Before the crew arrives
- Make the emergency repairs needed to stop further damage, because the Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights lists that as your job and asks you to document it.
- Photograph and video the damage before any repair, and keep the damaged property if you can, as DFS's advocate page asks.
- Keep every receipt, including the crew's invoice and anything you buy to hold the water back.
- Report the claim today; the insurer must acknowledge it within 7 calendar days and owes you the Bill of Rights within 14 days of your first contact.
- Ask your insurer, before you sign a repair contract, whether the policy has managed repair provisions or optional preferred vendors.
- Read any contract that takes a fee based on a percentage of the insurance proceeds before you sign it.
What the Bill of Rights puts in your hands
Under s. 627.7142, an insurer that issued a personal lines residential property policy must give the policyholder a Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights within 14 days after the first communication about a claim. It tells you to document emergency repairs, photograph the damage before and after repairs, and ask every contractor for proof of insurance. Call the insurer before signing. The Bill of Rights says to confirm managed repair provisions or optional preferred vendors before any repair contract.
What emergency water removal costs in Florida (estimates, not quotes)
Our model puts emergency water removal in Florida at $3 to $8 per square foot, an estimate and not a quote. It has no Florida company price for this job, so two national guides carry the figure, and the wage row is pay.
| Item | Figure | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated range, not a quote | $3 to $8 per square foot | Built from 2 national published ranges, adjusted by the Florida hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio (0.80). Two Florida restoration companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. Basis: no state company sample (no counted Florida company price for this job), national estimate only. |
| Hazardous materials removal worker wage, Florida mean | $21.70 an hour (United States mean: $27.13) | BLS pay from May 2025 for the federal occupation closest to a restoration crew; the match is ours, and pay isn't a price. |
Estimated range. Built from national published ranges (2 sources), adjusted by Florida's hazardous materials removal worker wage ratio to the US (0.80, BLS May 2025). Not a quote. Two Florida restoration companies publish a price we could count on their own websites; where five or more price the same job, the range is the middle half of their prices, and where two to four do, the estimate is widened to take them in. Coupons, specials and figures a page gives as an average are not counted. We have no counted Florida company price for this job, so the range is our national estimate alone. Full method. Prices as of Oct 24, 2026.
Why a crew can't take over your claim payment
For a policy issued on or after January 1, 2023, s. 627.7152(13) says a policyholder may not assign post-loss benefits, in whole or in part, and an attempt to do so is void, invalid and unenforceable. The statute's definition of an assignment names services such as protecting, restoring or mitigating against further damage. Policies issued from July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2022 can still carry an assignment, with a 14-day rescission right and a cap on urgent work of the greater of $3,000 or 1 percent of the Coverage A limit. Check your policy's issue date first.
The records the insurer will ask for
DFS says the insurer must send you any detailed estimate within seven days of generating it. Section 627.70132 bars a claim that isn't noticed within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim gets 18 months. Keep everything together. The Bill of Rights asks for receipts and before-and-after photos, and the crew's invoice and claim number belong with them.
Standing water that needs a crew today
- Water is still coming in, or it covers the floor of a room you use.
- You can't tell where the water came from; DFS's coverage page lists flooding and sewer backup among typical exclusions.
- The water came up from a sewer line or in with a flood.
- A damp patch whose source is already stopped; photograph it and report it to your insurer.
- Cosmetic repairs; hold them until the insurer has seen the damage, because the Bill of Rights asks you to document it before repairs.
Before you touch a wet wall or a breaker, go through these questions.
- Any fire, smoke, or doubt about whether the structure's safe? Get out and call 911 first.
- Smell gas? Get out first, and phone 911 and the gas utility from the yard or the street.
- Is water still coming in, and is there a shutoff you can get to?
- Is it clean supply water, water from an appliance, or sewage or floodwater?
- Is there standing water near outlets, or a ceiling that's sagging?
- Can you see mold, or has a musty smell hung around for more than two days?
If you've answered yes to either of the first two, stop reading and get out. Any yes on the next three makes this an emergency, so shut the main valve if you can reach it without standing in water, then send the form with Emergency ticked.
Permits and licenses for drying and tear-out
DBPR's construction license list has no restoration category, so ask the company what license or registration it holds. Rebuilding is different. DBPR defines a contractor as someone who, for pay, repairs, alters, remodels or improves a building, and the casual-work exemption in s. 489.103(9) stops at $2,500 and doesn't cover anyone who advertises as a contractor.
Port St. Lucie and Palm Bay both list drywall removal or replacement among post-storm repairs that need no permit. Hernando County exempts drywall repairs up to 8 sheets (256 sq. ft.) outside a special flood hazard area. Ask your building department first.
Ask which licenses your state requires for the work, and check them with your state's licensing office before anyone starts. A credential from a private body, such as IICRC, isn't a license.
Questions people ask
Do I call my insurer before the crew starts?
The Bill of Rights says to contact your insurer before entering into any contract for repairs. It separately tells you to make and document emergency repairs that are necessary to prevent further damage. The insurer must acknowledge the claim within 7 calendar days.
Can a water-removal company bill my insurer through an assignment?
Not if the policy was issued on or after January 1, 2023, because s. 627.7152(13) makes the assignment void. Policies issued from July 1, 2019 through December 31, 2022 can still carry one, with a 14-day rescission right.
Who licenses the rebuild after the water is out?
DBPR licenses it through chapter 489 when the work repairs or alters the house. Look the contractor up on myfloridalicense.com before you pay a deposit.
How long does the insurer have to answer?
7 calendar days to acknowledge, and 60 days to pay or deny. The 60 days run from notice of the claim, with interest on a late payment, and they pause during mediation or while you hold back requested information for more than 10 days.
What if my policy excludes flooding?
DFS says homeowners policies typically don't cover flooding, and flood insurance is a separate policy. The coverage page also says homeowners insurance may cover water damage. The flooded basement page covers the flood side.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041), Florida, mean hourly wage Read Oct 24, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Hazardous Materials Removal Workers (SOC 47-4041), United States, mean hourly wage Read Oct 23, 2026.
- RestorationMatch: how we estimate costs, Florida (editorial policy) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 627.7142 Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 627.7152 Assignment agreements Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 627.70131 Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida Statutes 627.70132 Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida DFS: Be Your Own Advocate Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida DFS: What to Expect After Filing a Homeowners Claim Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Florida DFS: Determine Your Coverage Needs Read Oct 24, 2026.
- DBPR: Construction Industry Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City permit schedules (Port St. Lucie, Tampa, Palm Bay, Hernando County) Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Port St. Lucie: Post-Storm Recovery Permitting Guide Read Oct 24, 2026.
- City of Palm Bay: Post-Storm Recovery Permitting Plan Read Oct 24, 2026.
- Hernando County: Residential Permit Exemption List Read Oct 24, 2026.