Florida home insurance providers have declined over 37,000 claims related to Hurricanes Helene and Milton, according to recent data from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (FLIOR). As of October 23, a substantial portion of claims—84.2% for Milton and 68.2% for Helene—remain unresolved.
These claims include residential, commercial, private flood, business interruption, and auto insurance cases.
Of the 359,391 claims filed for both hurricanes, 37,796, or 10.5%, have been denied without payment. Hurricane Milton hit Florida in early October, leading to 16 deaths and widespread power outages, while Hurricane Helene, which struck two weeks earlier, left extensive destruction across multiple states, resulting in over 200 fatalities and severe property damage.
Claims are commonly denied due to reasons like incomplete documentation, unpaid premiums, or delays in filing. FLOIR defines a “closed claim without payment” as one insurers currently deem non-payable.
Mark Friedlander of the Insurance Information Institute noted that many unpaid claims likely involve flood damage, which is typically not covered by standard property or condo insurance unless a separate flood policy is held.
