In Florida, you must give your insurer notice of a new or reopened property claim within 1 year after the date of loss, and notice of a supplemental claim within 18 months, under Florida Statute 627.70132. For a hurricane, the date of loss is the landfall date. Your policy sets how to give notice.
A storm hit, the roof took a beating, and now there are dates to track. Here are the deadlines the Florida statutes set, in plain words.
You have 1 year from the date of loss to give your insurer notice of a new or reopened claim, and 18 months for a supplemental claim.
The rule is Florida Statute 627.70132. It covers property insurance claims, and a roof claim is one of them. The statute says notice has to be given under the policy terms. So your policy decides how you tell the insurer, and the statute decides how long you have.
A claim that is not noticed in time is barred, which means the insurer does not have to consider it. That is why the date of loss matters so much. The statute reaches policies from eligible surplus lines insurers too, not only the big names.
| Type of claim | What it is | Notice deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Initial claim | Your first report of a loss to the insurer. | Within 1 year after the date of loss |
| Reopened claim | A closed claim you reopen to ask for added costs on a loss you already told the insurer about. | Within 1 year after the date of loss |
| Supplemental claim | Added loss from the same storm that the insurer already adjusted, or costs found during repairs under an open claim that had timely notice. | Within 18 months after the date of loss |
The Legislature has changed this section several times since 2021, and the most recent change listed in the statutes I read is a 2024 law. Read the current text before you rely on a number you saw years ago.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Coastline inspects roofs and gives you a written photo report. We also do temporary repairs and tarps. We do not interpret policies or handle claims. Coastline Roofing works all over Florida (license CCC1331076).
It starts on the date of loss. For a hurricane, the statute says that is the day it made landfall.
For a hurricane, the date of loss is the landfall date. For a tornado, a windstorm, severe rain or any other weather event, it is the date the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA, the federal weather agency) verifies the event. The statute counts from that date, not from the day a leak shows up on your ceiling.
Roof damage is not always easy to see from the ground. Wind can lift shingles, loosen the deck and crack tiles without leaving a hole. Hidden storm damage explains what that looks like. If a date matters for your situation, your insurer or a Florida attorney can tell you how it applies.
A storm makes landfall on June 1. Notice of a new claim is due by June 1 of the next year. Notice of a supplemental claim is due 18 months after landfall, which is December 1 of the year after that. Counting days exactly is a legal question, so do not treat this example as a calendar.
One exception: the time limits pause while a named insured is on combat zone deployment or a combat support posting that materially affects their ability to file.
Each type has its own clock, and some have a second clock for lawsuits.
Your first notice to the insurer about a loss. The deadline is 1 year after the date of loss.
A claim the insurer closed that you reopen to seek added costs for a loss it already knew about. Same 1 year deadline.
More loss from the same peril the insurer already adjusted, or costs that turn up during repairs under an open claim. The deadline is 18 months after the date of loss.
For a loss assessment under s. 627.714, notice cannot come later than 3 years after the date of loss. It is due by the later of 1 year after the date of loss or 90 days after the board votes to levy the assessment.
The 1 year clock is tolled while a named insured is deployed to a combat zone or posted in combat support in a way that affects their ability to file.
Notice and lawsuits have separate limits. The notice statute says it does not change the limits in s. 95.11, and s. 95.11(2)(e) sets 5 years for an action on a property insurance contract, counted from the date of loss.
Under Florida Statute 627.70131, the insurer has 7 days to acknowledge, 30 days to inspect after proof of loss, and 60 days to pay or deny.
Once notice is in, the insurer has its own clock. These come from s. 627.70131, and each starts at a different moment.
| Step | Deadline | Clock starts when |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledge your communication | 7 calendar days | The insurer or its representative receives it |
| Begin the investigation | 7 days | The insurer receives proof of loss statements |
| Physical inspection, if needed | 30 days | The insurer receives proof of loss statements |
| Send you a detailed estimate | 7 days | The insurer's adjuster generates it |
| Pay or deny the claim | 60 days | The insurer receives notice of the initial, reopened or supplemental claim |
The insurer has to give a written explanation for a payment, denial or partial denial, and a late payment earns interest from the date it received notice. These clocks pause during mediation or other agreed dispute resolution, and when the policyholder does not give requested material information within 10 days. A declared state of emergency can add time.
