Frequently Asked Questions

Auto policies don't cover off-road vehicles, and homeowners policies typically stop at your property line — ride at a friend's land or a public trail and you're often completely uncovered. Dedicated off-road coverage handles liability where you ride, plus collision, comprehensive, and theft for the machine.

Florida requires OHV titling for vehicles ridden on public lands, and while insurance isn't universally mandated, riding uncovered means an injury to another rider or damage to the machine comes out of your pocket. Coverage for off-road machines is inexpensive relative to what they cost to replace.

Only if you carry comprehensive coverage on a powersports policy — and theft is one of the most common claims, with machines taken from trailers, garages, and job sites constantly. If your ATV or UTV would hurt to replace out of pocket, comprehensive coverage is the answer.

Florida requires a minimum of $10,000 in Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and $10,000 in Property Damage Liability (PDL). However, we strongly recommend additional coverage including Bodily Injury Liability, Uninsured Motorist, and Collision/Comprehensive coverage.

Your rate is influenced by your driving record, age, vehicle type, credit history, annual mileage, where you live, and the coverage levels you choose. We compare rates from multiple carriers to find you the best deal.

Yes! Bundling your auto and home insurance with the same carrier often qualifies you for a multi-policy discount. We can shop bundle options across our carriers to maximize your savings.

Florida law does not require boat insurance — but that's misleading. Marinas and storage facilities almost always require liability proof, lenders require full coverage on financed vessels, and an at-fault accident on the water can be as financially serious as a car accident. Your homeowners policy provides little or no coverage for most boats.

Agreed value coverage pays the amount you and the insurer agreed to when the policy was written. Actual cash value deducts depreciation — which on a boat can be substantial. The difference shows up on the worst day of your boating life, so we walk through it carefully on every quote.

Check two things: whether your policy offers haul-out reimbursement — many carriers help pay to move your boat before a named storm — and whether it requires a written hurricane plan as a condition of coverage. Once a storm is named, carriers generally won't bind new coverage, so the time to sort this out is before season starts.

We offer general liability, commercial property, business owner's policies (BOP), workers' compensation, commercial auto, professional liability, and more. We tailor coverage to your specific industry and business needs.

Yes. Your homeowners policy typically does not cover business-related claims. If a client visits your home office and gets injured, or if business equipment is damaged, you would need a separate business policy or a home business endorsement for coverage.

Your association's master policy generally covers the building's structure, roof, and common areas. Your personal HO-6 policy covers from the walls in — flooring, cabinets, fixtures, your belongings, improvements you've made, plus your personal liability. Exactly where the line falls depends on your association's governing documents, which is why we review them when we quote your coverage.

When a major loss exceeds your association's master policy — a hurricane roof claim, for example — the association can assess every owner for the shortfall. Loss assessment coverage pays your share of that bill. With Florida's post-Surfside condo safety laws driving new inspection and reserve requirements statewide, we consider it essential for Florida condo owners.

Usually not. Even when wind damages the building, the interior of your unit — drywall in some cases, flooring, cabinets, and your belongings — typically falls to your HO-6 policy, subject to your association's documents. And rising water from storm surge requires separate flood coverage; master policies rarely protect your unit's interior from flood.

Standard homeowners insurance does NOT cover flood damage. If you live in a high-risk flood zone, your mortgage lender will require it. Even if you are not in a high-risk zone, we recommend flood insurance - over 25% of flood claims come from moderate-to-low risk areas.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the federal program with standardized coverage and pricing. Private flood insurance is offered by private carriers and can sometimes provide broader coverage, higher limits, or lower premiums. We can compare both options for you.

NFIP policies typically have a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. Some private flood policies may have shorter waiting periods. This is why it is important not to wait until a storm is approaching to purchase coverage.

No — lenders only require flood insurance in high-risk zones (those starting with A or V). But "not required" is not the same as "not needed": more than 1 in 5 flood claims nationally come from outside high-risk zones, and Zone X properties qualify for the least expensive flood policies. A few hundred dollars a year is cheap protection against Florida's most common natural disaster.

Zone AE is a high-risk flood zone — FEMA calls it a Special Flood Hazard Area — with at least a 1% chance of flooding in any given year, which works out to roughly a 1-in-4 chance over a 30-year mortgage. The "E" means FEMA has completed a detailed study and set a base flood elevation for the area. If you have a federally backed mortgage here, flood insurance is required.

