• Dwelling (Coverage A): The structure of your home — walls, roof, foundation, and built-in appliances — against covered perils like fire, wind, lightning, and vandalism.
• Other Structures (Coverage B): Detached garages, fences, and outbuildings.
• Personal Property (Coverage C): Your furniture, electronics, clothing, and belongings, both at home and away.
• Loss of Use (Coverage D): Additional living expenses if your home is uninhabitable due to a covered loss — hotel bills, restaurant meals, and temporary rental costs.
• Personal Liability (Coverage E): Protection if someone is injured on your property and sues you.
• Medical Payments (Coverage F): Pays medical bills for guests injured on your property, regardless of fault.

• Flood damage — Valrico’s location along the Alafia River, Bullfrog Creek, and numerous drainage canals creates flood risk in many neighborhoods during heavy rainfall and tropical events. Flood damage is never covered by standard homeowners insurance — a separate flood policy is essential protection. Learn about Valrico flood coverage.
• Sinkhole damage — Standard policies exclude sinkholes; separate sinkhole coverage is available and strongly recommended in Hillsborough County.
• Normal wear and tear — Maintenance issues are not covered.

When shopping for homeowners insurance, Valrico residents often make the mistake of using the purchase price of the home as the basis for the amount of coverage they need. Your dwelling coverage (Coverage A) should be based on the estimated cost to rebuild your home — not its market value or what you paid for it. Replacement cost estimates factor in your home’s square footage, construction type, roof material, and current local labor and material costs.

Valrico’s post-2000 construction boom means many homes use similar building materials and techniques, but replacement costs have risen significantly in recent years due to supply chain pressures and labor shortages in the Tampa Bay area. An independent agent can help you calculate an accurate replacement cost estimate so you’re neither overpaying for excessive coverage nor dangerously underinsured.

Yes — a wind mitigation inspection is one of the most effective ways to reduce your homeowners insurance premium in Florida. Wind mitigation inspections are a smart investment for Valrico homeowners because they document specific construction features that resist wind damage, including roof shape (hip vs. gable), roof-to-wall connections (hurricane straps or clips), roof deck attachment method, and opening protection (hurricane shutters or impact-resistant windows).

Because so many Valrico homes were built after 2000 to the updated Florida Building Code, a large percentage of homes in the community already have wind-resistant features that qualify for discounts — but carriers won’t apply those credits without a completed OIR-B1-1802 wind mitigation inspection form. The inspection typically costs $75–$150 and can save Valrico homeowners hundreds or even thousands per year on premiums.

No. The standard homeowners insurance policy Valrico residents carry does not include flood coverage. If your home is damaged by flooding — whether from a tropical storm, heavy rain, or rising water from tributaries of the Alafia River — you would be responsible for the full cost of repairs out of pocket unless you carry a separate flood policy.

While Valrico’s elevated terrain (averaging 102 feet above sea level) reduces widespread flood risk compared to many Tampa Bay communities, pocket flood zones exist near drainage areas and low-lying spots south of SR 60. Even homes outside FEMA-designated high-risk zones can flood during severe weather events. We recommend evaluating a separate flood insurance policy regardless of your flood zone designation. Flood coverage is available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and select private flood carriers. Your Cornerstone agent can help you determine whether your property is in a FEMA flood zone and which option provides the best protection for your situation.

Make sure you have high enough individual liability limits in case someone is injured on your property and submits a claim against you. In general, you should carry at least enough liability coverage to match your financial net worth. If your net worth exceeds the maximum liability coverage on your homeowners policy, Valrico residents should consider an umbrella policy to provide the additional liability protection they need.

Most Florida homeowners insurance policies include a hurricane deductible expressed as a percentage of your home’s insured dwelling value — typically 2%, 5%, or 10%. For example, if your home is insured for $350,000 with a 2% hurricane deductible, you would be responsible for the first $7,000 of hurricane damage out of pocket before your insurance coverage applies.

Key considerations for Valrico homeowners:

• A higher deductible (5% or 10%) reduces your annual premium but requires more cash out of pocket if a hurricane strikes. Only choose a higher deductible if you can comfortably cover that amount in an emergency.
• A lower deductible (2%) provides more financial protection after a storm with less out-of-pocket cost, but results in a higher annual premium.
• Valrico’s position in the Tampa Bay hurricane corridor, Hillsborough County’s tropical storm and tornado risk, and the region’s rapid growth driving up replacement costs all make the hurricane deductible one of the most consequential decisions for homeowners in this area.

Your Cornerstone agent can model the premium difference between deductible levels so you can make an informed choice.