If you and the insurer disagree, s. 627.7015 sets up a state mediation program for disputed property claims. The insurer must tell you about it when it issues or renews your policy and when a covered claim is filed, and the insurer pays the cost of the conferences.
Your insurer decides coverage. A roofer may not interpret your policy or adjust a claim.
Florida Statute 489.147(2)(d) bars a roofing contractor from interpreting policy terms, advising you on coverage or your duties, or adjusting a claim for you. Only a licensed public adjuster may do that kind of work. The same statute stops roofers from offering gifts, cash or a waived deductible in exchange for an inspection or a claim, and a roof contract tied to a claim must tell you to check coverage with your insurer before you sign.
So here is how Coastline sees its job. We repair and replace roofs. We do not tell you whether your policy covers something, we do not adjust claims, and we do not tell you whether to file. Your policy and your insurer decide that. Public adjuster vs roofer lays out who does what.
For the steps an insurer follows once a claim is open, read how Florida roof insurance claims work. If a payment was lower than you expected, why insurers deny roof claims and ACV vs RCV explain the common reasons.
Water does not wait for paperwork. A leak keeps getting worse, so the roof needs a plan of its own.
Insurance deadlines and roof damage run on different clocks. A missing shingle or a lifted tile can let rain into the deck and the attic the next afternoon. Wet decking and wet insulation do not dry out on their own, and a deck that stays wet can rot.
If water is coming in, what to do until the roofer arrives covers the safe first steps. Coastline does temporary repairs and tarps, including replacing worn out FEMA tarps; see FEMA tarp replacement for how that works. Keeping dated photos and records is a good habit whatever happens next, and how to document roof damage shows what to capture.
To find out what shape the roof is really in, a roof inspection gives you a written photo report. Josh reviews the photo reports and gives a straight answer on repair or replacement. For storm work specifically, see storm damage repair. For costs, what sets the price of a roof repair and what a roof costs per square give the ranges.
"Josh was especially amazing. He was professional, patient, and took the time to explain everything clearly so I felt comfortable and informed throughout the entire process. You can tell he genuinely cares about his customers and takes pride in his work."Madison T.Roofing customer
"Good communication and did a great job."Rick R.Roofing customer, Florida Gulf Coast
"Highly recommend. Great communication. Great quality of work and very personable. Easy to work with. Will use again for home renovations."Justin S.Roofing customer, Florida Gulf Coast
The statute ties the deadline to the date of loss, and for weather it names the event: the landfall date for a hurricane, or the date NOAA verifies the event for other weather. A later storm is a separate event with its own date of loss. Your insurer can tell you how it treats overlapping damage.
The statute says notice must be given under the policy terms. That means your policy spells out how and where to tell the insurer. Read that part of your policy, or ask your insurer how it takes notice, and keep a dated record of when you gave it.
Condo owners may have a loss assessment claim under s. 627.714. Notice for that cannot come later than 3 years after the date of loss, and it is due by the later of 1 year after the date of loss or 90 days after the board votes to levy the assessment.
Under s. 627.70131, the insurer must pay or deny within 60 days after it receives notice of an initial, reopened or supplemental claim, with a written explanation for any payment, denial or partial denial. Mediation and some other events pause that clock, so it can run longer.
Yes. The notice statute says it does not change the limits in s. 95.11, and s. 95.11(2)(e) sets 5 years for an action on a property insurance contract, counted from the date of loss. That is separate from the notice deadline, so ask a Florida attorney about your own situation.
No. Florida Statute 489.147(2)(d) bars roofing contractors from interpreting policy terms or adjusting claims. Your policy and your insurer decide coverage. A licensed public adjuster is the kind of professional the law allows to advise you on a claim.
Coastline inspects the roof and gives you a written photo report, then tells you plainly whether it needs a repair or a replacement. Policies and claims stay between you and your insurer.
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