Updated October 30, 2026. Sources checked October 30, 2026.

If you own or are buying a condo unit in St. Augustine Beach, Butler Beach, Crescent Beach, Vilano Beach or the Ponte Vedra Beach and Sawgrass area, two insurance policies share your building. Your association’s master policy covers part of it, and your own unit owner policy, usually called an HO-6, covers the rest. Florida law draws the line between them, and your condominium declaration fills in the details.

According to our St. Johns County flood zones guide (data as of October 29, 2026), the county has 14,468 condo unit parcels, and 1,474 of them (10.2%) are in a FEMA high-risk flood zone. Condo units are counted at the building they’re in, so one complex in a high-risk zone can add dozens of units.

McGriff-Williams Insurance is an independent insurance agency in Gainesville, in business since 1983 and licensed in Florida. Because we’re an independent agency, a licensed member of our team may be able to compare options from the insurance companies we represent and explain the differences.

Who insures what: the master policy and your HO-6

Under section 718.111(11), Florida Statutes, for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2009, the master policy must cover the condominium property as originally installed, or replacement of like kind and quality, following the original plans and specifications.

What the master policy must leave out

The same law lists items the master policy must exclude when they’re inside your unit and serve only your unit:

• Floor, wall and ceiling coverings
• Electrical fixtures
• Appliances
• Water heaters and water filters
• Built-in cabinets and countertops
• Window treatments, such as curtains, drapes, blinds and their hardware
• Replacements of any of these items

Personal property in the unit or in limited common elements is excluded too. In the statute’s words, “Such property and any insurance thereupon is the responsibility of the unit owner.”

The association doesn’t have to pay to repair improvements that benefit only your unit and weren’t part of the standard original build-out, whether you, a past owner or the developer installed them (s. 718.111(11)(n)).

Florida law doesn’t use labels like “walls-in” or “bare walls,” so compare your declaration and the master policy’s declarations page with this list. Items not on it, such as heating and air conditioning equipment that serves one unit, depend on your declaration.

When the association’s costs come back to owners

Master policy deductibles and damage above the master policy’s limits are generally a common expense shared by the owners (s. 718.111(11)(j)). But if damage is caused by an owner’s intentional conduct, negligence, or failure to follow the declaration or rules, or by their family, tenants, guests or invitees, that owner pays the repair costs insurance doesn’t cover.

An association can opt out of this cost split with a majority vote of the total voting interests and a recorded notice (s. 718.111(11)(k) and (m)), so read your building’s recorded documents.

Your HO-6: what it usually includes

Condos usually go on a unit owner policy, often called an HO-6, and it’s separate from the association’s master policy. Policy forms vary, but an HO-6 commonly includes:

• Building items you own, such as the interior items listed above and your upgrades
• Your personal property
• Loss of use
• Personal liability and medical payments
• Loss assessment coverage, covered below

Florida law says your unit owner policy is excess over any other policy covering the same property (s. 627.714(4)). Ask whether your unit coverage pays replacement cost and whether it includes ordinance or law coverage. Water damage, mold and water backup limits vary too. Check the dollar amount of each deductible on your declarations page.

Loss assessment coverage and special assessments

Loss assessment coverage

Loss assessment coverage pays your share of an association assessment for damage to property the owners hold in common, but only when your policy covers the cause of the loss. Florida law requires a unit owner policy to include at least $2,000 of loss assessment coverage, with a deductible of $250 or less (s. 627.714). And if a deductible was or will be applied to your own property loss from the same direct loss, no deductible applies to your loss assessment coverage (s. 627.714(1)). The Florida HO-6 forms we reviewed don’t cover assessments charged by a government body or assessments for earthquake damage, and because the coverage applies only to covered causes of loss, an assessment for wear and tear generally isn’t covered either. Policies vary, so check the loss assessment section of your own policy.

The limit that applies is the one in force the day before the loss, so raising it after a loss won’t help for that loss. Some Florida HO-6 policies pay up to the loss assessment limit toward an assessment that comes from a master policy deductible, while others may set a lower limit for deductible assessments or handle them differently. A $2,000 limit may not go far against a large master policy deductible, so check your policy and ask whether higher limits are available.

Florida law also sets a deadline for loss assessment claims. Notice must reach your insurance company by the later of 1 year after the date of loss or 90 days after the association or its board votes to levy the assessment, and no later than 3 years after the date of loss (s. 627.70132(4)). The date of loss is the date of the covered event that led to the assessment, so report an assessment promptly. HO-6 policies commonly also include a separate liability loss assessment coverage, for an assessment tied to a covered injury or property damage claim against the association, or to an act of an elected board member who serves without pay.

Assessments that insurance generally doesn’t cover

Loss assessment coverage is tied to covered losses, and assessments for milestone repairs, reserves or deferred maintenance generally aren’t insurance losses, so plan for them in your budget rather than your policy.

