YMYL-adjacent · educational only
Miami homeowners insurance preparation checklist
This is a documentation and questions list for Miami homeowners — not a recommendation of a carrier, a coverage amount, or a deductible. Florida property insurance is regulated; your agent and the Florida Department of Financial Services are the places to confirm what your policy actually does.
What this page will not do
We will not tell you how much dwelling coverage to buy, whether to use Citizens or a private carrier, or what a “typical Miami premium” is. Those claims would be invented or stale. We will point you to official forms and to questions your agent can answer for your address.
Document the home (before a storm, not after)
A dated record helps you and your insurer talk about what existed. Ask your insurer what they want; requirements vary.
This checklist is a general starting point, not a contract or legal advice. What a specific job requires may differ.
Roof and opening documentation insurers often ask about
Many Florida personal-lines applications ask about roof age, roof covering, and opening protection. The official way those features are recorded for discounts is the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802). Keep permit close-out documents for roof and window work. For hiring, use the roofing and impact window quote guides — they do not invent prices.
Flood is a separate policy conversation
Homeowners policies typically exclude flood. Check your flood zone on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask your agent how flood coverage is obtained. We do not interpret your map or quote a premium.
Questions to ask an agent before hurricane season
- What is my hurricane or wind deductible, in dollars and as a percentage if applicable?
- What is excluded (flood, food spoilage, additional living expense caps)?
- Do you have a current wind-mitigation form on file, which revision, and when does it expire?
- If I complete eligible upgrades, what documentation do you need before you will rerate?
- How do I file a claim, and what should I photograph first?
- Are you licensed in Florida? Verify agents and agencies with the Department of Financial Services.
After damage
Safety first, then documentation, then repairs. For contractor screening after a storm, use the post-storm hiring checklist. Talk to your insurer before signing anything that assigns claim rights. That is general consumer caution, not an interpretation of current assignment-of-benefits law.
Sources & verification
Factual and regulatory statements on this page are based on official government and licensing authorities. Requirements change — always confirm current details at the source.
- Florida Office of Insurance Regulation — Wind mitigation resourcesUniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form (OIR-B1-1802), form validity, and consumer wind-mitigation resources.Source checked 2026-08-28
- Florida Department of Financial Services — Licensee Search (insurance agents and agencies)Verification of Florida insurance agent and agency licensure.Source checked 2026-08-28
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — Flood Map Service CenterOfficial flood-zone designations used for insurance and risk assessment.Source checked 2026-08-28
- Miami-Dade County — Emergency Management / Ready Miami-DadeLocal hurricane preparedness guidance, evacuation zones, and official alerts for Miami-Dade County.Source checked 2026-08-28
- Florida Department of Financial Services — My Safe Florida HomeState-administered hurricane mitigation inspection and grant program for eligible homeowners. Eligibility and funding change; confirm on the official site.Source checked 2026-08-28
Page last reviewed 2026-08-28.