We check the exact geocoded point of your address against FEMA's live National Flood Hazard Layer — the same maps lenders and insurers use. But a zone boundary can cut across a single lot, and lenders rely on a formal flood determination or elevation certificate rather than a point lookup. Treat this as an accurate first answer, and let us verify it before any decision that involves your mortgage.

Sometimes, yes. If your building sits higher than the base flood elevation, you can apply to FEMA for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) — the application itself is free, though you'll typically need an elevation certificate from a licensed surveyor. If granted, your lender's flood insurance requirement can be removed and your rate drops. We can look at your situation and tell you whether it's worth pursuing.

A document prepared by a licensed surveyor that records how high your building sits relative to FEMA's base flood elevation. It's the evidence behind a LOMA application, and in high-risk zones it can lower your premium by proving your home is elevated. Expect a few hundred dollars for the survey — often recouped in the first year of premium savings.

Under FEMA's Risk Rating 2.0 pricing, the average Florida NFIP policy runs around $1,000 per year — but the spread is wide. Lower-risk zone X homes often pay a few hundred dollars a year, while high-risk and coastal properties can pay several thousand. Private flood carriers sometimes beat NFIP pricing significantly, which is exactly the comparison an independent agency exists to make.

A few. The main one: when flood coverage is purchased in connection with a home loan — closing on a house, refinancing — coverage can begin immediately. There's also a shorter wait when a map change newly places you in a high-risk zone. Outside those cases, the 30-day clock applies, which is why you cannot buy coverage when a storm is already named.

No — they are different maps made for different purposes. Evacuation zones (A through F) are set by county emergency management based on storm surge danger and tell you when to leave. FEMA flood zones are about long-term flood probability and set insurance requirements and pricing. You can be in a low-risk flood zone and still be in an evacuation zone, especially near the coast. Check your evacuation zone at Florida's Know Your Zone site.

As an independent agency, we are not tied to a single insurance carrier. We work with multiple trusted carriers to compare rates and coverage options, so we can find the best policy for your unique needs and budget.

Independent agencies like Anchor & Atlas represent multiple insurance carriers, not just one. That means we can shop your coverage across 30+ top-rated companies and recommend the policy that actually fits your situation, rather than steering you toward whatever a single carrier happens to sell. Our job is to work for you, not for an insurance company.

Yes! Anchor & Atlas Insurance serves all 67 Florida counties. Whether you are in Palm Bay, Melbourne, Orlando, Miami, Tampa, or anywhere else in the state, we can help you find the right coverage.

We have access to more than 30 top-rated insurance carriers covering home, auto, flood, life, umbrella, business, and specialty lines. We compare rates and coverage across them to find the best combination of price and protection for your needs - often quoting multiple carriers side by side so you can see real options before deciding.

If you need to file a claim, contact our office and we will walk you through the process. We can help you file directly with your carrier and advocate on your behalf to ensure a smooth claims experience.

Florida is one of the most complex insurance markets in the country. Hurricane risk, flood zones, sinkhole exposure, coastal construction rules, the state's no-fault auto laws, and rapidly changing carrier appetites all affect what you can buy and what it costs. Based in Palm Bay and serving all 67 counties, we live and work in this market every day - which means we know which carriers write what, where, and on what terms.

In most cases, we can provide a quote within one business day. Some complex policies may take a bit longer as we shop multiple carriers to find you the best rate. Fill out our online form or call us to get started.

We start by listening - understanding your home, vehicles, family, business, and what you're trying to protect. Then we explain your options in plain language, walk through what each policy covers (and what it doesn't), answer questions honestly, and make a recommendation built around your situation. No pressure, no jargon, no surprises at claim time.

A national carrier sells you their products. A call center reads from a script. We're a local Florida independent agency - which means we shop multiple carriers on your behalf, you talk to the same licensed people every time, and we stay involved through renewals, life changes, and claims. No call routing, no transfers, no rotating reps.

A golf cart tops out under 20 mph and can use designated local streets without registration or state-required insurance. A low-speed vehicle (LSV) reaches 20–25 mph and must be titled, registered, and insured with PIP and property damage liability — like a car. Many street-legal carts sold today are legally LSVs, and owners often don't know which they have. We'll help you check.

Only in a limited way — typically on your own property, with little or no coverage on public streets, community paths, or the golf course. A standalone golf cart policy is inexpensive and covers liability away from home, collision, and theft — and carts are a favorite theft target.

If you drive your cart on community streets and paths daily, treat it like the vehicle it is: liability for accidents involving pedestrians, cyclists, or other carts; collision and comprehensive for the cart itself; and medical payments coverage. If it's an LSV, Florida law requires registration and insurance — no option about it.

