Hurricane Season 2026 — What Every South Florida Homeowner Must Do Right Now

An urgent message for South Florida homeowners · Sandra Alonso · Brown Harris Stevens

I want to have a serious conversation with you today — not about real estate, not about market conditions, not about buying or selling. I want to talk about protecting what you already have.

Hurricane season is here. We are in the heart of it right now. And after more than 20 years of living in South Florida I have learned that the difference between a hurricane being a manageable disruption and a financial catastrophe often comes down to one thing — preparation. Specifically the kind of preparation that most people put off until it is too late.

Everyone talks about water and batteries and boarding up windows when a storm is coming. And yes — all of that matters. But there is something just as important that almost nobody mentions. And it is the thing I have seen cost South Florida homeowners thousands of dollars after every major storm.

"Their documents"

The time to prepare for a hurricane is not when it is on the radar. It is right now — before the season gets active.

Why documents matter more than most people realize when a hurricane passes and the damage is done the insurance claim process begins. And that process requires documentation — lots of it.

Your homeowners insurance policy number. Your flood insurance policy. Photos of your belongings before the storm. Your property deed. Your mortgage information.

I have spoken with homeowners after major storms who could not find their insurance policy. Who had no photos of their belongings. Who did not know their deductible. Who did not even know which company their flood insurance was through.

In the chaos and stress of storm recovery — when you may be displaced, when your home may be damaged, when you are trying to manage a hundred things at once — not having this information organized and accessible adds an enormous amount of difficulty to an already overwhelming situation.

The good news is that preventing this is genuinely simple. It takes about 20 minutes this weekend. And it could save you thousands of dollars and weeks of unnecessary stress if a storm hits.

Your 5 step hurricane document checklist:

Here is exactly what I recommend every South Florida homeowner do right now — before another storm develops in the Atlantic.

✅ Step 1 — Gather your important documents in one place Your homeowners insurance policy. Your flood insurance policy — and if you do not have flood insurance, call your agent this week because standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. Your passport and driver's license. Your Social Security card. Your property deed or mortgage documents. Your vehicle titles. Your children's birth certificates. Put everything in one folder or binder.

✅ Step 2 — Make digital copies of everything Photograph or scan every document and save them to your email and a cloud service like Google Drive or iCloud. This way if you evacuate you can access every document from anywhere in the world — even if your home is damaged or your physical copies are destroyed. Also keep a physical copy set in a waterproof bag or fireproof box at home.

✅ Step 3 — Know your coverage before you need it This is the one that surprises people most. Do you know your homeowners insurance deductible? In Florida many policies have a separate hurricane deductible that is significantly higher than your standard deductible — often 2% to 5% of your home's insured value. On a $600,000 home that could be $12,000 to $30,000 out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. Do you know whether you have separate windstorm coverage? Do you know what your flood policy actually covers and what its limits are? Call your insurance agent today and ask these questions. Know the answers before you need them.

✅ Step 4 — Photograph and video everything in your home right now Walk through your entire home with your phone and record everything. Every room. Every closet. Open drawers and cabinets. Document your appliances, your electronics, your furniture, your jewelry, your artwork, your clothing. This visual documentation is absolutely essential if you ever need to file an insurance claim for personal property damage or theft after a storm. Do it this weekend and update it once a year. Save the video to your email and cloud storage.

✅ Step 5 — Know your evacuation zone and have a plan Miami-Dade County has specific evacuation zones from A through F based on your proximity to the coast and your flood risk. Zone A is the highest risk and evacuates first. Go to miamidade.gov right now and look up your specific address to find your zone. Then make a plan — where will you go if you need to evacuate? Which route will you take? Where will your pets go? Have this conversation with your family before a storm is 24 hours away. Decisions made under pressure are rarely as good as decisions made calmly in advance.

Twenty minutes this weekend could save you thousands of dollars and weeks of unnecessary stress after a storm.

"What this means for your home's value"

I want to add one more thing as a real estate professional. How well a home has been maintained and documented directly affects its value and its insurability. Homes with organized permit histories, documented improvements, and clear insurance records are easier to sell, easier to insure, and more attractive to buyers.

If you are thinking about selling your South Florida home in the next one to three years — getting your documentation organized now serves double duty. It protects you during hurricane season and it makes your eventual listing process significantly smoother.

"One more thing — check your roof"

Since we are talking about hurricane preparedness I want to mention something that comes up constantly in my conversations with South Florida homeowners and buyers. Roof age.

A roof that is more than 15 years old is not just a potential hurricane liability — it is increasingly difficult and expensive to insure in today's Florida market. Many insurers will not write a new policy on a home with an older roof. Others will significantly increase your premium. If your roof is aging this is the time to get it inspected and understand your options — both for hurricane protection and for the insurance costs that affect your home's carrying costs and ultimately its market value.

I wrote about South Florida homeowners insurance in detail in a recent article on my website — including roof age, flood zones, elevation certificates, and everything that affects what you pay. I will link to it below.

I share all of this as your neighbor and as someone who genuinely cares about this community. South Florida is an extraordinary place to live. Part of living here well is being prepared for what the season brings.

If you have questions about homeowners insurance, flood coverage, or how hurricane season affects your home's value and marketability — I am always happy to talk. And if you are thinking about buying or selling in Coral Gables, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay, Pinecrest, or South Miami I would love to help you navigate all of it.



Stay safe South Florida. 🌀

Sandra Alonso | Brown Harris Stevens | Coral Gables · Palmetto Bay · Cutler Bay · Pinecrest · South Miami