Broward’s building code backdrop
Like Miami-Dade, Broward County is part of Florida’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zone. Roof coverings, windows, doors and shutters generally have to meet stricter testing and installation standards, and permitting and inspections reflect that. When a carrier’s estimate treats a Broward roof like one in a lower wind zone, the shortfall can be significant.
Whether code-driven upgrade costs are payable depends on your ordinance-or-law coverage, which is a coverage question. What we can do is make sure the repair is priced the way a Broward contractor would actually have to perform it.
Condo country along A1A
Fort Lauderdale’s beach, the Galt Ocean Mile, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and Pompano Beach are lined with condominium towers and mid-rise buildings, many dating to the 1960s through the 1980s. Common claims include water through aging window systems and balcony doors, failed plumbing stacks and AC lines, and roof leaks that travel through several floors. Recent Florida condo safety laws have also put many associations under pressure on structural repairs, which can complicate the claim picture.
Our condo and HOA claim appraisal work helps associations and unit owners document scope by unit and common element so the amount of loss can be fixed fairly.
When the rain came in 2023
The April 2023 rain event dropped extraordinary rainfall on Fort Lauderdale in a short time, and many homeowners found water inside their homes without any hurricane in sight. How those losses are covered depends heavily on the source of the water: rising surface water is generally a flood policy matter, while water entering through a damaged roof or opening may fall under a homeowners policy. Where coverage is accepted and the dispute is about scope or pricing, appraisal may be an option.
Our water damage claim appraisal page explains how we document moisture, materials and drying.
Working with Florida Insurance Appraiser in Broward
Florida Insurance Appraiser serves Fort Lauderdale and all of Broward County, from Hollywood and Hallandale to Coral Springs and Weston, as part of our statewide practice. We act as your appraiser under the policy’s appraisal clause, not as a public adjuster or attorney. That means we focus on measurement, pricing and documentation, and we work toward an agreed figure with the insurer’s appraiser or an umpire’s decision.
Before you invoke appraisal, our appraisal worth-it calculator can help you estimate whether the gap justifies the cost.
Storms that shaped Fort Lauderdale claims
- 2005Hurricane Wilma
Wilma caused some of the worst wind damage in Broward’s modern history, shattering high-rise windows and stripping roofs countywide. - 2017Hurricane Irma
Irma brought hurricane-force gusts, downed trees and long outages across Broward County. - 2023April 2023 Rain Event
A slow-moving storm system dropped more than two feet of rain on Fort Lauderdale in about a day, flooding homes, cars and streets.
Claim issues we see in Broward County
- Condo window, slider and balcony water intrusion
- Plumbing and AC-line leaks in older mid-rise buildings
- HVHZ roofing and code-upgrade costs
- Rain flooding vs. covered water damage
- Waterfront seawall-adjacent home damage
Areas we cover around Fort Lauderdale
- Las Olas
- Victoria Park
- Coral Ridge
- Rio Vista
- Wilton Manors
- Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
- Plantation
- Pompano Beach
Frequently asked questions
Are Fort Lauderdale roofs held to a higher standard than the rest of Florida?
Broward is part of the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, so roofing and openings generally must meet stricter requirements than much of the state. That can raise repair costs, and how those costs are covered depends on your policy.
Can appraisal resolve my condo association’s claim?
It can resolve disputes over the amount of a covered loss on the master policy. Questions about which policy covers a component, or whether an exclusion applies, are coverage issues outside appraisal.
Was the April 2023 flood covered by homeowners insurance?
That depends on how water entered and what policies you carry. Rising surface water is usually a flood policy matter. Talk to your agent or an attorney about coverage; we can help once the dispute is about value.