The one-year notice window on the 2024 storms has closed. That doesn't end a claim you already filed — here's what remains open, and what doesn't.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton struck in the fall of 2024. By mid-2026, the most important date for new claims — Florida’s one-year notice window under Fla. Stat. § 627.70132 — has generally passed. If you never reported a loss, that clock has likely run. But if you already filed and the claim was denied or underpaid, that is a different situation with different deadlines.
New claims: the notice window has closed
Florida’s post-2022 reforms shortened the time to report a hurricane claim to one year from the date of loss, with 18 months for supplemental claims. For storms in the fall of 2024, those windows have generally expired. We explain the mechanics in our deadlines article and on the Milton 2024 storm page.
Already-filed claims: what may remain
A claim you reported before the deadline isn’t governed by the notice clock anymore. The relevant question becomes the deadline to dispute or sue, which is separate and generally longer.
- Underpaid on the amount? If coverage is agreed but the dollar figure is low, your policy’s appraisal clause may still apply. See appraisal and mediation.
- Denied outright? A filed-and-denied claim can have a path through litigation within Florida’s limitations period for breach of an insurance contract (commonly five years under § 95.11, running from the breach — not the storm).
- Reopening for hidden damage. Damage that surfaced later may raise supplemental-claim and deadline questions that are fact-specific.
The honest framing
For Helene and Milton in 2026, the message is not “file now” — for most new losses, that opportunity has passed. It’s: if you already filed and got a denial or a lowball, options may remain. Which ones depend on your exact dates, your policy, and how the carrier handled the claim.
Deadlines here are strict, and this is general information rather than legal advice. Confirm your specific dates and the current statutes with a licensed attorney before relying on any of it. To see which clock applies to your claim, start with the deadline countdown tool or the claims hub.
General information, not legal advice — laws and policies vary and change. Confirm current statutes and your own dates with a licensed attorney before acting.