Florida’s milestone inspection law (s. 553.899) applies to condominium and cooperative buildings 3 or more habitable stories tall. The first inspection is due by December 31 of the year the building turns 30, counted from its certificate of occupancy, and then each 10 years after that. Local officials may require it at 25 years based on local conditions, including proximity to salt water, so ask your association about your building’s schedule.

Buildings 3 or more habitable stories also need a structural integrity reserve study (SIRS) at least once each 10 years (s. 718.112(2)(g)). Owners must get written notice at least 14 days before a board meeting where a nonemergency special assessment will be considered (s. 718.112(2)(c)).

If you’re buying, ask for the milestone inspection summary, the SIRS and the budget before you close. McGriff-Williams Insurance doesn’t perform or review milestone inspections or reserve studies.

Flood: the association’s policy and yours

An association’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy is the Residential Condominium Building Association Policy (RCBAP), which insures one residential condominium building. Its maximum building coverage is $250,000 times the number of units (44 CFR 61.6). A coinsurance penalty applies unless the building is insured to at least 80% of its replacement cost or the program maximum, whichever is less, which is one reason underinsured association flood coverage can lead to assessments.

Your own flood policy as a unit owner

• Contents. The RCBAP covers the building, so your belongings need your own flood policy. The NFIP residential contents maximum is $100,000.
• Building coverage. Your own NFIP policy can carry building coverage even when the association has an RCBAP. Combined building benefits for one unit under both policies are capped at $250,000, and an item paid under the RCBAP can’t be paid again.
• Interior walls, floors and ceilings. A condo unit owner may use up to 10% of the contents limit for interior walls, floors and ceilings not insured by the association’s policy, and this doesn’t add to the contents limit.
• Flood loss assessments. Your NFIP building coverage can pay your share of a flood loss assessment up to its limit, but it excludes assessments caused by the association’s deductible, assessments by a government body and assessments for personal property.

Private flood policies vary, and our NFIP vs. private flood guide explains the differences.

If your unit is insured by Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Florida’s state-created insurer, note that as of the 2026 Florida Statutes, Citizens policyholders don’t have to buy flood insurance to keep policies that provide coverage under a condominium unit owners form (s. 627.351(6)(aa)3.b.). A mortgage lender may still require flood insurance. Citizens’ own FAQ (updated March 16, 2026) also lists condominium unit-owner policies as exempt from its flood requirement. Our Citizens flood requirement page covers the broader rule.

Renting your condo out

Condos usually stay on an HO-6 even when they’re rented out, with rental and landlord considerations added. Coverage for rental activity, liability to guests and theft by tenants varies by policy form and endorsement, so ask us to review yours.

• Loss of use and loss of rents are different. Loss of use is about your own costs when you can’t live in the unit after a covered loss, while loss of rents, or fair rental value, relates to rental income. Ask whether your policy includes it and for how long.
• Guest liability. Short-term guests bring pools and beach walkovers into the picture, and a personal umbrella may add a layer of liability coverage, subject to its terms.
• Tenants’ belongings. Your HO-6 doesn’t cover a tenant’s belongings, so ask tenants to carry their own renters policy.

A condo unit rented to short-term guests can be a vacation rental under Florida’s lodging law (s. 509.242(1)(c)), so state licensing through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and local rules can apply; check current requirements. And under section 718.110(13), an amendment that prohibits renting, changes rental terms or limits how often owners can rent applies only to owners who consent and to owners who take title after it takes effect.

Wind mitigation and condo units

Florida law (s. 627.0629) requires residential property rate filings to account for features that reduce wind loss. How that applies to a unit policy versus the master policy depends on the insurance company and form, and the roof and windows may belong to the association. If you’re considering a wind mitigation inspection, ask us first how it may apply to a unit policy. The inspection may be at your own cost. Learn more on our St. Augustine home insurance page.

The state’s My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program (s. 215.55871) is run by the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS), depends on annual funding and is open to associations, not individual owners. It covers buildings 3 or more stories tall with at least two units, within 15 miles of the coastline, for associations that are current on their milestone inspection and SIRS requirements. Grants are matched, with the association paying $1 for each $2 from the state, up to $175,000 in state funds per association, so check with DFS for current availability. McGriff-Williams Insurance doesn’t do wind mitigation inspections.

What to have ready when you ask about coverage

• Building name, number of stories, year built and your unit’s floor
• The declaration’s pages on insurance and maintenance, plus any opt-out notice under section 718.111(11)(k)
• The master policy declarations page, with its limits, each deductible in dollars and any flood coverage and limits. Current association insurance policies are official records you can ask for (s. 718.111(12)(a)8.).
• Your upgrades since original construction, such as flooring, kitchen and baths, and when they were done
• Your current HO-6 declarations page, and your flood policy if you have one
• How you use the unit: long-term, seasonal or short-term rental, and any management company
• Any elevation certificate. Our St. Augustine home insurance page explains where to find one, along with local flood zones.

When you’re ready, request a quote. A licensed member of our team will review your request and contact you by phone or email. Coverage isn’t in place until it’s bound.

