Home and condo insurance in Broward County, checked against your building and your flood zone.

Broward is part of the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone

Under the Florida Building Code, Broward and Miami-Dade are the only two counties in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ), with the state’s strictest wind requirements. Broward’s design wind speeds are slightly lower than Miami-Dade’s, from 156 to 180 mph depending on the building’s risk category, but the same rules apply: windows, doors, shutters and roofing must carry an HVHZ product approval, and local amendments and code interpretations go through the county’s Board of Rules and Appeals.

Most Broward homes, however, are older than today’s code. Census estimates for 2020–2024 put the median year built at 1980, and about 68% of homes were built before 1990. Nearly half of all homes, about 49%, are in buildings with two or more units, and about 36% are in buildings with ten or more, from beachfront towers in Hallandale Beach and Fort Lauderdale to garden-style condos inland. About 64% of homes are owner-occupied.

Broward’s most recent big hurricane lesson came from Wilma in October 2005. The National Hurricane Center found that parts of Broward likely had Category 2 conditions, with gusts near 100 knots and even stronger winds on the upper floors of high-rises. Broken windows and roof damage were widespread.

New flood maps since July 31, 2024

FEMA’s updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Broward took effect on July 31, 2024. Some properties moved into or out of high-risk zones, which can change whether a lender requires flood insurance. Check your address on the county’s flood zone map, and remember that the map only describes the chance of flooding, not your protection. Every homeowners and condo policy excludes flood, including storm surge, and NFIP policies usually start 30 days after purchase, with limits of up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for contents. Condo associations may carry flood coverage for the building, but that does not cover your unit’s contents.

Condos: what is yours to insure

Florida condominium law requires the association’s property policy to exclude what lies within the unit and serves only it: floor, wall and ceiling coverings, electrical fixtures, appliances, water heaters, built-in cabinets and countertops, window treatments and personal property. Your HO-6 should cover those, plus liability and loss of use, and Florida requires at least $2,000 of loss assessment coverage, which pays your share of an assessment for a covered loss. Buildings with three or more habitable stories must have a milestone inspection at 30 years and every 10 years after, and a structural integrity reserve study. The repairs those reports find are paid by owners, not by insurance.

Houses: roofs and wind credits

Since July 1, 2022, an insurer cannot refuse to write or renew a Florida home only because its roof is under 15 years old, and an older roof that passes an inspection showing at least five years of life left cannot be refused on age alone. Insurers must include actuarially reasonable credits for documented wind-resistant features, and on the inspection form Broward is HVHZ. Homes permitted after September 1, 1994 under the South Florida Building Code, or under the Florida Building Code from 2002, can get credit for meeting the code; older homes earn credits through upgrades. Eligible homeowners may get a free inspection through My Safe Florida Home.

Deductibles and claim deadlines

Florida hurricane deductibles are $500 or 2%, 5% or 10% of the dwelling limit and apply once per calendar year. Notice of a new claim is due within one year of the date of loss, landfall for a hurricane, and supplemental claims within 18 months.

M&K Agency is a family-owned agency with a team of 12 and more than 5,000 clients across Florida. Send us your policy and we’ll check your coverage, along with your association’s insurance summary if you own a condo. We will show you the gaps in plain language and help you through a claim when you need it.

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