Hurricane Season in Florida: Mortgage, FEMA, and Insurance Help
A storm can put your home, your mortgage, and your finances at risk all at once. Here is what to do about your mortgage, your insurance claim, and FEMA help, and the Florida deadlines that matter.
Quick Answer
After a hurricane, take three steps in the right order. First, document the damage and file your insurance claim promptly. Second, if you cannot make your mortgage payment, contact your mortgage servicer about disaster forbearance before you fall behind. Third, apply to FEMA for needs your insurance does not cover. In Florida the initial hurricane claim must generally be filed within one year of landfall, so acting now protects your options.
What This Means for You
A hurricane can damage your home, interrupt your income, and make it hard to keep up with your mortgage. These three problems are connected, and they each have a solution with its own timing. Understanding the deadlines ahead of time means you can act calmly and quickly instead of scrambling after the storm.
The good news is that help exists in all three areas: mortgage servicers offer disaster forbearance, your homeowners insurance covers covered damage, and FEMA fills gaps for uninsured needs. None of these steps are automatic. You have to contact the right place, provide the right information, and watch the deadlines.
1. Protect Your Mortgage After the Storm
If the storm damaged your home or disrupted your income, contact your mortgage servicer before you miss a payment. The phone number is on your monthly statement. Ask specifically about disaster forbearance.
For loans backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, disaster forbearance lets you pause or reduce your mortgage payments if your home or workplace is in a FEMA-declared disaster area and you were current, or no more than one payment behind, when the disaster hit. Late charges do not accrue while you are in forbearance.
Important
Forbearance is not forgiveness. The deferred payments are still owed, often with interest. Your servicer will contact you within 30 days after the forbearance ends to set up a repayment plan, such as a payment deferral or a loan extension. You also still need to file your insurance claim promptly.
2. File Your Insurance Claim on Time
Document the damage first with photos, videos, an itemized list, and receipts. Then file your claim as soon as you can. Under Florida Statute 627.70132, the initial hurricane claim must generally be filed within one year of landfall, and supplemental claims for hidden or additional damage must generally be filed within 18 months of the loss date.
What to expect from your insurer in Florida
- Acknowledge your claim in writing within 7 days.
- Begin the investigation within 14 days.
- Decide or pay within 60 days, or 90 days during a declared emergency.
- You typically have 30 days to respond to a Sworn Statement in Proof of Loss.
3. Apply for FEMA Assistance
FEMA helps with uninsured or underinsured disaster needs, such as temporary lodging and rental assistance, basic home repairs, personal property, and other disaster-related costs. You can apply online at disasterassistance.gov, through the FEMA app, by phone at 1-800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585), or in person at a Disaster Recovery Center.
Important
FEMA cannot duplicate what your insurance pays. You must declare any insurance you have, and if you later receive insurance funds for something FEMA already paid, you may have to repay FEMA. Keep your nine-digit FEMA application number and fix any errors quickly, because missing information delays help.
Florida Deadlines to Write Down
Initial hurricane insurance claim: 1 year from landfall
Florida Statute 627.70132 sets this window. Do not wait, because the clock starts at landfall.
Supplemental claim for hidden damage: 18 months from loss
If you later find additional or hidden damage, the supplemental claim window is 18 months from the loss date.
Contact your mortgage servicer before you miss a payment
Disaster forbearance is easier to arrange before a payment becomes overdue, not after.
Apply for FEMA as soon as possible
FEMA deadlines apply and missing information can delay aid, so start the application right away.
Your First Steps After a Storm
Document Everything Safely
Take photos and videos of the damage, make an itemized list of damaged property, and keep receipts. Do not make unsafe or permanent repairs before documenting the damage, unless necessary to prevent further loss.
Call Your Insurance Company
Report the claim and get a claim number. Write down the date, who you spoke to, and what was said. Keep every document.
Contact Your Mortgage Servicer
Ask about disaster forbearance before you miss a payment. Have your loan number and a description of your hardship ready.
Apply for FEMA
Use disasterassistance.gov or call 1-800-621-3362. Keep your nine-digit application number and respond quickly to any requests for more information.
Review Your Full Situation
If the damage is severe, your repairs are costly, or you owe more than the home is worth, talk to a licensed real estate professional about whether selling is a better option than staying. Tyler Gibson speaks Spanish and can help you compare your choices.
Not Sure What to Do After the Storm?
Tyler Gibson helps Florida homeowners understand their mortgage, insurance, and selling options. He speaks Spanish. There is no cost to talk through your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does disaster forbearance hurt my credit?
Can I sell my house if the storm caused major damage?
What if my insurance does not cover all the damage?
Do the same forbearance options apply to all loans?
Sources and Further Reading
- FEMA - How to Apply for Assistance - disasterassistance.gov
- Freddie Mac - Disaster Relief and Mortgage Assistance FAQ - myhome.freddiemac.com
- Florida Statutes 627.70132 (Hurricane insurance claim deadlines) - flsenate.gov
- FEMA Assistance and Phone Line - fema.gov
- HUD Approved Housing Counselors - hud.gov