Frequently asked questions

Does my association’s master policy cover my kitchen cabinets and floors?

Generally no. Under section 718.111(11)(f)3., floor, wall and ceiling coverings and built-in cabinets and countertops inside your unit that serve only your unit are excluded from the master policy and are yours to insure. Check your declaration for your building’s details.

What is loss assessment coverage?

It pays your share of an association assessment for damage to property the owners hold in common, when your policy covers the cause of the loss. Florida law requires at least $2,000 of it on a unit owner policy, with a deductible of $250 or less (s. 627.714), and the limit in force the day before the loss is the one that applies.

Does the association’s flood policy cover my belongings?

No. The association’s NFIP policy, the RCBAP, covers the building, so your contents need your own flood policy.

Will my own NFIP flood policy pay an assessment caused by the association’s flood deductible?

No. The NFIP Dwelling Form’s loss assessment coverage excludes assessments caused by the association’s deductible.

Do condo unit owners insured by Citizens have to buy flood insurance?

As of the 2026 Florida Statutes, policyholders of Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, Florida’s state-created insurer, don’t have to buy flood insurance to keep policies that provide coverage under a condominium unit owners form (s. 627.351(6)(aa)3.b.). A mortgage lender may still require flood insurance. Citizens’ own FAQ (updated March 16, 2026) also lists condominium unit-owner policies as exempt from its flood requirement.

General information, not legal or coverage advice. Coverage depends on the policy issued, its terms and underwriting. Statute references are to the 2026 Florida Statutes, and sources were checked October 30, 2026.

Sources

• Fla. Stat. s. 718.111 (2026), including (11) Insurance and (12) Official records: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/718.111
• Fla. Stat. s. 718.112 (2026), including (2)(c), (2)(f) and (2)(g): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/718.112
• Fla. Stat. s. 718.110 (2026), subsection (13): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/718.110
• Fla. Stat. s. 553.899 (2026), milestone inspections: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/553.899
• Fla. Stat. s. 627.714 (2026), unit owner coverage: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.714
• Fla. Stat. s. 627.70132 (2026), claim deadlines, including (4) loss assessment claims: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.70132
• Fla. Stat. s. 627.351 (2026), paragraph (6)(aa): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.351
• Fla. Stat. s. 627.0629 (2026): https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.0629
• Fla. Stat. s. 509.242 (2026), vacation rental definition: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/509.242
• Fla. Stat. s. 215.55871 (2026), My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/0215.55871
• Florida Department of Financial Services, My Safe Florida Condo: https://myfloridacfo.com/mysafeflhome/mysafefloridacondo
• Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, FAQ Answer ID 4543 (updated March 16, 2026): https://securesupport.citizensfla.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4543/
• 44 CFR Part 61, including 61.6, the SFIP Dwelling Form and the RCBAP (eCFR, version of October 1, 2026): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-44/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-61
• McGriff-Williams Insurance, St. Johns County flood zones guide (data as of October 29, 2026): https://mcgriffwilliams.com/flood/guides/st-johns-county-flood-zones/
• McGriff-Williams Insurance, Home Insurance in St. Augustine: https://mcgriffwilliams.com/st-augustine-home-insurance/

When you apply for homeowners insurance or your policy comes up for renewal, your credit history may play a part in the price you’re offered. Many insurers use what’s called a credit-based insurance score. Florida law puts specific limits on how that score can be used, and it gives you rights if credit works against you.

Here’s how insurance scores work, what Florida law says and what you can do before your next renewal.

1. What an insurance score is (and isn’t)

An insurance score, or “credit-based insurance score,” is built from information in your credit report. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), these scores “are used to estimate how likely someone is to file an insurance claim, not how likely they are to repay a loan.” That’s the key difference from the credit score a lender sees. A lending score predicts loan repayment; an insurance score predicts the likelihood of a claim, and it may weigh credit factors differently.

There are several companies that build insurance scores. One widely used insurance scoring model looks at five general areas. As described in consumer guides from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the District of Columbia’s Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB), the rough weights are:

• Payment history (about 40%): how well you’ve paid your debts in the past
• Outstanding debt (about 30%): how much you currently owe
• Length of credit history (about 15%): how long you’ve had credit
• Pursuit of new credit (about 10%): whether you’ve recently applied for new credit
• Credit mix (about 5%): the types of credit you have, such as credit cards, a mortgage or an auto loan

These weights are approximate and come from general consumer guides, not Florida law. Insurance scoring models vary, and other models can weigh these factors differently.

What’s left out. According to DISB, a credit-based insurance score can’t use information such as your race, color or national origin; religion; gender; marital status; age; income, occupation or employment history; or where you live. It also leaves out child or family support obligations, rental agreements, certain types of inquiries and whether you’re in credit counseling. One note: the score itself doesn’t use your address, but your premium still can, because a home’s location is a standard rating factor in property insurance, along with things like the amount of coverage, the home’s construction and fire protection in the area.

