One year from the date of loss (the storm's landfall date, not when you discovered the damage) for your initial claim, 18 months for supplemental claims, and two years to file a lawsuit if the claim is disputed. These deadlines are firm.

Yes — it applies to both. The "Substantial Improvement" rule covers voluntary renovation spending; the "Substantial Damage" rule is its damage-triggered counterpart. Both use the same 50%-of-market-value threshold and both require the entire structure to meet current flood code once triggered.

Only if your property is in a FEMA flood zone and the cost to repair the damage reaches 50% of the structure's pre-damage market value, as determined by your local building or floodplain office. Below that threshold, you can typically repair to the existing standard.

Emergency mitigation (tarping, water extraction, preventing further damage) should generally happen right away, but full documentation — photos, moisture readings — should be completed before extensive reconstruction begins, so the claim has clear evidence tying the damage to the storm.

Detailed, dated documentation is the main tool — photos and moisture readings taken immediately after the event, tied to the specific storm's timeline, give adjusters clear evidence the damage is event-related rather than pre-existing deterioration.

A supplemental claim covers additional damage discovered after your original claim was filed or settled — for example, hidden water damage found once walls are opened. It has its own 18-month filing deadline from the original date of loss.

For structural, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical repair work, yes. Florida's 2026 minor-work exemption for jobs under $7,500 specifically doesn't apply to flood hazard areas, which is exactly where storm damage repair is most likely to occur.

It varies with the extent of water intrusion, but South Florida's heat and humidity mean mold can develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure, so remediation is often addressed early and in parallel with structural drying rather than tacked on afterward — typically adding one to several weeks depending on how widespread it is.