Updated November 3, 2026
Start here: homeowners policy or flood policy
This page is about the homeowners policy. Water that comes from inside the house or through the roof, like a burst pipe, a leaking water heater, an AC drain line or a roof leak, is where a homeowners claim usually starts. Whether it is covered depends on your policy. Water that rises from outside, like storm surge, a king tide or an overflowing canal, is flood, and a homeowners policy does not cover flood. That takes a separate flood policy.
If the water came up from outside, go to our guide on a flood insurance claim in Florida and the main king tide flooding pages. If it came from a pipe, a fixture, the AC or the roof, stay here. Our water damage page lists every common cause, and the burst pipe page covers the plumbing case.
Sudden and accidental, or slow and long-term
Most homeowners policies are written to cover water damage that is sudden and accidental. A pipe that bursts, a hose that lets go, a water heater that fails. They usually do not cover wear and tear, neglect, or constant or repeated seepage or leakage over a period of time. Some policies put a number on that last one, like 14 days or more. The wording is different from policy to policy.
That is why the first hours matter. Find the source, shut off the water, and write down the date and time you found it. A slow leak inside a wall is the gray area. If you have a plumber's report showing when and how the pipe failed, and moisture readings that match, you have something to show your adjuster. Some policies pay for the damage the water caused but not for the part that broke. Read yours to see how it treats each.
None of this is legal advice. Your policy is the contract. Read the water damage section and the exclusions, and ask your agent which one fits your loss.
The notice deadline and what the insurer owes you
Florida Statute 627.70132 says a claim or reopened claim on a property policy is barred unless you give the insurer notice within 1 year after the date of loss. A supplemental claim, for added loss from the same event, has to be noticed within 18 months. Both are in accordance with the terms of the policy. For storms and other weather events, the statute sets the date of loss as the landfall date or the date NOAA verifies the event.
A year is the outer limit. It is not a target. Your policy may ask for prompt notice, and the longer you wait, the harder it is to show the loss was sudden, that you protected the property, and that the mold did not come from neglect. Call as soon as you find the damage, even if you do not know the cause yet.
Florida also puts deadlines on the insurer. Under Statute 627.70131 it generally has to acknowledge your claim communication within 7 calendar days, and pay or deny the claim within 60 days after it gets notice, unless factors beyond its control apply. Keep a log of every call, email and name.
Your duty to prevent more damage, and what to photograph
Your policy expects you to protect the home from further damage. The Florida Department of Financial Services says you are required by your insurance contract to make temporary repairs to prevent further damage. It says to take pictures before making repairs, keep receipts for emergency repairs, and not dispose of damaged property until the company has inspected it. Shutting off the water, extracting standing water and drying the house are all part of that. Permanent repairs wait for the adjuster.
Citizens Property Insurance tells its policyholders to report as soon as they suspect damage, take photos, keep original receipts for emergency repairs and extra living costs, and not start permanent tear-out until its adjuster has inspected and authorized it. If you have a Citizens policy, read that page and your own policy. Other insurers have their own rules. Call yours and ask.
Photograph like this. Wide shots of each room first, then close ups of each wet wall, floor, ceiling and item. Include the source, the shut-off valve, the damaged pipe or fixture and any water line on the wall. Take a video as you walk through and talk. Photograph serial numbers on damaged appliances. Keep the damaged item or a sample when you can. Do all of it before anything is moved or thrown out.
Documentation, reconstruction and when a public adjuster fits
Here is where we fit. We take 24/7 emergency calls, do water extraction and drying in-house with IICRC-certified technicians, and take photos, moisture readings and a written scope you can hand to your adjuster. After the adjuster has seen the damage, we do the reconstruction too: new drywall, baseboards, flooring, tile, cabinets and paint, one team from extraction to final walkthrough. See our water damage reconstruction page. You file the claim with your insurer. We document the damage for your adjuster, and what the insurer pays is between you and your policy.
A public adjuster is a separate choice. It is a person you hire to represent you in the claim, and the Florida Department of Financial Services oversees them. DFS says public adjusters do not work for your insurance company and must hold a DFS-issued credential. It lists a fee cap of 20 percent of the claim payment for most claims, and 10 percent for one year after a declared emergency. Ask for their DFS number and compare it to a photo ID. You do not have to hire one. We are not public adjusters. That is a different job from ours.