Nine months after hurricanes Helene and Milton struck Florida, new insurance claims data is revealing the growing amount of damage not covered by insurance. Of the more than half a million combined claims filed so far, 56% of Helene residential claims were closed without payment and about 43% of Milton residential claims. A closer look shows the majority were uninsured or underinsured.

Former Florida Deputy Insurance Commissioner Lisa Miller sat down with the heads of an insurance agency and a claims adjusting firm to find out why this is happening, how to determine proper coverage this hurricane season, and improvements in claims processes and technology.

Show Notes (For full Show Notes, visit https://lisamillerassociates.com/episode-58-the-17-reasons-your-florida-claim-wasnt-paid/)

When hurricanes Helene and Milton swept through Florida, they left more than just physical devastation in their wake − they exposed critical gaps in homeowners’ understanding of natural risk and insurance coverage, especially regarding flood protection. In this podcast, host Lisa Miller talked with two industry veterans − Lee Wiglesworth, President of Wiglesworth-Rindom Insurance Agency in Stuart, Florida, and Fraser Hudson, CEO of Lozano Insurance Adjusters of St. Petersburg − to dissect the data, debunk common myths, and offer actionable advice for insurance agents and Florida policyholders facing the daunting world of insurance claims. From claims to coverage, they discussed what every Florida property owner must know after hurricanes Helene and Milton. The podcast also provides a deep dive into Florida’s insurance landscape.

Reasons for Uninsured/Underinsured Properties

Hurricane Helene and Milton Florida insurance claims now total $7.3 billion with more than 90% of claims closed, according to the Florida of Insurance Regulation (OIR), in its June 10, 2025 claims update, the first since November 2024, just weeks after the storms’ landfalls. More than a half a million claims (519,689) have been filed across all insurance lines. On homeowners claims, the data shows that 56% of Helene residential claims have been closed without payment and about 43% of Milton residential claims. The majority of those unpaid claims were flood damage not covered under a homeowners policy or the damage was below the policy deductible, per the table below. (For full Show Notes, visit https://lisamillerassociates.com/episode-58-the-17-reasons-your-florida-claim-wasnt-paid/)