Does an insurer’s credit check hurt your credit? No. When an insurance company checks your credit report for a quote or a renewal, it’s treated as a “soft” inquiry. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) explains that a soft inquiry is recorded when your credit file is reviewed for reasons other than an application for credit, and it lists reviews of existing accounts by insurance companies as soft inquiries. CFPB says soft inquiries “will not affect your credit scores” and are shown only to you. Florida law also says insurers can’t count insurance-related inquiries, if they’re identified as such on your credit report, when they look at the number of inquiries.

2. How common insurance scores are, and how Florida differs

Insurance scores are widely used where state law allows them. The NAIC cites an industry estimate that about 85% of homeowners insurers use them in states where the practice is allowed. Even so, the NAIC notes that insurance scores are typically only one of many inputs insurers use, alongside factors such as claims history, property characteristics, location, coverage limits and deductibles.

It’s worth knowing that some Florida home insurers don’t use insurance scores at all. Practices vary by company, which is one reason the same home can get different quotes.

3. What Florida law says

Florida’s rules are in section 626.9741 of the Florida Statutes, which covers personal auto insurance and personal residential insurance, including homeowners, mobile home, renters, condo and similar policies. A Florida administrative rule, Rule 69O-125.004, adds requirements for how insurers handle credit reports on homeowners and auto applications. Here are the main protections.

You must be told. An insurer “must inform an applicant or insured, in the same medium as the application is taken, that a credit report or score is being requested for underwriting or rating purposes.” Under Rule 69O-125.004, insurers that use credit reports on applications must notify applicants before requesting a report.

Credit can’t be the only reason. Under the statute, “An insurer may not make an adverse decision solely because of information contained in a credit report or score without consideration of any other underwriting or rating factor.” An “adverse decision” includes refusing to issue or renew a policy, issuing it with exclusions or restrictions, raising the rate or premium, or placing you in a less favorable rating tier or affiliated company. The Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) puts it this way: “Insurers cannot nonrenew a homeowner’s policy solely based on information from a credit report, for having no credit history, or for having an adverse credit history due to medical bills.”

No credit history or thin credit gets special treatment. An insurer may not make an adverse decision, or use a credit score that could lead to one, based in whole or in part on “The absence of, or an insufficient, credit history.” In that case, the law gives the insurer three options: treat you as otherwise approved by the Office of Insurance Regulation if the insurer shows the lack of history is related to risk, treat you as if you had “neutral credit information, as defined by the insurer,” or leave credit out and use only other underwriting criteria.

Medical collections can’t be held against you. The same protection applies to “Collection accounts with a medical industry code, if so identified on the consumer’s credit report.” Where you live can’t be the basis for an adverse credit-based decision either.

If credit works against you, you get specific reasons. An insurer that makes an adverse decision based in whole or in part on a credit report must either give you a copy of the report without charging you for it or give you the name, address and phone number of the credit reporting agency so you can get it. The insurer must also explain its reasons in “sufficiently clear and specific language,” including “a description of the four primary reasons, or such fewer number as existed.” Vague phrases such as “poor credit history,” “poor credit rating” or “poor insurance score” don’t meet the requirement.

You can appeal after certain life events. If your credit report or score was “unduly influenced by a dissolution of marriage, the death of a spouse, or temporary loss of employment,” the insurer must, at your request, provide a way to appeal. Those are the three events the statute names. The insurer must finish its review within 10 business days after your request and its receipt of the reasonable documentation it asks for. If it agrees, it must treat you as having neutral credit information or exclude the credit information, whichever is more favorable to you.

Your credit must be re-reviewed. If credit history hurt you when the policy was first rated or at a later renewal, the insurer must review your credit history “at a minimum of once every 2 years or at the request of the insured, whichever is sooner,” and “adjust the premium of the insured to reflect any improvement in the credit history.” That review can’t be used to cancel or nonrenew your policy, or to require a change in how you pay. Some insurers follow a different schedule the law allows: if an insurer used credit only when the policy started and won’t use it again, it must reevaluate you within the first three years based on other rating factors, without your credit information. Whether a review changes your premium, and by how much, varies by insurer.

One more detail: the law says it isn’t a new adverse decision if, at renewal, you simply continue in a less favorable rate or tier because of your credit, except for the renewals or reunderwriting the law requires. That’s why asking for a re-review can matter.

4. Why two quotes for the same home can differ

Insurance companies don’t all rate the same way. DFS notes that underwriting guidelines vary between insurers. Some Florida home insurers use insurance scores and some don’t, and companies that do use them may use different scoring models and weigh the results differently alongside the home’s age, roof, construction, location, claims history and the coverage you choose.

That’s where an independent agency can help. Because McGriff-Williams Insurance is an independent agency that works with multiple insurance companies, a licensed member of our team may be able to compare options from the insurance companies we represent. Any difference in price, and whether there is one at all, depends on your home, your coverage and each company’s underwriting and rates.

