Can My Florida Insurance Company Cancel or Non-Renew Me During Hurricane Season?

As we enter the peak of hurricane season here in Florida, one question

that many homeowners have is whether their insurance company can cancel

or non-renew their policy.

Yes, they can, but they are required to give you timely notice and

legitimate reasons. There are also extra protections that apply if your

home was damaged by a covered peril.

Here are the critical timelines:

• 120 days' written notice before a cancellation, non-renewal, or

termination takes effect. The notice must include the specific

reasons.

• 20 days' written notice if the insurer cancels within the first

60 days of a new policy for reasons other than nonpayment, plus

specific reasons.

• 10 days' written notice if cancellation is for nonpayment of

premium

• After 60 days in force, the company can cancel only for limited

reasons (e.g., material misstatement, nonpayment, failure to meet

underwriting requirements within 60 days of start, substantial

change in risk) and may not cancel/terminate because of credit info

found in public records.

If the insurance company misses a deadline coverage generally stays in

force for the length of the missed notice or until you get replacement

coverage, whichever comes first.

Extra protections after covered damage to your property

If your home is damaged and you have a covered claim, Florida law

restricts cancellations/non-renewals while you repair:

• If your property was damaged after a hurricane or declared

emergency, your policy can't be canceled or non-renewed for 90 days

after repairs are completed (with narrow exceptions below).

• Exceptions during repairs: the insurer may still cancel/non-renew

before repairs only

• on 10 days' notice for nonpayment, or

• on 45 days' notice for claim-related fraud/material

misstatement, unreasonable repair delay, or if policy limits

were paid. If they plan to non-renew a damaged home after

repairs, they must give 90 days' advance notice of that

intent.

If a cancellation/non-renewal would take effect during the legally

defined "duration of a hurricane," it is automatically pushed to after

the hurricane ends (the "duration" runs from the first hurricane

watch/warning issued anywhere in Florida to 72 hours after the last

watch/warning ends).

Sometimes, emergency orders temporarily pause cancellations and

non-renewals in disaster areas and extend deadlines. If you live in an

impacted county, those orders may add extra time on top of the rules

above.

Also, a hurricane claim can't be the reason to cancel/non-renew unless

you refused reasonable steps the insurer asked for to prevent another

loss.

Different timelines for surplus-lines insurance companies

If your declarations say "surplus lines" or name a

non-Florida-authorized carrier, your notice rules are different:

• 45 days' written notice of non-renewal and 45 days' notice

for cancellation (with 10 days for nonpayment). They must tell you

the reasons, too.

*(Tip: If you're not sure whether you're with an authorized carrier or

surplus lines, ask your agent).*

Conclusion

Your insurance company must give you notice, valid reasons, and must

comply with any extra protections you're entitled to receive after a

covered loss. If you've received a notice of cancellation or

non-renewal, carefully review it. If you have questions, contact our

office to see whether we can assist.

*This article is not legal advice. If you receive a notice or your home

was damaged, talk to a Florida property insurance attorney about your

specific facts.*