Why absentee owners plan in May

Shutter panels, generator parts and installers are all available in May. None of them are available during a watch. Owners who call when a storm is three days out are competing with the whole county for the same crews.

Phase 1: May, before June 1

  • Check the shutter and panel inventory against every opening. Replace missing or damaged panels while they are in stock.
  • Service track hardware, bolts and wing nuts. Inspect impact glass and door seals.
  • Brace or confirm impact rating on garage doors. Garage door failure is a leading cause of roof loss.
  • Load-test the generator, service oil and filters, confirm fuel, and exercise the transfer switch.
  • Fit surge protection on the main A/C compressors.
  • Inspect the roof, soffits and flashing. Clear drains, scuppers and gutters.
  • Trim palms and thin trees, especially branches over the roofline.
  • Photograph every elevation and room, and file the images for insurance.
  • Review your policy for deductible, flood coverage and any owner obligation.
  • Store policies, elevation certificates and vendor contacts somewhere you can reach from anywhere.

Before you leave for the season

  • Set thermostats to 74–76°F with humidistats at 50% relative humidity.
  • If the house will sit vacant, close the main water valve but keep irrigation and fire suppression lines active.
  • Switch off the breaker to an electric water heater whenever the main supply is off.
  • Leave written instructions for vehicles, boats and lifts.

Phase 2: 72 hours out, the storm watch

  • Stow or secure outdoor furniture, umbrellas, planters, art and equipment.
  • Deploy shutters on the schedule the forecast allows, not the night before landfall.
  • Lower the pool water level, protect equipment, and shut down irrigation and landscape lighting.
  • Fuel and test the generator again. Pre-cool refrigerators and freezers.
  • Raise boat lifts above expected surge and secure lines.
  • Refresh time-stamped photographs so any damage afterwards is provably new.

Phase 3: after the storm

  • Inspect as soon as the area is legally accessible, and photograph before anything is moved.
  • Assess water intrusion, roof, windows and envelope. Take moisture readings.
  • Confirm power and generator status and check refrigeration.
  • Start mitigation quickly enough to keep a water event from becoming a mold event.
  • Coordinate emergency tarping, board-up and dry-out.
  • Send a written, photographed report to the owner and, on request, to the carrier or adjuster.
  • Strike the shutters and return the house to normal once the season allows.

The record is what protects the claim

The most common reason a Florida claim is reduced or denied is that the owner cannot show the house's condition before the storm. Dated pre-season and pre-storm photographs, paired with post-storm images taken before anything was disturbed, answer the question carriers ask. We do not adjust claims or give coverage advice. We produce the record your adjuster works from.

Go deeper

See the full hurricane preparation checklist, how our hurricane program runs all three phases for owners who are away, and the home watch visits that keep the house documented between storms.