A standard Florida homeowners policy typically covers your dwelling, other structures, personal property, loss of use, personal liability, and medical payments to others. Coverage details vary by carrier and policy, so we help you understand exactly what is and is not included.

Most Florida homeowners policies include wind coverage, but they typically have a separate hurricane deductible (usually 2% to 5% of your dwelling coverage). Flood damage is NOT covered by standard homeowners insurance and requires a separate flood policy.

Key factors include the age and condition of your roof, your home's construction type, proximity to the coast, claims history, credit score, the coverage amount, and your deductible choices. We can help you identify discounts and the best coverage-to-price ratio.

There are several ways to reduce your premium: upgrading your roof, installing hurricane shutters or impact windows, bundling home and auto policies, raising your deductible, and maintaining a claims-free history. We shop multiple carriers to find the most competitive rate for your situation.

Wind damage from a hurricane is covered by most Florida homeowners policies, but it is subject to a separate hurricane deductible — typically 2% to 10% of your dwelling coverage rather than a flat dollar amount. What is never covered is flooding, including storm surge and rising water; that requires a separate flood policy. So a hurricane claim can involve two policies, two deductibles, and two adjusters.

Florida policies carry a percentage deductible for hurricane claims. On a home insured for $400,000, a 2% deductible means $8,000 out of pocket; a 5% deductible means $20,000. It applies per hurricane season in Florida, not per storm, once you have met it. Check your declarations page before the season starts — this is the number that surprises people most after a storm.

Usually not. Once the National Hurricane Center names a storm that threatens Florida, most carriers impose binding restrictions — they stop writing new policies, adding coverage, or raising limits until the storm passes. Restrictions can begin days before landfall. If you have a coverage gap, the time to fix it is before a system is named, not when it appears in the forecast.

Yes — storm surge is covered by flood insurance, not by your homeowners policy. This is the single most expensive misunderstanding in Florida. NFIP policies also carry a standard 30-day waiting period before coverage begins, so buying when a storm is already forming does not help. Private flood policies sometimes have shorter waits.

It depends on the damage relative to your hurricane deductible. If repairs are close to or below your deductible, filing may not benefit you and still counts as a claim on your record. Document everything with photos and video first, get a repair estimate, then talk it through with us — as your agent we can help you weigh it before you file, which is something a call center will not do.

Make sure everyone is safe, then document damage thoroughly with photos and video before moving anything. Make reasonable temporary repairs to prevent further damage — tarping a roof, boarding a window — and keep every receipt, since those costs are typically reimbursable. Do not throw damaged property away until it has been documented or an adjuster has seen it. Then file promptly; Florida has deadlines for hurricane claims.

Most homeowners policies include additional living expenses (also called loss of use), which pays for temporary housing, meals above your normal costs, and related expenses while your home is being repaired after a covered loss. Keep all receipts. Note that if the damage was caused by flooding, NFIP flood policies generally do not include this coverage.

Only if you carry comprehensive coverage on your auto policy. Comprehensive covers flood, falling trees, and wind damage to your vehicle — your homeowners and flood policies do not cover cars. If you carry liability only, storm damage to your vehicle is not covered, which is worth reviewing before hurricane season.

No — and it can leave claims unpaid. Once a property is tenant-occupied, you need landlord coverage (a DP-3 policy) built for rentals: the dwelling, your liability as an owner, and loss-of-rents coverage. Renting out a property on a homeowners policy is one of the most common — and most expensive — insurance mistakes we see.

If a covered loss — fire, hurricane wind — makes your rental unlivable, loss-of-rents coverage replaces the rental income while repairs happen. After a major Florida storm, repairs can take months; this coverage is what keeps a rental property from becoming a monthly liability in the meantime.

Yes, and put it in the lease. It protects your tenants' belongings (which your policy never covers), reduces disputes and claims against your policy, and their liability coverage can respond if they cause damage. It costs them very little and protects you both.

Term life insurance provides coverage for a specific period (10, 20, or 30 years) and is generally more affordable. Whole life insurance provides lifelong coverage and builds cash value over time but has higher premiums. We can help you determine which option fits your needs.

A common guideline is 10 to 12 times your annual income, but the right amount depends on your debts, dependents, future expenses like college tuition, and your family's financial goals. We can help you calculate an appropriate coverage amount.

