Filing a restoration claim in Florida shouldn't be harder than the damage itself. Palm Build navigates the entire insurance process — documentation, adjuster coordination, supplement negotiation, and scope approval — including Florida-specific deadlines, AOB reform compliance, and wind vs. flood classification — so Boca Raton homeowners get the coverage they've been paying for.
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Florida Insurance Market
Florida's homeowners insurance market is the most volatile in the nation — and Boca Raton sits at the epicenter. Six major carriers have exited the state since 2020, premiums have surged 37%+ cumulatively, and the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has swelled past 1.4 million policies through depopulation. Senate Bill 2A (January 2023) eliminated Assignment of Benefits (AOB) for new claims, fundamentally changing how restoration work is authorized and paid. Average annual premiums for Boca Raton homeowners now range from $4,275 to $6,077 — two to three times the national average — driven by hurricane exposure, litigation costs, and the high replacement value of South Florida homes. Understanding this landscape before you file a claim is no longer optional — it's the difference between full coverage and a costly surprise.
$4,275–$6,077
Average annual premium
Florida homeowners insurance cost range (2024-2026) — 2-3x national average
37%+
Premium increase since 2020
Cumulative rate increases driven by carrier exits, reinsurance costs, and hurricane losses
6 Carriers
Exited FL since 2020
Major carriers leaving Florida market — reducing competition and driving depopulation to Citizens
AOB Reform
Jan 2023 SB 2A
Assignment of Benefits restrictions changed how restoration claims are filed and paid in Florida
From the first phone call through final claim closeout, here's exactly what happens during a Boca Raton insurance restoration claim — including Florida-specific deadlines, AOB reform impacts, and how Palm Build manages each step.
Call your insurance company to open a claim and call Palm Build simultaneously. Under Florida Statute 627.70132, you must report property damage within 1 year of the loss date (reduced from 2 years by SB 2A). Your policy also requires immediate mitigation to prevent further damage. We begin emergency response and documentation while you file. Critical: Florida's AOB reform (January 2023) means you no longer assign your insurance benefits to a restoration company — you remain the policyholder and direct the claim. Palm Build works for you, not through an AOB assignment.
Palm Build's IICRC-certified technicians document every affected area using thermal imaging, pin-type moisture meters, and comprehensive photography. We classify the damage by cause — critical in Boca Raton where wind damage (homeowners policy), flood damage (separate NFIP or private flood policy), and water intrusion from failed building envelope components must be documented separately. Emergency mitigation begins simultaneously: water extraction, structural drying with dehumidifiers calibrated for South Florida's 70%+ ambient humidity, or hurricane board-up and debris clearing.
Your carrier assigns a field adjuster. Under Florida Statute 627.70131, the insurer must begin investigation within 14 days and provide a coverage determination within 60 days. We coordinate the inspection timing, walk the property with the adjuster, and provide our complete documentation package. Our Xactimate estimate is submitted alongside the adjuster's assessment. For Boca Raton claims, we ensure the adjuster understands CBS construction specifics, barrel tile replacement costs, luxury finish material pricing, and Florida Building Code hurricane hardening requirements.
Initial adjuster estimates frequently miss hidden damage in CBS construction — moisture trapped behind stucco walls, mold behind impermeable vapor barriers, structural damage concealed by ceiling finishes, and polybutylene pipe failures not visible until demolition. Palm Build documents supplemental damage as it's discovered and submits supplement requests with photographic evidence, moisture data, and updated Xactimate line items. Florida's 18-month supplemental claim deadline (Fla. Stat. 627.70132) applies to all supplements. Approximately 65-75% of Boca Raton restoration projects require at least one supplement.
Once mitigation is complete and the reconstruction scope is approved, rebuilding begins. Throughout reconstruction, we document progress at each milestone — rough-in completion, Palm Beach County inspection passage, specialty material installation, and finish work. This documentation supports remaining supplements and provides your carrier with evidence that the approved scope is being executed correctly. For Boca Raton projects requiring Florida Building Code hurricane hardening, we include engineering certifications and inspection records.
Final walkthrough confirms every scope item has been completed to satisfaction — including luxury finishes and architectural details that define Boca Raton homes. A completion certificate is provided to your carrier along with final photos, inspection records, and a summary of all work performed. Your carrier releases final payment — for Florida policies, this includes the recoverable depreciation holdback that's released upon verified completion. NFIP flood claims require a separate 60-day proof of loss submission, which we prepare and submit on your behalf.
