Sunshine Shield Insurance

Getting the house insured before you agree to buy it.

Works with people buying in Florida who have never had to insure a house here. Wind, flood and the age of a roof decide more than the house itself does, and all three are answered on the exact address rather than on the town it sits in. The quote comes before the offer, not after it.

Who runs it

Has written Florida policies through several hard seasons, including the years when carriers left the state and people found out what their policy actually said.

The person you speak to first is the person who handles the claim if one ever comes. Nothing is handed to a call center.

What they do

• 01
  Homeowners cover

  The main policy on the house. What is covered, what is excluded, and what the deductible actually is when a storm is named.

• 02
  Flood, which is separate

  Flood is not part of a homeowners policy in Florida. It is written on its own, it is priced on the address, and a house outside a flood zone can still flood.

• 03
  Wind and hurricane

  Often a separate deductible and sometimes a separate policy. The roof decides most of it - its age, its material, and whether it has been inspected.

• 04
  Quoting before you buy

  On the actual property, before an offer is signed. A house that cannot be insured affordably is a house you need to know about while you can still walk away.

• 05
  Condominium and association

  What the association's policy covers and what it leaves to you are two different lists, and most buyers see neither until after closing.

• 06
  Moving your auto cover

  Florida has its own requirements and a policy from another state does not simply carry over.

Who it does not suit