5. A short checklist before your renewal

• Check your credit reports. You can get your reports from the three nationwide credit bureaus through AnnualCreditReport.com, the site named by DFS and DISB, without paying a fee. The CFPB notes that the nationwide credit reporting companies now let you check your reports every week if you ask. Checking your own report doesn’t affect your credit scores.
• Dispute errors. If something is wrong, contact the credit reporting company to have it corrected. Errors could affect your insurance score.
• Ask whether credit was used. If you’re not sure, ask your insurer or agent whether a credit-based insurance score was used to rate your policy.
• Read any notice carefully. If you got an adverse decision notice, it should list specific reasons and tell you how to get your credit report.
• Ask for a re-review. If your credit has improved and credit hurt your rating, you can ask your insurer to review it. Any premium change may vary by insurer.
• Ask about an appeal if it applies. If a divorce, a spouse’s death or a temporary job loss affected your credit, ask your insurer about its appeal process and what documentation it needs.
• Get help if you need it. The Florida Department of Financial Services Insurance Consumer Helpline is 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236), or (850) 413-3089 from outside Florida.

FAQ

Is an insurance score the same as my credit score?
No. Both use information from your credit report, but a lending credit score predicts whether you’ll repay a loan, while an insurance score predicts the likelihood of an insurance claim. The two can weigh credit factors differently.

Will getting a homeowners insurance quote lower my credit score?
No. An insurer’s check of your credit report for a quote or renewal is a soft inquiry, which CFPB says doesn’t affect your credit scores.

Can a Florida insurer refuse to renew my policy because of my credit?
Not because of credit alone. Florida law says an insurer may not make an adverse decision solely because of a credit report or score without considering other underwriting or rating factors, and it limits how an insurer can treat having no credit history, and it can’t hold medical collections against you.

Let’s review your coverage

McGriff-Williams Insurance is an independent agency in Gainesville since 1983. If you have questions about how your credit history may affect your home insurance, a licensed member of our team can review your current home and auto coverage with you. Call (352) 371-7977 or contact us.

This article is general information, not a statement of coverage or legal advice. Your policy’s terms, conditions and endorsements control. Coverage options vary by company and are subject to underwriting and availability. How credit information is used, and its effect on any premium, varies by insurer. Information is as of October 23, 2026.

Sources

• Florida Statutes s. 626.9741, “Use of credit reports and credit scores by insurers” (2026), accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/0626.9741 and http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0626/Sections/0626.9741.html
• Florida Administrative Code Rule 69O-125.004, “Credit Report Use and Disclosure in Consideration of Insurance Applications,” accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=69O-125.004 (rule text: https://www.law.cornell.edu/regulations/florida/Fla-Admin-Code-Ann-R-69O-125-004)
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners, “Credit-Based Insurance Scores” (last updated March 19, 2026), accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://content.naic.org/insurance-topics/credit-based-insurance-scores
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners, Consumer Insight, “Credit-Based Insurance Scores Aren’t the Same as a Credit Score. Understand How Credit and Other Factors Determine Your Premiums” (July 22, 2020), accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://content.naic.org/article/consumer-insight-credit-based-insurance-scores-arent-same-credit-score-understand-how-credit-and-other-factors
• District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking, “How an Insurance Company Can Use Your Credit Score to Determine Your Premium,” accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://disb.dc.gov/page/how-insurance-company-can-use-your-credit-score-determine-your-premium
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “What is a credit inquiry?” (last reviewed Sept 5, 2025), accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-credit-inquiry-en-1317/
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “Understand your credit report” (Your Money, Your Goals handout), accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_understand_your_credit_report_handout.pdf
• Florida Department of Financial Services, “Homeowners Insurance Overview” (including the Florida Insurance Consumer Helpline listing), accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/consumers/understanding-insurance/homeownersinsuranceoverview
• Florida Department of Financial Services, Your Money Matters, “Credit History,” accessed Oct 23, 2026: https://www.myfloridacfo.com/ymm/CreditAndDebt/CreditHistory

A bear roamed through the Town of Tioga, a popular Gainesville neighborhood, early Sunday morning (Oct 25), and people posted photos from their doorbell cameras.

It got our team asking a very insurance-agency question: if a bear ever let itself into your house, what would your homeowners policy actually do?

So we poured a cup of coffee and opened the policy itself. Below, we quote the standard homeowners “special form” that many policies are built from (form HO 00 03 05 11, often called the HO-3). Your policy may use different words, and Florida policies often do. Think of this as a guide to reading your own policy, not a promise about what it pays.

Part 1: The house itself (doors, walls, floors)

On a standard HO-3, the house is covered on an “open perils” basis. The form says: “We insure against direct physical loss to property described in Coverages A and B” (HO 00 03 05 11, Section I, Perils Insured Against, Coverage A and Coverage B). Coverage A is the house; Coverage B is other structures, like a detached garage, shed or fence.

Open perils means the house is covered unless something is specifically excluded. The form does exclude some animal damage, and the list is short: “Birds, rodents or insects,” “Nesting or infestation” by any animals, and “Animals owned or kept by an ‘insured'” (Section I, Perils Insured Against, A.2.c.(6)).