Documentation That Wins Claims
Insurance claims are won or lost on documentation — especially in Florida's contentious insurance market where carriers aggressively scrutinize every claim. Your adjuster makes coverage decisions based on the evidence provided — and the format matters as much as the content. Here are the six documentation types Palm Build produces on every Boca Raton restoration project.
Complete photo and video documentation of all damage before any cleanup begins. This establishes the baseline condition your adjuster will reference for the entire claim. In Boca Raton's CBS homes where water damage hides behind stucco and impermeable finishes, initial photography is supplemented with moisture mapping that proves the full extent of damage before it's visible to the naked eye.
Infrared thermal cameras reveal moisture trapped behind CBS stucco walls, under marble and tile floors, and in ceiling cavities — damage that isn't visible until it becomes catastrophic. Pin-type and non-invasive moisture meters quantify the moisture content of every affected material. This data is critical for Boca Raton homes where CBS construction traps moisture behind impermeable surfaces, creating concealed damage that generic inspections miss entirely.
Data-logged moisture readings taken every 24 hours during drying. In Boca Raton's subtropical environment where ambient humidity regularly exceeds 70%, proving that professional drying equipment was necessary — not just natural evaporation — requires scientific documentation. Daily logs show progressive moisture reduction against target dry standards, justifying equipment placement and timeline to adjusters who question drying duration.
Line-item estimates written in the same software and pricing database your insurance carrier uses. Every damaged item is measured, described, and priced per Xactimate's localized cost database for the Boca Raton FL market — including luxury material pricing for barrel tile, natural stone, and custom finishes that are standard in this market but often under-priced in generic estimates.
Each item of damage is classified by its cause — wind, flood, fire, water discharge, mold — because different causes are covered by different policies or have different sublimits. For Boca Raton hurricane claims, this wind vs. flood distinction is the most consequential classification decision in the entire claim. Water entering through a wind-damaged roof is wind damage (homeowners policy). Water rising from storm surge is flood damage (NFIP or private flood policy). We document entry point and causation for every item.
Photography at every major milestone — demolition, rough-in, Palm Beach County inspections, specialty material installation, and final completion. This ongoing documentation supports supplement requests for hidden damage discovered during demolition of CBS walls and provides your carrier with evidence that the approved scope — including Florida Building Code hurricane hardening upgrades — was executed correctly.
Know Your Coverage
Florida homeowners policies have unique coverage gaps that catch Boca Raton homeowners off guard — especially the percentage-based wind deductible, mold sublimits, and the critical distinction between wind damage and flood damage during hurricane events. Understanding these distinctions before filing helps you avoid surprises.
Comprehensive
Covered with Major FL Exclusions
Covered (2-5% Wind Deductible)
Common Pitfalls
These are the five most common reasons Boca Raton restoration claims are partially or fully denied — including Florida-specific issues like AOB reform confusion and hurricane wind vs. flood disputes — and how proper documentation and policy awareness can prevent each one.
Florida Statute 627.70132 requires policyholders to report property damage within 1 year of the date of loss (reduced from 2 years by SB 2A in 2023). Supplemental claims must be filed within 18 months. For Boca Raton homes with slow water intrusion through CBS stucco walls — where damage develops gradually behind impermeable finishes — delayed discovery is the most common basis for denial. By the time mold appears on an interior wall, the underlying damage may have existed for months, and the carrier argues the loss date has passed. Palm Build's documentation establishes the timeline clearly, tying damage to a specific identifiable event when possible.
Prevention: Report any suspected damage immediately. Document the date you first noticed signs of damage, even if minor.
Before January 2023, Florida restoration companies routinely used Assignment of Benefits (AOB) to bill carriers directly. SB 2A eliminated AOB for new property claims. Some Boca Raton homeowners still sign AOB-like documents from contractors who haven't updated their processes — creating authorization confusion that carriers exploit to delay or deny payment. Under the new framework, the homeowner retains all policy benefits and must authorize restoration work directly. Palm Build operates exclusively under the post-reform model: we work for you, you authorize the work, and your carrier pays you.
Prevention: Never sign documents assigning your insurance benefits. Ensure your restoration company operates under the post-2023 framework.
