Florida's 1-Year Claim Deadline: Every Date That Can Kill a Property Claim
Florida used to give policyholders two years to report a property claim, and before that, three. Since the 2022–2023 reforms the answer is one year — and most of the claims we see closed “without payment” in Florida weren't denied on the merits at all. They missed a date. Here is every clock that runs on a Florida property claim, in the order they start.
The timeline, from date of loss
- Day 0 — date of loss. Every deadline below counts from this date, not from when you discovered the damage and not from when a contractor looked at it. For a hurricane, it's the date the storm damaged the property.
- Within 7 days of any claim communication — the insurer must acknowledge it (§627.70131). If you hear nothing in a week, that silence is itself a documented violation.
- Within 60 days of notice — the insurer must pay or deny the claim, or a portion of it, and give a written reason (§627.70131). Requests for more information do not legally extend this, but in practice an incomplete file is how carriers justify the delay.
- Within 1 year of the date of loss — the initial claim (or a reopened claim) must be reported to the insurer (§627.70132). Miss this and the claim is barred. There is no “good cause” exception in the statute.
- Within 18 months of the date of loss — any supplemental claim for additional damage from the same peril must be reported (§627.70132). This is the one contractors most often miss, because hidden damage surfaces mid-repair.
- Within 5 years of the breach — the statute of limitations to sue an insurer for breach of a property policy (§95.11). This governs litigation, not notice; it cannot rescue a claim that was never reported inside the 1-year window.
What “notice” actually means
The statute says notice must be given in accordance with the terms of the policy. Practically:
- A phone call to your agent is not reliably notice to the insurer. Use the carrier's claims line or portal and keep the claim number.
- A contractor's inspection, a public adjuster's letter of representation, or a mitigation invoice is not notice by itself unless it is actually submitted as a claim.
- Written notice with the date of loss, the cause, and the property address, sent in a way you can prove, is the standard.
Why the 18-month supplement window matters more than the 1-year rule
Most Florida claims are reported on time. Where money is lost is the supplement. A typical Milton roof claim: reported in October 2024, adjusted in December, roof replaced in spring 2025, decking rot and interior water damage discovered during tear-off. That supplemental claim had to be reported by April 2026 — and a contractor who invoiced the homeowner instead of filing a supplement simply ate the difference.
The defence is a complete, itemized estimate at the start — one that already scopes likely hidden damage as line items with “to be verified” notes — and a dated supplemental estimate the moment anything new is found. That is exactly what we write for Florida contractors and public adjusters; see our Florida estimating page.
If you are close to a cutoff right now
- Under 1 year, not yet reported: report today, in writing, even with incomplete documentation. Scope can follow; notice cannot.
- Claim paid, more damage found, under 18 months: file the supplement in writing now with photos and a supplemental estimate. Do not wait for the repair to finish.
- Claim denied or underpaid: the 1-year rule doesn't restart, but you still have appraisal, the Department of Financial Services complaint process, and — within the 5-year limitations period — litigation. Our guide on what to do after a denial walks through each.