Insurance estimate too low after a hurricane in Florida? (2026)
If the insurer's estimate looks too low, put it next to a repair estimate from a licensed contractor and compare them line by line. Then send the differences to the insurer in writing and ask for a review or an additional payment. That works the same for Hurricane Isaias and any other 2026 Florida storm.
Sometimes a low payment is right. The deductible and depreciation can eat a lot of it, so check those two first.
Key takeaways
Your insurer has to send you a copy of any detailed estimate its adjuster writes, within 7 days (s. 627.70131).
If the payment comes in under the insurer's own estimate, the insurer owes you a written explanation of the gap.
Found more damage later? For Isaias, a supplemental claim is due by April 9, 2028, 18 months after landfall (s. 627.70132).
Florida insurers get 60 days after notice of a supplemental claim to pay or deny it.
How do I get the insurer's estimate in Florida?
Ask for it in writing. Under s. 627.70131, the insurer must send you a copy of any detailed estimate within 7 days after its adjuster generates it.
A preliminary estimate can change. Florida law requires the insurer to print a notice with it saying the estimate may be revised as the claim goes on.
How do I check whether the estimate is too low?
"Compare the insurer's estimate with an item-by-item repair estimate," says Benji Licht, who runs Base Claims as a licensed public adjuster. Here is how that goes in practice.
Get the full estimate, every page, and keep the payment letter with it.
Get a written, item by item repair estimate from a licensed contractor.
Put the two side by side and match them room by room and roof slope by roof slope.
Check that every damaged room and roof slope is on the insurer's estimate, then mark anything priced lower than your contractor's number.
Check the deductible and any depreciation held back. Those two can explain part of the gap.
Send your marked up comparison to the insurer in writing and keep proof of the date.
Got the insurer's estimate and it looks thin? Call us and we will go through it beside your contractor's number, line by line. Call 954-466-5730
What counts as evidence for a higher payment?
Photos and videos from before cleanup count most. A roofer's written report and receipts for emergency repairs back them up.
Label each photo with the room and the date.
What if the insurer paid less than its own estimate?
Florida law says the insurer must give a reasonable written explanation of the difference. That rule is in s. 627.70131(7).
Ask for that explanation if it is missing. Then read it against your policy language.
What is a supplemental claim?
A supplemental claim asks for more money on a claim already filed. You may need one if you find hidden damage during repairs, or if repairs cost more than the estimate.
In Florida, notice of a supplemental claim is due within 18 months of the date of loss (s. 627.70132). For Hurricane Isaias that is April 9, 2028. A new claim has 1 year, which is October 9, 2027. Our deadline guide has the full rules.
The insurer then has 60 days after notice of the supplemental claim to pay or deny it.
What can I do if we still disagree on the amount?
Your policy decides which of these is open to you:
Appraisal. Many policies have an appraisal clause, where each side names an appraiser to set the amount of the loss. Read your policy to see whether yours does.
Mediation. The Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) runs a mediation program for residential property claims. It is nonbinding, and the insurer bears the cost of the conference (s. 627.7015).
A lawsuit, which starts with written notice to DFS at least 10 business days before filing (s. 627.70152).
If the claim was denied outright, read our denied claim guide.
More questions about a low hurricane estimate
Does my insurer have to pay what my contractor quotes?
A contractor's estimate is evidence, and the insurer can agree with it or question it. What gets paid depends on your coverage and the deductible.
Should I start repairs before the estimate is settled?
Make reasonable emergency repairs to stop more damage, and keep receipts. Ask your insurer in writing before larger repairs, and keep the damaged materials or photograph them first.
Can I file a supplemental claim after I cashed the first check?
A supplemental claim is for added loss from the same storm, and the 18 month limit still applies after a first payment. The thing to look for is release language in the payment letter or anything you signed, and a release is a question for an attorney.
Is depreciation the same as an underpayment?
Some policies pay actual cash value first and hold back depreciation until repairs are done. That holdback is part of how the policy pays, so check your policy to see whether yours works that way before you count it as a shortfall.
More on Isaias: Hurricane Isaias insurance claims.
Talk to a licensed public adjuster
Keep the insurer's estimate, all of it, close by when you call.
General information only. Coverage depends on your policy and the facts of your claim. Base Claims is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
Base Claims Public Adjusters, 2400 NE 9th St, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009. Benji Licht, Licensed Public Adjuster, FL Lic. #W523574. Yossi Garber, Licensed Public Adjuster, FL Lic. #G173942.
THIS IS A SOLICITATION FOR BUSINESS. IF YOU HAVE HAD A CLAIM FOR AN INSURED PROPERTY LOSS OR DAMAGE AND YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE PAYMENT BY YOUR INSURER, YOU MAY DISREGARD THIS ADVERTISEMENT.
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