During hurricane events, Boca Raton homes frequently experience both wind damage (covered by homeowners policy) and flood/storm surge damage (requires separate flood policy). Without cause-specific documentation, carriers routinely attribute water intrusion to storm surge (excluded) rather than wind-driven rain entering through damaged building envelope (covered). For a $400K claim, this single classification decision determines whether your homeowners carrier or your flood carrier pays — and if you don't have flood insurance, whether you're covered at all. Palm Build documents damage by entry point and cause.
Prevention: Ensure your restoration company classifies every item of damage by its specific cause — wind, flood, or water discharge.
Florida policies typically cap mold coverage at $10,000 to $25,000. In Boca Raton's subtropical climate where mold colonizes in 24-48 hours, remediation frequently costs $20,000 to $75,000+ for significant infestations. When the sublimit is exhausted, remaining costs fall to the homeowner. However, when mold results from a covered sudden water event (burst pipe, appliance failure), the mold remediation may be covered as part of the water damage claim rather than under the mold sublimit. Palm Build's documentation connects mold to the original covered loss when applicable — potentially bypassing the sublimit.
Prevention: Ask your agent about enhanced mold endorsements. Act fast after water damage — mold prevention is cheaper than mold remediation.
Some Boca Raton homes built or renovated between 2001 and 2009 contain Chinese-manufactured drywall that off-gases corrosive sulfur compounds, corroding copper pipes, HVAC coils, and electrical wiring. Many Florida policies now contain specific exclusions for Chinese drywall-related damage. If your restoration project uncovers Chinese drywall during demolition, the scope and coverage analysis changes significantly. Palm Build identifies Chinese drywall during the demolition phase and documents it separately to ensure proper coverage classification.
Prevention: If your home was built or renovated 2001-2009, ask your agent about Chinese drywall exclusions in your policy.
Industry-Standard Estimating
Xactimate is the industry-standard estimating software used by virtually every insurance carrier in Florida to price restoration work. When a restoration company submits an estimate in a different format — a handwritten bid, a generic spreadsheet, or a competing software — the adjuster must manually translate every line item into Xactimate for comparison. In Florida's post-SB 2A environment where carriers are processing claims more cautiously than ever, this translation adds days to weeks of delay.
Palm Build writes every estimate in Xactimate using the same pricing database, line-item codes, and measurement standards that your Boca Raton-area adjuster uses. For luxury homes with specialty materials, we include detailed line items for barrel tile, natural stone, custom millwork, and premium finishes at market-accurate pricing — preventing the under-scoping that occurs when adjusters apply standard material costs to a luxury market.
We Work With Every Carrier
Palm Build works with every carrier writing homeowners policies in the Boca Raton market — including Citizens Property Insurance (Florida's insurer of last resort), Florida-domestic carriers like Universal and Slide that absorbed depopulated Citizens policies, and national carriers still writing in South Florida. Our Xactimate-based documentation works with any carrier's claims workflow.
The Palm Build Difference
Every estimate, supplement, and change order is written in the same software and pricing database your carrier uses. No format translation, no re-entry errors, no weeks of back-and-forth. In Florida's post-SB 2A environment where carriers scrutinize every line item, Xactimate-native estimating is the single most effective tool for accelerating claim approval.
Our insurance coordination, documentation, adjuster meetings, and supplement negotiation are included in the restoration scope and paid by your carrier — not out of your pocket. Under Florida's post-AOB framework, we work directly for you as the policyholder. Your only direct cost is your policy deductible.
We meet with your adjuster on-site, walk the property together, and provide our complete documentation package directly. In Florida's stressed insurance market where adjusters manage heavy claim loads — especially after hurricane events — a well-organized contractor who speaks their language and provides complete documentation gets priority attention and faster approvals.
Approximately 65-75% of Boca Raton restoration projects require at least one supplement for hidden damage discovered during demolition of CBS walls. Our supplemental documentation includes photos, moisture data, and updated Xactimate line items submitted within 48 hours of discovery — well within Florida's 18-month supplemental claim deadline. Most Palm Build supplements resolve in one revision cycle.
We classify every item of damage by its specific cause — wind, flood, sudden water discharge, fire, mold. This protects Boca Raton homeowners from incorrect coverage determinations during hurricane events where wind damage (covered by homeowners) and flood damage (separate policy) coexist. This level of cause-specific documentation is the difference between full coverage and a disputed claim.
Common Questions
Palm Build handles the entire insurance process — documentation, adjuster coordination, supplement negotiation, Florida-specific deadline compliance — so you can focus on getting your home back. We work with every carrier in the Boca Raton market.
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