Florida doesn't require PIP for motorcycles the way it does for cars — but riders 21 and over who choose to ride without a helmet must carry at least $10,000 in medical benefits coverage. More practically: financial responsibility rules after an accident, lender requirements, and Florida's high rate of uninsured drivers make liability and uninsured motorist coverage the real answer.

Because in a crash, a rider absorbs what a car's frame would. Florida has one of the highest uninsured-driver rates in the country, and the driver who violates your right of way often can't pay for the damage they cause. Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage is how riders protect themselves regardless of who's driving badly around them.

Standard policies cover a limited amount of accessory value — often a few thousand dollars. If you've invested in custom paint, exhaust, bags, or electronics, tell us: we can add accessory coverage or write the bike at an agreed value that reflects what it's actually worth.

Not adequately. An RV combines a vehicle with elements of a home — your belongings inside, attached equipment like awnings and solar, and liability for the campsite you occupy. RV-specific coverage addresses all of it; an auto policy alone leaves major gaps, and for full-timers the gap is the entire 'home' portion.

If your RV is your primary residence, full-timer coverage works like a homeowners policy — broader personal liability and personal property protection than a recreational policy provides. If you live aboard more than a few months a year, tell us; using a recreational policy as a full-timer can jeopardize claims.

Keep comprehensive at minimum — storage fires, theft, falling limbs, and hurricanes don't check the calendar. Many carriers offer storage-period discounts that suspend collision while the rig is parked. And plan where the RV rides out hurricane season; a storage plan beats a claim.

No. Your landlord's policy covers the building itself — not your furniture, electronics, clothing, or anything else inside your unit. If a fire, theft, or storm damages your belongings, only a renters policy replaces them. Renters insurance is typically one of the most affordable policies you can buy.

A renters policy covers your personal property, your liability if a guest is injured in your unit or you accidentally damage the building, and loss of use — which pays for a hotel or temporary housing if a covered event like a hurricane makes your unit unlivable. Flood damage to your belongings requires a separate, inexpensive contents-only flood policy.

Strongly recommended. Wind damage to your belongings is covered by most renters policies (check your policy's hurricane provisions), and the loss-of-use coverage matters most after a major storm, when displaced renters can face weeks of temporary housing costs. Rising-water flood damage needs a separate flood policy with its own waiting period, so don't wait for a named storm.

Umbrella insurance provides extra liability coverage beyond the limits of your home, auto, and other policies. It helps protect your assets if you are found liable for damages in a lawsuit. It can cover bodily injury, property damage, and certain lawsuits that other policies may not.

Umbrella insurance is surprisingly affordable. A $1 million policy typically costs between $150 and $300 per year. Additional million-dollar increments are usually even less. It is one of the best values in insurance for the protection it provides.

Typically $100 to $150 as a one-time cost, and it takes about an hour at your home. The report stays valid for five years. Because the credits apply every year the policy renews, a home with documented wind-resistant features usually recovers the inspection cost in the first year and keeps saving after that.

Florida allows licensed home inspectors, general and building contractors, registered architects, and professional engineers to complete the Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form. Your roofer cannot simply write you a letter; it has to be the state form completed by a qualified inspector. If you would rather not sort through listings, ask us and we will point you to inspectors our clients have used.

Usually opening protection, meaning impact-rated windows or shutters. The catch is that it is all or nothing: every window, door, skylight, and garage door has to be protected to earn the full credit, and a single unprotected opening drops the rating. After that, roof-to-wall attachment tends to carry the most weight, which is why metal clips and wraps matter so much more than toe nails.

Yes, and you should want one. A re-roof usually improves several sections of the form at once: the roof covering meets the current code, the deck attachment is upgraded to current nailing standards, and secondary water resistance may be added. Getting a fresh inspection after the work is finished is how you convert that spending into a lower premium.

It still told you something valuable. The report shows exactly which sections scored poorly, which is a shortlist of the upgrades that would actually lower your premium. Send it to us and we will tell you which one pays for itself fastest at your home. Sometimes the answer is opening protection; sometimes it is waiting until the roof is due anyway.

In most cases yes. You do not have to wait for renewal. Send us the completed report and we will submit it to your carrier, which can often reprice the policy mid-term and issue a refund for the unused portion. The sooner the report reaches the carrier, the sooner the credit starts.

It earns a real credit, because a roof that slopes on all four sides sheds wind far better than a gable end that catches it. It is not something most people would change a roof for on its own, but if you already have a hip roof and it is not documented on a mitigation form, you are paying as though you do not.