to thousands of dollars. A wind mitigation inspection can cut the premium, and requiring tenants to carry renters insurance keeps their losses off your claim.
Updated Last checked 3 min read
Quick answer
- Tell your insurer before the tenant moves in. A homeowners policy is built for owner-occupied homes.
- Look for building, liability and loss of rents coverage.
- Florida requires the hurricane deductible in dollars on the declarations page.
- Flood is separate. NFIP building coverage goes up to $250,000.
- Insurers must offer discounts for proven wind-resistant features.
On this page
Homeowners policy or landlord policy
A homeowners policy is priced and written for a home you live in. Rent it out without telling the insurer, and a claim can turn into an argument about whether the policy ever fit. Call before the lease starts and ask for a policy written for a rental, often called a dwelling or landlord policy. If the rental is a condo, your unit-owner policy needs to show it's rented, while the association's master policy covers the building's shell under the condo documents.
What a landlord policy should cover
| Coverage | What it pays for |
|---|---|
| Dwelling | The structure, after covered causes like wind and fire |
| Other structures | Fences, sheds and detached garages |
| Liability | Claims that you caused an injury, such as a fall on a broken step |
| Loss of rents | The rent you lose while covered damage is repaired |
| Your contents | Appliances and furniture you supply, if any |
Loss of rents matters most in hurricane season. A roof that takes four months to replace is four months of mortgage with no rent unless the policy pays it.
The hurricane deductible
Section 627.701 has insurers offer hurricane deductibles of $500, 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit, with exceptions for higher-value homes, and requires the deductible's dollar amount on the declarations page. The hurricane deductible applies once a calendar year with the same insurer. A higher deductible lowers the premium and raises what you pay after a storm.
- 2% hurricane deductible
- $8,000
- 5% hurricane deductible
- $20,000
- 10% hurricane deductible
- $40,000
Pick the one you could pay in cash the week after a storm.
Wind mitigation discounts
Section 627.0629 requires insurers' rate filings to include discounts for construction features that reduce windstorm losses, such as roof-to-wall connections, roof deck attachment and opening protection. A wind mitigation inspection documents what the home has. On an older home, the right shutters or a new roof can pay back faster through the premium than owners expect.
Flood
Wind policies exclude flood. The National Flood Insurance Program covers residential buildings up to $250,000 and contents up to $100,000, bought separately with separate deductibles, and a new policy generally waits 30 days before it starts. A lender usually requires flood insurance on a mortgaged home in a high-risk zone. In a low-risk zone it's optional, and often cheap enough to be worth pricing.
Your flood history also shapes the tenant's flood disclosure under section 83.512. Covered in disclosures a Florida landlord has to give.
What to require of tenants
Your policy doesn't cover the tenant's belongings or the tenant's liability. Requiring renters insurance in the lease, with liability coverage and proof at move-in and each renewal, means a kitchen fire the tenant starts or a guest's fall in the unit goes to their insurer first.
After any loss, give notice to your insurer within one year. Section 627.70132 bars a claim that isn't noticed within a year of the loss, and gives 18 months for a supplemental claim.
Questions people ask
Can I use my homeowners insurance on a rental property in Florida?
Not safely. Tell your insurer the home is rented and move to a policy written for rentals before the tenant moves in.
What is a typical hurricane deductible in Florida?
Insurers must offer $500, 2%, 5% and 10% of the dwelling limit, with exceptions for higher-value homes. On a $400,000 limit, 2% is $8,000.
Should I require my tenant to have renters insurance?
Most landlords do. It covers the tenant's belongings and liability, which your policy doesn't.
For owners
Know what the home rents for, then insure it for that.
A licensed agent prices your rental from signed leases, lists it on the MLS and answers your questions within 1 hour, 8am to 9pm.
Questions first? Call 888-601-8344 or email hello@rentvana.com.
Words in this guide
Sources
- Florida Statutes, section 627.701: Liability of insureds, coinsurance, deductiblesleg.state.fl.us
- Florida Statutes, section 627.0629: Residential property insurance, rate filingsleg.state.fl.us
- Florida Statutes, section 627.70132: Notice of property insurance claimleg.state.fl.us
- Florida Department of Financial Services: Natural disasters, are you prepared? (May 2025)myfloridacfo.com
- FloodSmart (NFIP): Types of flood insurancefloodsmart.gov
- Florida Statutes, section 83.512: Disclosure of flood risks to prospective tenant of residential real propertyleg.state.fl.us
Checked against these sources on by Rentvana Editorial. If something has changed, email hello@rentvana.com and we'll fix it.
Questions?
Call 888-601-8344 to talk to a licensed agent, or email hello@rentvana.com and one gets back to you within 1 hour, 8am to 9pm.