Filing a restoration claim in Florida is its own ordeal — separate from the damage itself. Palm Build navigates the entire insurance process for you: documentation, adjuster coordination, supplement negotiation, and scope approval, including Florida-specific deadlines, post-SB-2A AOB rules, and wind-vs-flood classification — so Orlando homeowners get the coverage they have been paying for.
3-4 hours
Emergency Response
24/7
Dispatch Available
IICRC
Certified Technicians
Florida Insurance Market
Florida had the most volatile homeowners insurance market in the nation between 2020 and 2023 — but it is now recovering. More than a dozen carriers exited or became insolvent during the crisis, yet landmark 2022 legislative reforms attracted 20+ new insurers and $850 million in fresh capital, and the market began stabilizing in 2024. The state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has fallen to roughly 385,000 policies — down 73% from its 1.42 million October-2023 peak and the lowest since 2002 — and has proposed its first rate decrease in 10 years. Senate Bill 2-A (December 2022) voided Assignment of Benefits (AOB) for new claims, fundamentally changing how restoration work is authorized and paid. Statewide premiums still average about $5,000 to $8,000 a year — two to three times the national average — though inland Orlando-area homes sit at the lower end of that range. A stabilizing market does not mean an easier claim: understanding this landscape before you file is the difference between full coverage and a costly surprise.
~385,000
Citizens policies (end-2025)
Down 73% from the 1.42M October-2023 peak — the lowest since Citizens was founded in 2002, with its first proposed rate decrease in 10 years
~$5,160/yr
Orlando-area average premium
Roughly 2–3x the national average; inland Central Florida sits at the lower end of the statewide range
SB 2-A
AOB reform (Dec 2022)
Assignment of Benefits void for assignments dated Jan 1, 2023+ — you stay the policyholder and direct the claim
1 Year
Claim filing deadline
FL Stat. 627.70132 — notice within 1 year of the date of loss, supplemental claims within 18 months
From the first phone call through final claim closeout, here is exactly what happens during an Orlando 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 2-A). Your policy also requires immediate mitigation to prevent further damage. We begin emergency response and documentation while you file. Critical: Florida's AOB reform (SB 2-A, effective for assignments dated January 1, 2023 or later) 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 Orlando where wind damage (homeowners policy), inland and lake-adjacent flooding (separate NFIP or private flood policy), and water intrusion from failed building components must be documented separately. Emergency mitigation begins simultaneously: water extraction, structural drying with dehumidifiers calibrated for Central Florida's 80%+ wet-season humidity, or storm 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 Orlando claims, we ensure the adjuster understands CBS (concrete block and stucco) construction specifics, barrel-tile and concrete-tile roof replacement costs, slab-on-grade subfloor drying, and current Florida Building Code wind-mitigation 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 supply-line failures under the slab not visible until demolition. Palm Build documents supplemental damage as it is 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. Many Orlando restoration projects require at least one supplement once concealed damage surfaces.
Once mitigation is complete and the reconstruction scope is approved, rebuilding begins. Throughout reconstruction, we document progress at each milestone — rough-in completion, Orange County inspection passage, 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 Orlando projects requiring Florida Building Code wind-mitigation upgrades, we include engineering certifications and inspection records.
Final walkthrough confirms every scope item has been completed to satisfaction. 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 is 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 — and even as Florida's market stabilizes, carriers still 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 Orlando 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 Orlando's CBS homes where water damage hides behind stucco and beneath tile, initial photography is supplemented with moisture mapping that proves the full extent of damage before it is visible to the naked eye.
Infrared thermal cameras reveal moisture trapped behind CBS stucco walls, under tile floors on slab-on-grade foundations, and in ceiling cavities — damage that is not 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 Orlando homes where slab-on-grade construction and impermeable surfaces hide concealed damage that generic inspections miss entirely.
Data-logged moisture readings taken every 24 hours during drying. In Orlando's subtropical environment where wet-season humidity regularly exceeds 80%, 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 Orlando FL market — including the barrel-tile and concrete-tile roofing, stucco repair, and slab-on-grade flooring systems that are standard in Central Florida 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 Orlando storm claims, the 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 inland or lake-adjacent flooding 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, Orange County inspections, 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 wind-mitigation upgrades — was executed correctly.
Know Your Coverage
Florida homeowners policies have unique coverage gaps that catch Orlando homeowners off guard — especially the percentage-based wind deductible, mold sublimits, and the critical distinction between wind damage and inland flood damage during storm 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 Orlando restoration claims are partially or fully denied — including Florida-specific issues like AOB reform confusion and storm 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 2-A in 2022). Supplemental claims must be filed within 18 months. For Orlando homes with slow water intrusion through CBS stucco walls or under slab-on-grade flooring — where damage develops gradually behind impermeable surfaces — 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 2-A made AOB contracts void and unenforceable for new property claims, and repealed one-way attorney's-fee provisions for property-insurance suits. Some Orlando homeowners still sign AOB-like documents from contractors who have not updated their processes — creating authorization confusion that carriers exploit to delay or deny payment. Under the current 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 hurricanes and severe storms, Orlando homes can experience both wind damage (covered by the homeowners policy) and inland or lake-adjacent flood damage (requires a separate flood policy). Without cause-specific documentation, carriers routinely attribute water intrusion to flooding (excluded) rather than wind-driven rain entering through a damaged building envelope (covered). On a large claim, this single classification decision determines whether your homeowners carrier or your flood carrier pays — and if you do not have flood insurance, whether you are 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 Orlando'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 (a burst pipe or 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 Central Florida 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. Even as Florida's market stabilizes and carriers process claims more carefully 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 Orlando-area adjuster uses. For Central Florida homes, we include detailed line items for barrel-tile and concrete-tile roofing, CBS stucco repair, and slab-on-grade flooring systems at market-accurate pricing — preventing the under-scoping that occurs when adjusters apply outdated or generic material costs.
We Work With Every Carrier
Palm Build works with every carrier writing homeowners policies in the Orlando market — including national carriers like Travelers, State Farm, and Allstate, the Florida-domiciled insurers such as Security First, American Integrity, Florida Peninsula, Homeowners Choice, and Slide that have grown as the market recovered, and Citizens Property Insurance (Florida's insurer of last resort). 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 2-A 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 market — especially after storm events when adjusters manage heavy claim loads — a well-organized contractor who speaks their language and provides complete documentation gets priority attention and faster approvals.
Many Orlando restoration projects require at least one supplement for hidden damage discovered during demolition of CBS walls or beneath slab-on-grade flooring. 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 Orlando homeowners from incorrect coverage determinations during storm events where wind damage (covered by homeowners) and inland flood damage (a 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, and Florida-specific deadline compliance — so you can focus on getting your home back. We work with every carrier in the Orlando market.
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