Is a bear a bird, a rodent or an insect? No. Did it move in and nest? Let’s hope not. Is it your bear? Definitely not. Under that standard wording, a clawed-up door or a broken window from a bear would likely be treated like other sudden damage to the house, minus your deductible.

The Florida twist: some Florida policies rewrite this exclusion. Some exclude damage from animals of any kind, wild or not. Others exclude only pets or domestic animals. Same bear, very different answer. Policies vary, so check your own wording.

Part 2: Your belongings (the couch, the TV, the pantry)

On a standard HO-3, your belongings are covered only for a list of named perils. The form covers personal property loss “caused by any of the following perils” (Section I, Perils Insured Against, Coverage C), and then lists them: fire, windstorm, theft, vandalism, falling objects and more.

Read through the list and you won’t find “bear.” You won’t find “animal” either. So bear damage to your belongings is generally not covered on a standard HO-3.

What about vandalism? Fair question, since a bear-tossed living room can look a lot like it. But courts that have looked at this question, in other states, have treated vandalism as something a person does on purpose. The bear isn’t a vandal; it’s just hungry.

One twist: if the bear causes a named peril, that peril can come into play. Say it yanks a water supply line loose. The standard form’s peril 12 covers “accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic fire protective sprinkler system or from within a household appliance” (Coverage C, peril 12). In that case, water damage to your rug could be covered even though the claw marks on your couch aren’t. The facts of the claim and your policy wording decide it.

Part 3: The upgrade that changes the answer

Some policies cover belongings on an “open perils” basis too. The standard HO-5 form starts: “We insure against direct physical loss to property described in Coverages A, B and C” (HO 00 05 05 11, Section I, Perils Insured Against). Some HO-3 policies can add an endorsement that does something similar for belongings.

With that kind of coverage, your belongings would likely be covered for bear damage, as long as the policy’s animal exclusion doesn’t reach wild animals. Special limits for some items, such as cash, still apply. Again, check your own wording.

Part 4: The fridge raid

Some policies include food spoilage coverage, but where a policy has it, it’s usually tied to a power outage or an equipment breakdown, not a hungry visitor. On a standard HO-3, food the bear ate generally isn’t covered, for the same named-perils reason as the couch.

Part 5: Your deductible, and where you sleep tonight

• Deductible: the standard form pays “only that part of the total of all loss payable that exceeds the deductible amount shown in the Declarations” (Section I, Conditions, Deductible). A small mess may come in under your deductible.
• Loss of use: if “a loss covered under Section I” makes your home “not fit to live in,” the form covers “any necessary increase in living expenses” (Section I, Property Coverages, Coverage D, Additional Living Expense). Two conditions apply: the damage has to be covered, and the home has to be unfit to live in. A bear that only rearranges the kitchen likely doesn’t meet that bar.

Part 6: What about my car?

A bear denting your car in the driveway is generally an auto insurance question, not a home one. The standard homeowners form lists “‘Motor vehicles'” as property not covered (Coverage C, Property Not Covered). The standard personal auto policy treats “Contact with bird or animal” as “other than ‘collision'” (form PP 00 01, Part D), often called comprehensive. That only helps if your policy carries comprehensive coverage on that vehicle.

Quick FAQ

Is a bear breaking into my house covered by homeowners insurance?
Under the standard HO-3 wording, damage to the house itself would likely be covered, minus your deductible, because the animal exclusions don’t name wild animals. Some Florida policies exclude any animal, so check your own wording.

Would my belongings be covered if a bear wrecked them?
On a standard HO-3, generally not, since animal damage isn’t a named peril. Open-perils coverage for belongings can change that.

Isn’t bear damage “vandalism”?
Usually not. Courts that have looked at it, in other states, have said vandalism takes a person’s intentional act.

A bear scratched my car. Which policy is that?
Usually your auto policy, under comprehensive (“other than collision”), if you carry it.

Have a question about your own policy?

A bear in the house is a rare case. Questions about policy wording are not. If you’d like to know whether your policy covers belongings on a named-perils or open-perils basis, or how it words its animal exclusion, a licensed member of our team can review your policy wording with you.

FEMA is updating flood maps in parts of Northeast Florida, and the new versions are now out for public review in Jacksonville and in Clay and Putnam counties. If you own a home or a business in Northeast Florida, it’s a good time to look up your property and see whether anything is changing.

Here’s a plain-language look at what’s changing, the dates to know and how to check your own address with official tools.

1. What FEMA is updating

Flood Insurance Rate Maps, often called FIRMs or flood maps, show which areas FEMA considers higher risk for flooding. Lenders use them to decide when flood insurance is required on a federally backed mortgage, and local governments use them for building rules.

FEMA’s current flood map project for this area (project 20-04-0049S) covers parts of Bradford, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Putnam and Volusia counties. FEMA released preliminary maps for this project dated May 29, 2025, and published its notice of proposed flood hazard determinations in the Federal Register on January 21, 2026.

