Homeowners Insurance in Winter Park & Orlando, FL
Protect your most valuable asset with the right policy.
Keep in mind that your policy doesn’t cover damages caused by poor or deferred maintenance on your part
Whether you own a house, apartment, or condominium — the right home insurance policy can provide you peace of mind as well as the money you need to repair or replace your home and/or belongings.
What Is Home Insurance?
Insuring the place you call home can help protect you financially if you suffer a loss due to fire, theft, vandalism, or other covered events. It will also cover you in the event someone is injured while on your property and wins a legal judgment against you.
Homeowner policies differ by which losses are covered, which coverages you choose, and what type of residence you own.
Common Coverage Options
Protection for Your Home
Property or Dwelling Coverage: Typically pays to repair or rebuild your home if it’s damaged or destroyed by an insured event like a kitchen fire or windstorm.
Protection for You and Other People
Personal Liability Coverage applies if someone is injured or their property is damaged and you are to blame. The coverage generally applies anywhere in the world.
When choosing your liability coverage limits, consider things like how much money you make and the assets you own. Your personal liability coverage should be high enough to protect your assets if you are sued.
Medical Coverage: This covers medical expenses for guests if they are injured on your property, and in certain cases covers people who are injured off of your property. It does not cover health care costs for you or other members of your household.
Additional Living Expenses: If you can’t live in your home because of a covered loss, your home insurance policy will pay additional living expenses-commonly for up to 24 months-while damage is being assessed and your home is being repaired or rebuilt.
Protection for Your Belongings: Your home is filled with furniture, clothes, electronics and other items that mean a lot to you. Personal Property Insurance helps replace these items if they are lost, stolen or destroyed as a result from a covered loss.
Scheduled Personal Property Coverage: If you have special possessions such as jewelry, art, antiques or collectibles you may want to talk to your agent about this additional coverage. It provides broader coverage for specific items.
If You Rent Out Your Home: Landlords may have the option to buy optional liability coverage for the risks posed by tenant-occupied dwellings.
PROTECT THE THINGS THAT MATTER TO YOU
How Florida Hurricane Deductibles Work
Most Florida homeowners policies carry two deductibles: a standard all other perils deductible for things like fire, theft, or a burst pipe, and a separate hurricane deductible for covered damage from a storm the National Hurricane Center has declared a hurricane.
Hurricane deductibles are usually a percentage of your dwelling coverage (Coverage A), commonly 2%, 5%, or 10%. On a home insured for $400,000, a 2% deductible is $8,000 and a 5% deductible is $20,000. Florida requires the dollar amount to be shown on your declarations page, so check it before storm season.
In most cases the hurricane deductible applies once per calendar year. If a second hurricane damages your home the same year, you pay the greater of what's left of your hurricane deductible or your all other perils deductible. Condo owners should review both their HO-6 unit-owner policy and the association's master policy: a large association deductible can come back to owners as a special assessment.
Hurricane Coverage FAQs
What is a hurricane deductible?
It's the amount you pay out of pocket on a covered hurricane claim before your insurance pays. In Florida it's separate from your regular deductible and is often set as a percentage of your dwelling coverage.
When does the hurricane deductible apply?
It applies to covered losses from a storm the National Hurricane Center has declared a hurricane, during the time window your policy defines around the hurricane watch or warning. Your policy wording sets the exact trigger.
Can I choose a lower hurricane deductible?
Many carriers offer more than one option. A lower deductible usually means a higher premium. As an independent agency, we can compare that trade-off across several carriers for your home.
Does my condo association's policy cover my unit?
The association's master policy usually covers the building as defined in your condo documents. An HO-6 policy typically covers your interior, belongings, and liability, and can include loss assessment coverage for your share of association costs. The split depends on your documents, so have an agent review both policies.
Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage from a hurricane?
No. Standard homeowners and condo policies exclude flood, including storm surge. Flood coverage is a separate policy. See our flood insurance page.
Bundle Your Home and Auto Insurance
Insuring your home and car with the same carrier may qualify you for a multi-policy discount, depending on the carrier and your situation. Because Orca is an independent agency, we can price your home and auto together and separately across several carriers, then show you which option comes out ahead.
Your Local Insurance Office in Winter Park
Orca Insurance Group is an independent agency serving Winter Park, Orlando, and Central Florida. Talk with a licensed agent by phone or stop by our office.
Visit Us
2335 Temple Trail, Ste 5
Winter Park, FL 32789
Call Us
407-672-2467
What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover in Florida?
A standard homeowners insurance policy in Florida typically includes four key types of coverage:
- Dwelling coverage — Pays to repair or rebuild your home's structure after covered damage (fire, wind, hail, lightning, vandalism).
- Personal property coverage — Replaces your belongings (furniture, electronics, clothing) if damaged or stolen.
- Liability coverage — Protects you if someone is injured on your property or you accidentally damage someone else's property.
- Additional living expenses (ALE) — Covers temporary housing costs if your home is uninhabitable after a covered loss.
What's NOT Covered
Florida homeowners are often surprised by what their standard policy doesn't cover:
- Flood damage — Requires a separate flood insurance policy, even in moderate-risk zones.
- Sinkholes — Standard policies cover "catastrophic ground cover collapse" but not all sinkhole damage. Sinkhole coverage is available as an endorsement.
- Mold — Usually limited or excluded. Mold endorsements are available from some carriers.
- Deferred maintenance — Your policy doesn't cover damage caused by neglect (leaky roof you didn't fix, rotting deck).
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is homeowners insurance in Orlando?
The average annual homeowners insurance premium in the Orlando area ranges from $2,000 to $5,000+, depending on your home's age, construction type, location, coverage limits, and deductible. Florida's rates are among the highest in the nation due to hurricane risk. As an independent agency, we compare multiple carriers to find competitive rates.
Do I need hurricane insurance in Orlando?
Florida law requires insurers to include windstorm coverage in homeowners policies, so hurricane wind damage is covered. However, you'll typically have a separate, higher hurricane deductible (usually 2-5% of your dwelling coverage). Flood damage from hurricanes requires a separate policy.
What's the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value?
Replacement cost pays to rebuild or replace at today's prices. Actual cash value deducts depreciation — so a 10-year-old roof might only get a fraction of its replacement cost. We recommend replacement cost coverage whenever possible.
Can I bundle home and auto insurance?
Yes — bundling homeowners and auto insurance with the same carrier often qualifies you for a multi-policy discount of 5-25%. We'll check bundle pricing when quoting your coverage.
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