Hurricane Isaias has switched on Florida’s hurricane deductibles, which can top $6,000 before insurance pays out

The clock notably runs on when the damage happened, not when it was reported. A claim filed days after the storm would still fall under the hurricane deductible.

Most policies set it at 2% to 5% of your home’s insured value, though some use a flat amount like $2,000 — so if your home is insured for $300,000 and your hurricane deductible is 2%, you pay the first $6,000 of damage yourself. At 5%, that’s $15,000.

Isaias grew into a major hurricane Friday morning, with winds of 120 mph. Ahead of landfall, the National Hurricane Center forecast that it would reach the coast at or near Category 3 strength just east of Pensacola Beach late Friday, CNN reported, with hurricane-force winds stretching as far as 100 miles inland into southern Alabama.

Alabama, Florida and Mississippi declared states of emergency before the storm arrived.

Isaias is the first Atlantic hurricane of 2026. We haven’t had a first hurricane form this late into the season since 1914, hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach told The Associated Press.

For most households in Isaias’ path, the deductible is just one line on the bill. Paying for the rest runs through the same programs Floridians relied on after Hurricane Ian in 2022: FEMA grants, Small Business Administration disaster loans, mortgage forbearance and retirement savings. Several of those programs play by different rules now.

What your insurance covers, and what it doesn’t

First things first: Call your insurer as soon as it’s safe. Claims pile up fast after a big storm, and filing early gets you into the queue sooner.

Before you start cleaning up, take photos or video of all the damage. Florida’s Insurance Consumer Advocate recommends holding on to damaged items for the adjuster when it’s safe, and photographing anything you have to throw out.

Hang on to every receipt, from emergency repairs to extra living costs like a hotel stay, since your policy may reimburse them.

If you hit a snag with a claim, Florida’s Insurance Consumer Helpline is 1-877-693-5236. State law offers a modicum of relief: once the hurricane deductible kicks in on a claim, the insurer can’t stack another deductible on top of it. Whew!

Flooding is a different story entirely, though. Standard homeowners policies generally don’t cover it, AAA notes, so damage from storm surge or overflowing rivers takes a separate flood policy, either through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private insurer.

If your NFIP policy took effect before the storm, it will pay claims as usual. The program itself is on a short leash, though: Congress extended it last month only through mid-December, Carrier Management reported, after it lapsed for 43 days last fall.

Even with the right coverage, insurance may not pay for everything. (That would be too easy — and we can’t have that!) Policies can cap payouts or exclude some items, and a claim could affect your premiums down the road, depending on your insurer and state rules.

Notably, you should be on the lookout for scams. The Insurance Consumer Advocate warns against anyone who says they’re from a government agency or insurer but won’t show ID, and against contractors who want cash up front. Florida’s Disaster Contractors Network lists licensed contractors by county.

If you’re looking for somewhere safe to stay, you can text SHELTER and your ZIP code to 43362 for a list of open shelters within 200 miles. The list comes from American Red Cross data, since FEMA doesn’t run shelters itself.

For food, the Red Cross (1-800-733-2767) and local food banks are your best bets for a quick answer. Feeding America’s food bank locator also lets you search by ZIP code.

Federal help and other ways to cover the rest

Most federal help for households hinges on a major disaster declaration from the president that names your county. State emergency declarations don’t unlock these programs on their own, so check FEMA’s website or DisasterAssistance.gov to see whether your county made the list.

If it did, you can apply for FEMA aid at DisasterAssistance.gov, through the FEMA app or by calling 800-621-3362. FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program is designed for costs insurance won’t pick up, so file your insurance claim first.

At a state’s request, FEMA can pay participating hotels directly for a short stay through its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program.

That aid could look very different down the road. In May, a FEMA Review Council appointed by President Trump recommended replacing it with a single payment for owners whose homes are left unlivable, capped at $150,000, according to the National Association of Counties. Congress would have to approve that change and hasn’t, so Isaias claims will go through the current system.

Several other federal programs come into play once a major disaster declaration is in place:

• SBA disaster loans. Despite the name, the Small Business Administration lends to homeowners and renters, too. Homeowners can borrow up to $500,000 to fix a primary home, and owners and renters can borrow up to $100,000 to replace belongings, including cars. You won’t owe interest or payments for the first year, and you don’t have to wait for an insurance settlement to apply, according to the SBA (1-800-659-2955).
• IRS relief. The IRS typically pushes back filing and payment deadlines for people in federally declared disaster areas. Uninsured losses can go on last year’s tax return, which can speed up a refund.
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance. If the storm puts you out of work and you don’t qualify for regular unemployment benefits, you can apply through your state labor department.
• D-SNAP. Disaster food aid has looser eligibility rules than regular SNAP. It opens once the U.S. Department of Agriculture approves a state’s request.
• USDA programs. Farmers, ranchers and rural communities can apply for emergency farm loans and livestock assistance.

Nonprofits can help fill the gaps. The American Red Cross offers shelter, food and emergency aid. Habitat for Humanity and All Hands and Hearts, which grew out of volunteer relief work after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, help people rebuild.

Talk to your lenders

If the storm damages your home or cuts into your income, call your lenders before you miss a payment.

If Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac owns or backs your mortgage, your servicer can pause or reduce your payments for up to a year after a declared disaster. FHA borrowers in declared disaster areas are normally protected by a 90-day pause on new foreclosures. Keep in mind that forbearance only delays payments; you’ll still owe the money.

Federal student loan servicers check FEMA’s disaster declarations every business day and often move borrowers in affected areas into a natural disaster forbearance for up to 90 days, according to the Education Department. Interest keeps adding up during the pause. Private lenders don’t have to offer relief, but it’s worth asking. What have you got to lose?

Car lenders set their own rules, so call the bank or dealer that holds your loan and ask whether you can defer payments.

Households behind on energy bills can turn to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which serves people under income limits set by each state. A stopgap spending law keeps it funded at last year’s level for now.

The White House has proposed eliminating LIHEAP for the federal budget year that began Oct. 1. Congress rejected the same proposal for the previous budget year.