Preliminary means proposed. The new maps aren’t in effect yet. FEMA says that where an effective flood map exists, it’s the one that must be used for the minimum NFIP requirements. So for now, your current flood zone is still the one on today’s effective map. Duval County’s current effective map panels are dated June 3, 2013, and November 2, 2018. Clay County describes its current maps as its 2014 maps.

2. Which parts of Duval are in the update

In FEMA’s preliminary map index for Duval County, 69 of the 175 panels in that index carry the new May 29, 2025, preliminary date. By our reading of FEMA’s panel index, they’re in parts of the Northside, Westside, Arlington and Southside/Mandarin areas, and none of them reach the oceanfront. Map panels cover large areas, so a neighborhood can fall partly on an updated panel and partly on one that isn’t changing.

FEMA’s flood hazard determination status page shows no pending flood hazard determinations for Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach or Atlantic Beach, so they keep their current maps in this update.

Keep in mind that a panel being updated doesn’t mean every property on it is changing. As Clay County puts it, “While most properties will not change, some may be added to or removed from Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs).” The only way to know about your property is to look up your address.

3. Dates to know

• Appeal and comment period: August 20 to November 18, 2026. FEMA’s flood hazard determination status page lists this 90-day period for the City of Jacksonville, Clay County and Putnam County. Under FEMA’s notice, appeals and comments must be received by the end of the period.
• Effective date: not set yet. FEMA hasn’t announced when the new maps will take effect. Clay County’s flood map page lists “Spring 2027” as the “Anticipated effective date of the updated flood maps.” That’s Clay County’s estimate. The City of Green Cove Springs lists a summer 2027 target, subject to change. We didn’t find a published estimate for Duval.

About appeals. Under FEMA’s notice, an appeal has to show that a proposed determination is scientifically or technically incorrect, and other feedback counts as a comment. Appeals and comments go to your community’s chief executive officer as listed in FEMA’s notice, not to FEMA directly. In Jacksonville, the preliminary maps can be viewed at the Development Services Division, 214 North Hogan Street, Room 2100, Jacksonville, FL 32202, or online at FEMA’s Map Service Center. Clay County asks residents to send questions or appeals to its floodplain team at floodteam@claycountygov.com.

4. How to look up your flood zone with official tools

• FEMA Flood Map Service Center (MSC): Search your address at msc.fema.gov/portal/search to see your current effective flood map.
• FEMA Flood Map Changes Viewer: At msc.fema.gov/fmcv, you can compare current flood data with preliminary changes for your location. FEMA describes it as showing which areas have increased in flood risk and which have decreased on the new preliminary map.
• FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer: A detailed map of current effective flood zones, available through FEMA’s flood data viewers page.
• City of Jacksonville: The city’s Floodplain Coordinator handles flood zone determinations and copies of available elevation certificates at (904) 255-8366. See the City of Jacksonville Floodplain Management page.
• Neighboring counties: St. Johns County has a Flood Zone Viewer, Nassau County has a flood map service site, and Clay County’s Flood Zone Changes page links to its interactive map.

FEMA says preliminary data are “for review and guidance purposes only” and can’t be used to rate flood insurance policies. Use your current effective map for today’s flood zone, and the Flood Map Changes Viewer to see what may change.

5. CRS discounts on NFIP policies in Northeast Florida

Many local governments take part in FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS). It recognizes communities whose floodplain management goes beyond the NFIP’s minimum requirements. In return, eligible NFIP flood insurance policies in those communities may receive a premium discount based on the community’s class. FEMA’s discounts run from 5% to 45% in 5% steps, and a Class 10 community receives none.

A few points to keep in mind:

• It applies to NFIP policies only. The CRS discount is part of NFIP pricing. It doesn’t apply to private flood insurance.
• It isn’t limited to high-risk zones. FEMA says “the CRS discount is applied to the full-risk premium for all NFIP policies in the Regular Program in a participating community, including policies outside of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).”
• It depends on where your property is. The class that applies is the one for the community your property is in. For example, a city and the county around it can have different classes.
• Some policies can be excluded. FEMA notes that a policy may not receive the discount if the structure isn’t in compliance with the community’s floodplain management rules.

Here are the classes on FEMA’s CRS list effective October 1, 2026:

Community	CRS class	NFIP premium discount
City of Jacksonville	6	20%
Jacksonville Beach	6	20%
Neptune Beach	6	20%
Atlantic Beach	5	25%
Nassau County	7	15%
Fernandina Beach	5	25%
St. Johns County	5	25%
St. Augustine	4	30%
St. Augustine Beach	8	10%
Clay County	6	20%
Putnam County	8	10%
Baker County	10	0%

Several nearby cities and towns, including Baldwin, Callahan, Green Cove Springs, Hilliard, Macclenny, Orange Park and Palatka, don’t appear on FEMA’s October 2026 list, so NFIP policies there don’t get a CRS discount. Your actual premium depends on many factors, and the discount is only one part of it.