Cornerstone is appointed by many of the top homeowners insurance carriers actively writing policies in Florida. Our carrier lineup includes:

• American Integrity Insurance
• American Strategic Insurance (ASI)
• American Traditions Insurance
• Edison Insurance
• Florida Peninsula
• Heritage Insurance
• Manatee Insurance Exchange
• Monarch Insurance
• Olympus Insurance
• Ovation Home Insurance Exchange
• Progressive Insurance
• Safepoint Insurance
• Security First Insurance
• Slide Insurance
• Tower Hill Insurance
• Universal Property and Casualty

All carriers we represent are licensed and regulated by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) and maintain financial strength ratings that meet Florida’s statutory requirements.

Cornerstone’s carriers provide a comprehensive range of personal insurance products for Florida residents, including:

• ATV Insurance
• Auto Insurance
• Motorcycle Insurance
• Flood Insurance
• Condo Insurance
• Umbrella Insurance
• Renters Insurance
• Comprehensive Liability Insurance
• Boat & Watercraft Insurance
• RV Insurance
• Term Life Insurance
• Wedding / Special Events
• Horse Liability
• Vacant Home Insurance
• Golf Cart Insurance
• Dwelling Fire Insurance
• And More

Sinkhole coverage is strongly recommended for Valrico homeowners. Eastern Hillsborough County — including Valrico — sits on Florida’s limestone karst geology, which makes the area more susceptible to sinkhole activity than many other parts of the Tampa Bay region. Standard Florida homeowners policies cover catastrophic ground cover collapse (a more severe, narrowly defined event), but they do not cover the more common forms of sinkhole damage such as foundation settling, cracking walls, or shifting structures.

Broader sinkhole coverage is available as an endorsement to your homeowners policy and covers damage caused by sinkhole activity that doesn’t meet the catastrophic ground cover collapse threshold. Given Valrico’s geological profile, particularly in areas along the SR 60 corridor and near older developments built on fill, this endorsement provides important protection. Your Cornerstone agent can help you evaluate whether sinkhole coverage makes sense for your specific property location and construction type.

A 4-point inspection evaluates four major systems in your home: roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC. Most Florida insurance carriers require a 4-point inspection for homes 20 years or older before issuing or renewing a homeowners policy.

In Valrico, where the majority of homes were built after 2000, many homeowners won’t need a 4-point inspection right away. However, homes built in the early 2000s are now approaching the 20-year threshold, and some older pockets of the community near Lithia Pinecrest Road and along Durant Road contain homes from the 1980s–1990s that will require this inspection. It typically costs $100–$200 and is completed by a licensed home inspector. The results help the carrier assess the condition and remaining useful life of your home’s core systems. If any system shows significant deterioration — such as a roof nearing end-of-life or outdated wiring — the carrier may require repairs or upgrades as a condition of coverage.

Yes, Valrico’s elevated terrain can work in your favor. At an average of 102 feet above sea level, Valrico sits well above most of the Tampa Bay region. This higher elevation generally means lower flood risk for the majority of properties, which can positively influence both homeowners insurance underwriting and flood insurance pricing.

However, elevation alone doesn’t determine your full risk profile. Carriers also evaluate wind exposure, roof condition, construction type, and proximity to known sinkhole activity. Some Valrico properties near drainage areas or tributary flood zones may still carry elevated flood risk despite the community’s overall higher ground. Your Cornerstone agent can help you understand how your specific property’s elevation and location affect your insurance options and pricing.

Roof age is one of the single biggest factors Florida insurance carriers evaluate when pricing homeowners insurance. Many Valrico homes were built during the community’s rapid growth period in the early-to-mid 2000s, which means a significant number of original roofs are now 15–25 years old — approaching or past the threshold where carriers require inspection or replacement.

Most Florida carriers prefer roofs under 15 years old and may decline to write or renew policies on homes with roofs over 20 years old. If your Valrico home has its original roof from the early 2000s, proactively scheduling a roof inspection and budgeting for replacement can help you maintain access to the most competitive carriers and avoid coverage gaps at renewal time. Your Cornerstone agent can advise on which carriers are most flexible with roof age in the Valrico area.

Citizens Property Insurance is Florida’s state-backed insurer of last resort, available to homeowners who cannot find coverage in the private market or whose private market options exceed Citizens’ rates. While Citizens has historically offered competitive pricing, it comes with important tradeoffs: limited coverage options, potential special assessments after major hurricanes, and policy restrictions that private carriers don’t impose.

For most Valrico homeowners — especially those with newer post-2000 construction and good wind mitigation features — private carriers typically offer more comprehensive coverage options and competitive pricing. Cornerstone compares options from both Citizens and 15+ private carriers so you can make an informed decision. In many cases, Valrico homeowners qualify for private market rates that match or beat Citizens while providing broader coverage and better claims service.