Proudly Serving the Entire State of Florida
HURRICANE DEDUCTIBLE OF YOUR HOMEOWNER’S POLICY
Almost all homeowner’s policies (and renter’s insurance too) have a separate, and usually higher, deductible for “named” hurricanes. “Named” hurricane are the ones you see on the news with names like “Alice”, “Ferdinand”, or most recently “Irma” and where the sustained winds exceeded 73 miles-per-hour. Thus, tropical depressions and tropical storms, which are also capable of dropping large amounts of rain, and to some degree high winds (gusts can reach hurricane speed, but are not sustained), are not considered hurricanes for purposes of your homeowner’s policy and thus not subject to the hurricane deductible.
(Flooding and water damage are not covered in most homeowner’s policies. You may be able to obtain extended coverage using a rider at a higher cost if your property is outside a flood plain, but flooding from a hurricane is never covered. The intention is that those who might be subject to damage through flooding will buy the separate flood insurance offered through the federal government under the National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP).
Flood insurance is generally required by mortgage companies for any property residing in a designated flood plain as set by the federal government. Insurance companies may require it as part of the coverage for homes that historically flood, even if not in a flood plain (you can contest this and may win). As we saw with Hurricane Florence in 2018, many homes not considered in a flood plain were damaged by this hurricane. In all instances, the insurance companies will not pay for flood damage caused by a hurricane, whether or not in a flood plain and whether or not the homeowner has flood coverage.
New Leaf services FAQs
What services does New Leaf offer?
New Leaf offers ‘direct cremation’ services at an affordable price. Forms are filled out online or over the phone. We provide efficient, quality service at a clear, reasonable price.
Arrangements are made online or over the phone.
We provide efficient, quality service at a clear, reasonable price.
How does the process work?
-A call to New Leaf or a visit to our website is all that is needed to start the process
– You choose your package and receive a quote, complete the online forms, and provide payment.
-We then dispatch our licensed funeral directors to transport your loved one from the place of death to our climate controlled holding facility for care and storage.
-We then register the death with the local municipality. Forms, certificates and authorizations are completed according to New York State laws before the cremation can take place.
-Once the forms and authorizations have been signed and filed with the local health department, the decedent is transferred to a third party crematory (as required by New York State law) for cremation. Usually this takes place within 3-7 days.
-The ashes are then shipped to the family or a hand delivery/pickup is arranged.
How long does the process usually take?
The overall cremation process, from notification until the family receives the ashes, will take an average of 7–15 days (you said you would hold body for five days when we spoke; can you hold a body more than that without cremation; should note that if there is a delay, as outlined below, body must be cremated). (We can’t cremate until the forms are filed. If the delay is longer than 5 days we charge a storage fee per day) Funeral homes are at the mercy of the medical examiner and others, though, so delays can and do occur.
The overall cremation process, from initial arrangements until the family receives the ashes, will take an average of 10–15 days.
Delays may occur when local, state or federal agencies, police, county coroner, or medical examiners become involved and investigate the circumstances surrounding a death, or the attending physician delays signing the death certificate.
You can rest assured that New Leaf will keep you informed every step of the way should a delay occur.
**Note: Should a delay in obtaining the death certificate require us to store your loved one in our care beyond the standard 3 day window, a daily ‘custodial care’ of $150/day will apply.
Is the memorial service included?
No, New Leaf handles the cremation allowing you to plan your own memorial service. If you would like to have a memorial service at one of our partner funeral homes we will be happy to arrange.
How are the ashes delivered?
Your loved one’s ashes will be either shipped through USPS Priority Mail, or hand-delivered by one of our representatives. They come in a rigid plastic container unless an urn is purchased through our website.
Does low cost mean low quality?
When it comes to a traditional funeral, yes, you get what you pay for- nicer facilities, nicer livery vehicles, etc. Direct Cremations are different however. New Leaf offers an efficient service and we pride ourselves on quality customer service. We believe that a person’s financial standing should not preclude them from a dignified end, and that every life should be celebrated. We treat our clients like family, just as we have for over 100 years at our partner funeral homes.
One quirk of the NFIP plan is that coverage does not take effect for 30 days after the start of coverage, thus a homeowner doesn’t have the ability to obtain coverage just as a hurricane is headed his/her way. It must be purchased beforehand, so plan ahead.
Hurricane deductibles can take one of two forms:
- Flat amount deductible, i.e., $1,000
- Percentage deductible, i.e., 2% of total policy value. Generally, a flat deductible will cost less out-of-pocket, but a quick calculation can determine which is lower.
Happily, Florida laws provide detailed specifications for when a hurricane deductible applies that covers: i) when the deductible applies; ii) for what duration of time the hurricane deductible applies; and, iii) how many times a deductible can be applied (only once when there is continued coverage; see below), God forbid, there are multiple hurricanes in one season, i.e., calendar year.
Determining if damage to a home was caused by flooding or other elements can be a dicey affair. This is where Pinnacle, your public adjuster, can help see that you receive the proper benefits of your homeowner’s policy by helping to make that determination. (Again, your insurance company is going to be seeking to allocate as much of the damage as possible to flooding because this frees them of liability of paying for such damage.)
Your policy’s Declarations Page, also referred to as “Dec Page or Dec”, outlines what the deductibles are and will specific your normal deductible and your hurricane deductible separately. Also, the Declarations Page will show the policy period, location of the property insured, premiums due, coverages, endorsements (which limit or modify the general coverage agreements), and discounts that were applied to calculate the final premium, i.e., protection devices, home and auto combo, etc.
Since your homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover flood damage, what does it cover: damage from wind, and interior damage caused by rain, snow, sleet, hail, sand, dust, or other element, i.e., mold, if such damage was precipitated by the wind first causing damage and thus allowing the other elements, such as rain, dust, or sand, to enter the dwelling. This coverage is standard throughout the state of Florida, whether your house is in a flood plain or not.
In Florida, the homeowner has the right to exclude hurricane coverage from the homeowner’s policy (except Surplus Lines policies). This is inadvisable. While it might save money, the possible damage that hurricane-related damage can cost is likely to exceed any savings, if a major hurricane strikes. The mortgage company or anyone holding a lien against the property must agree to this waiver (of course, most mortgage companies will not grant the waiver). This is a quirk and should not be used unless the homeowner absolutely cannot afford the full cost of coverage; but, even then, the homeowner needs to understand that lack of coverage may cause the loss of the home due to the inability to pay for the restoration of the property after hurricane-related damage. Statute 627.712(2)(a)1. and 2., outlines this provision.
The hurricane deductible is applied on a calendar year basis, i.e., from January 1st through December 31st, regardless of your policy date, if you retain coverage throughout the period from the same insurance company, or an affiliate of that company. In these cases, only one hurricane deductible can be applied each year. If a second hurricane occurs, the deductible applied will be: i) the balance of the hurricane deductible; or, ii) the regular deductible, if greater (which is usually the case). Should you change insurance companies after suffering a loss and paying the hurricane deductible to one carrier, the second carrier has the right to apply the full hurricane deductible again for any loss claimed under their policy. Something to think about if you have already made a claim related to hurricane damage.
When loss occurs, Pinnacle, acting as your public adjuster, can review your policy, other claims made against your policy, and the basis of your loss to determine what deductible applies, what damage is covered, and the maximum benefit to aid in your restoration and repair for your property.
