Florida insurance news, Oct. 28, 2026: Tuesday’s king tide reaches near-record levels, a major disaster is declared for Hurricane Isaias, Isaias claims pass 62,000, and the state sues over online home risk scores
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Four updates for South Florida homeowners, drivers and small-business owners. Each item is summarized in our own words, with a link to the original source.
1.Update: Tuesday’s king tide was one of the highest ever measured near Miami; the flood warning gives way to an advisory through Thursday
NOAA’s Virginia Key tide gauge near Miami peaked at about 2.54 feet above the normal high-tide line around 10:20 a.m. Tuesday (preliminary data), which CBS News Miami reported is the third-highest level at that gauge since records began in 1994, while the Port Everglades gauge in Fort Lauderdale set a record of its own. For a second straight day, salt water covered streets and stalled cars, including on Collins Avenue in Miami Beach and in Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods where city officials said pumping doesn’t help while the tide is that high. The National Weather Service in Miami says the Coastal Flood Warning for coastal Miami-Dade and Broward ends at 8 p.m. tonight and is followed by a Coastal Flood Advisory for moderate flooding until 8 p.m. Thursday, with major flooding still possible at today’s high tide. In the Keys, the warning for major saltwater flooding now runs until 5 a.m. Thursday.
Why it matters for you: If your car sat in salt water, have it checked soon and report it to your insurer: flood damage to a car falls under comprehensive coverage (comprehensive vs. collision), and if you shop for a used car in the coming months, learn how to spot a flood-damaged car. Flood damage to a home is covered only by a separate flood policy, which usually starts 30 days after purchase; Miami-Dade County lists the next king tide windows as Nov. 6–9 and Nov. 23–26.
Source: NOAA Tides & Currents,
Source: CBS News Miami,
Source: National Weather Service Miami,
Source: National Weather Service Miami,
Source: National Weather Service Key West,
Source: Miami-Dade County,
2.Major disaster declared for Hurricane Isaias, but for now only public assistance in the Panhandle
FEMA lists a major disaster declaration for Florida dated Oct. 27 (DR-4955-FL) for Hurricane Isaias, with an incident period of Oct. 6–12. So far it authorizes only Public Assistance, which reimburses state and local governments and certain nonprofits for emergency work and repairs to public facilities, in 15 Panhandle and Big Bend counties, including Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton and Bay. No county has been designated for Individual Assistance, the program that offers grants to households, and WEAR News reported that FEMA is still reviewing the state’s request for that help in eight counties. No South Florida county is part of the declaration.
Why it matters for you: Public Assistance is not paid to homeowners or businesses. If you or your family own property in the affected area, file with your home, flood or auto insurer now and keep every settlement or denial letter, because FEMA can’t pay for losses that insurance already covers. Our hurricane claim checklist walks through the steps.
Source: FEMA,
Source: WEAR News,
Source: NorthEscambia.com,
3.Isaias claims pass 62,000, and about 15,300 have closed without payment so far
The Office of Insurance Regulation’s latest data, as of Oct. 27, show 62,295 claims from Hurricane Isaias, up from about 55,000 a week earlier, with estimated insured losses of about $652 million. Residential property makes up 52,133 claims, led by Santa Rosa (29,463) and Escambia (19,274) counties, and 39.5% of all claims are closed: 9,293 with payment and 15,342 without. Of the claims closed without payment, OIR lists 4,040 where the damage was below the deductible, 220 with no flood coverage and 9,837 for administrative reasons, such as a withdrawn or duplicate claim or no contact with the policyholder.
Why it matters for you: A claim closed without payment isn’t always a denial; many are paperwork. If your claim was closed and you didn’t expect it, ask your insurer for the reason in writing, answer the adjuster’s calls and messages, and know your hurricane deductible before the next storm. Florida’s insurance consumer helpline is 1-877-693-5236. See our hurricane claim timeline.
4.Florida sues a climate-risk data company over flood scores shown on home listings
The Florida Attorney General filed suit on Oct. 23 in Polk County state court against a company whose 1-to-10 scores for flood, wind, fire and heat risk have appeared on major real-estate websites, alleging violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. According to the complaint, as reported by Florida Phoenix and WLRN, some properties get a high flood-risk score where FEMA maps show minimal flood hazard, owners can’t correct the score that buyers, lenders and insurers see, and homes with high scores sell more slowly. The state seeks civil penalties and clear disclosure that the scores are uncertain; these are allegations the court has not ruled on, and Insurance Journal noted that Nebraska filed a similar suit in August.
Why it matters for you: A score on a listing site is not your official flood zone. Before you buy, refinance or renew, check the property’s FEMA flood zone and ask your lender what it requires; even a low-risk zone can flood, as this week’s tides showed. Our flood insurance page explains how zones and policies work, or ask us.
Source: Florida Attorney General,
Source: WLRN / Florida Phoenix,
Source: Insurance Journal,
Also this week
The National Hurricane Center does not expect any tropical cyclone to form in the next seven days (8 a.m. Wednesday outlook). The Office of Insurance Regulation held its public hearing on the workers’ comp rate filing from the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) on Tuesday; no decision has been posted yet, and written comments are accepted through 5 p.m. ET on Nov. 10 at ratehearings@floir.gov.
This roundup is general information, not legal advice or policy language. Each item is our own short summary of the linked original report; details can change after publication, so check the source for the full story. Coverage depends on the terms, limits and exclusions of your policy. Talk with a licensed agent about your situation.