Homeowners Insurance
Why do I need homeowners insurance?
Homeowners insurance provides financial protection against disasters. A standard policy insures the home itself and the things you keep in it. Homeowners insurance is a package policy. This means that it covers both damage to your property and your liability or legal responsibility for any injuries and property damage you or members of your family cause to other people. Damage caused by most disasters is covered however there are exceptions. The most significant are damage caused by floods and poor maintenance. You must buy a separate policy for flood coverage. Maintenance-related problems are the homeowners responsibility.
A standard homeowners insurance policy includes the following:
- Dwelling coverage
- Other structures
- Contents
- Personal liability
- Medical payments
- Loss of use
What does my homeowners insurance cover?
Dwelling
Covers the house and attached structures for accidental direct physical loss except those losses excluded by the policy. This includes built in or attached items such as built in appliances or wall-to-wall carpet.
Other Structures
Covers other buildings or structures on the property that are separated by clear space from the house. Examples are a detached garage or gazebo. Covers for accidental direct physical loss to the structure except as excluded or limited by the policy.
Contents
Covers your personal property, such as: furniture and clothing, and items that are not attached to or built into the home. Covers these personal items for loss due to specific causes such as: fire, smoke, wind, theft, and other causes as described in the policy.
Personal Liability
Covers damage to others for which you are held liable except as limited or excluded by the policy.
Medical Payments to Others
Pays for medical or funeral expenses of others who are injured on your property or caused by your activities on or off your property.
Loss of Use
Pays for reasonable living expense if you are not able to reside in the home due to a covered loss.
Homeowners policies usually don’t cover flood. Learn about flood insurance in Florida.
Insured with Citizens? See the 2027 flood requirement.
How much homeowners insurance do I need?
When choosing the amount to insure your home for, a common mistake is using the purchase price rather than the amount it would cost to rebuild the structure in the event of a total loss. The purchase price of a home includes the land the home is built on, as well as market inflation or deflation. To learn more about how much you should insure your home for, check out this quick video
What drives the cost of homeowners insurance in Florida?
Every home is priced on its own details. The biggest factors are:
- Where your home is. Including its exposure to wind.
- Your roof. Its age, material and shape.
- Year built and updates. Construction type, and when the roof, electrical, plumbing and water heater were last updated.
- What it would cost to rebuild. Your dwelling limit should reflect rebuilding cost, not the purchase price or market value.
- Your deductibles. Including the separate hurricane deductible.
- Claims history.
- Wind mitigation features. Florida law requires residential property insurers’ rate filings to include actuarially reasonable discounts, credits or deductible reductions for features shown to reduce wind damage, such as stronger roof-to-wall connections, roof strength and opening protection (section 627.0629, Florida Statutes). The amount varies by insurance company and by home. A wind mitigation inspection report documents these features.
Market context (as of September 2026): The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reported on September 22, 2026 that, since January 2024, 48 insurance companies had filed for homeowners rate decreases and 53 had requested no change. Its 180-day average requested homeowners rate change was −0.3%, compared with +5.1% three years earlier. These are averages of insurers’ requests, not approved changes, and they don’t predict what any one policy will cost.
We can’t give a price without a few details. Here’s what we need.
How to get a quote
What we’ll need:
- Property address
- Year built and roof year (and roof type, if you know it)
- Approximate square footage
- Your current declarations page, if handy
- Current policy expiration date
- A wind mitigation or four-point inspection report, if you have one
What happens next: A licensed member of our team will review your request and contact you by phone or email.
Why it isn’t instant: We compare options from multiple insurance companies, and coverage isn’t in place until it’s bound.
Request a quote: Request a quote · Call (352) 371-7977 · Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
McGriff-Williams Insurance · 3501 W University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32607
General information, not legal or coverage advice. Coverage depends on your policy’s terms. Figures were checked October 19, 2026.
Sources
- Florida OIR news release, Sept 22, 2026 (48 companies filed decreases and 53 requested no change since January 2024; 180-day average homeowners request −0.3%, vs. +5.1% three years earlier): https://floir.gov/newsroom/archives/item-details/2026/09/22/commissioner-mike-yaworsky-approves-significant-rate-decreases-for-homeowners
- Florida Statutes s. 627.0629 (residential property insurance; windstorm mitigation discounts), 2026: https://www.flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/627.0629
- Florida OIR, Wind Mitigation Resources (Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form OIR-B1-1802, Rev. 04/26, effective April 1, 2026): https://floir.gov/consumers/wind-mitigation-resources/