6. If you’re thinking about buying flood coverage

According to FloodSmart.gov, the NFIP’s official site, a new NFIP flood policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase. There are a few exceptions. For example, there’s no wait when flood insurance is bought while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage. Another exception may matter once the new maps take effect: if a map revision newly places a building in a high-risk flood zone, FEMA’s rules generally allow a one-day wait for a policy bought within a limited time after the new map’s effective date (13 months under FEMA’s regulation). It doesn’t apply to preliminary maps. Because of the waiting period, it’s better to review your flood coverage before you need it.

FAQ

Is my flood zone changing right now?
Not yet. The new maps are preliminary. Your current flood zone is the one on today’s effective map until FEMA’s updated maps take effect.

When will the new maps take effect?
FEMA hasn’t announced an effective date. Clay County’s flood map page anticipates spring 2027 for Clay County. The City of Green Cove Springs lists a summer 2027 target, subject to change. We didn’t find a published estimate for Duval.

What’s the deadline to appeal or comment?
FEMA’s status page lists an appeal and comment period from August 20 to November 18, 2026, for the City of Jacksonville, Clay County and Putnam County. Appeals need scientific or technical data and go to your community’s chief executive officer as listed in FEMA’s notice.

Does the CRS discount apply to private flood insurance?
No. The CRS discount applies to NFIP flood insurance policies in participating communities, including NFIP policies outside high-risk zones.

How do I check my flood zone?
Search your address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center for your current zone, and use FEMA’s Flood Map Changes Viewer to see what may change. In Jacksonville, you can also call the city’s Floodplain Coordinator at (904) 255-8366.

Let’s review your coverage

McGriff-Williams Insurance is an independent agency in Gainesville since 1983. If you own a home or business in Northeast Florida and want to understand how a flood map change could affect your coverage, a licensed member of our team can review your current coverage with you and may be able to compare options from the insurance companies we represent. Call (352) 371-7977 or contact us.

This article is general information, not a statement of coverage or legal advice. Your policy’s terms, conditions and endorsements control. Coverage options vary by company and are subject to underwriting and availability. Flood zone determinations, map dates and CRS classes are set by FEMA and local communities and can change. Information is as of October 26, 2026.

Sources

• City of Green Cove Springs, Proposed flood insurance rate map reflects changes to local flood risk (posted Aug. 24, 2026): https://www.greencovesprings.com/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/359
• FEMA, Flood Hazard Determinations (FHD) status, Florida: City of Jacksonville (120077), Clay County (120064), Putnam County (120272), case 20-04-0049S; Jacksonville Beach (120078), Neptune Beach (120079), Atlantic Beach (120075), no FHDs. https://floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/bfe_status/bfe_main.asp
• FEMA, FHD Notice, Proposed Flood Hazard Determinations, City of Jacksonville. https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/STAMPFHDREST/FHD/HTML/NOTICE/ID/74124239
• Federal Register, “Proposed Flood Hazard Determinations,” 91 FR 2554, Jan. 21, 2026 (Doc. 2026-01057; FEMA-B-2578). https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/01/21/2026-01057/proposed-flood-hazard-determinations
• FEMA, Preliminary National Flood Hazard Layer, FIRM panels for Duval County (12031C). https://hazards.fema.gov/arcgis/rest/services/PrelimPending/Prelim_NFHL/MapServer
• FEMA, National Flood Hazard Layer, effective FIRM panels for Duval County (12031C). https://hazards.fema.gov/arcgis/rest/services/public/NFHL/MapServer
• FEMA, Flood Data Viewers and Geospatial Data. https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/national-flood-hazard-layer
• FEMA, Flood Map Service Center. https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search
• FEMA, Flood Map Changes Viewer. https://msc.fema.gov/fmcv
• FEMA, Preliminary FEMA Map Products. https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/
• FEMA, Community Members’ Guide to Initiating Map Revisions. https://www.fema.gov/flood-maps/change-your-flood-zone/guide-community-members
• FEMA, Community Rating System. https://www.fema.gov/floodplain-management/community-rating-system
• FEMA, CRS Eligible Communities, effective October 1, 2026 (PDF). https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_rsl_crs_eligible-communities-oct%202026_10052026.pdf
• FloodSmart.gov (NFIP), Buy a Flood Insurance Policy. https://www.floodsmart.gov/get-insured/buy-a-policy
• 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage under the Standard Flood Insurance Policy (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-44/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-61/section-61.11
• Clay County, Flood Zone Changes. https://www.claycountygov.com/community/flood-zone-changes
• City of Jacksonville, Floodplain Management. https://www.jacksonville.gov/departments/public-works/development-services-division/review-group-%28fka-dmg%29/floodplain-management
• St. Johns County, Flood Zone Viewer. https://www.gis.sjcfl.us/floodviewer/
• Nassau County, Flood Map Service. https://nassau-county-flood-map-service-nassauflgis.hub.arcgis.com/