BLOG & RESOURCES

"Boarded-up vacation rental property in Palm Beach County ahead of hurricane season"; "Hurricane supply checklist for Florida short-term rental owners"

Hurricane Season Prep: A Vacation Rental Owner’s Checklist for Palm Beach County

Why Vacation Rental Owners Carry Extra Storm Risk

A long-term landlord rides out hurricane season with one relationship to manage — the tenant already living in the unit. A vacation rental owner is juggling several at once: whoever’s checked in when a storm threatens, whoever’s arriving in the days after, and the property itself, often sitting empty between guests with no one on-site to notice a leak, a loose shutter, or a tree limb resting on the roofline. That gap between bookings is exactly when small storm damage turns into a large claim.

Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and NOAA’s 2026 outlook calls for a below-normal season — 8 to 14 named storms, 3 to 6 hurricanes, and 1 to 3 major hurricanes, with developing El Niño conditions expected to limit overall activity. “Below-normal” is not “storm-free,” though, and forecasters are consistent on one point every year: it only takes one storm making landfall near your property to matter. Here’s how to prepare a Palm Beach County vacation rental — and your guests — before one does.

Before the Season: Property & Documentation

Confirm your evacuation zone. Palm Beach County’s Know Your Zone tool tells you exactly which evacuation zone your property sits in — check it now, not while a storm is 48 hours out, and pass the zone number along to any co-host or caretaker who may need to secure the property on your behalf.
Inspect and reinforce. Walk the roof, soffits, and any accordion or panel shutters for wear before June. Impact-resistant windows and permanent storm shutters are the highest-value upgrade for a rental that sits unoccupied for stretches — you can’t count on a guest to put up plywood correctly, or at all.
Photograph and video everything. A full walkthrough of the interior and exterior, dated and stored off-site (cloud storage, not just your phone), is the single most useful thing you can do before a storm for a clean, fast insurance claim afterward.
Stock a storm kit for the property, not just yourself. Battery-powered radio, flashlights, a first-aid kit, and a generator if the unit doesn’t have one already — guests riding out a watch or warning need these on-site, not on a shopping list during a run on Publix.
Know your tax-exempt purchase window. Florida moved away from short, temporary disaster-supply tax holidays for 2026 in favor of permanent, year-round sales tax exemptions on many core hurricane-kit items — nonperishable food, water, medications, and batteries among them. A few previously exempt items (flashlights, candles, coolers, some pet supplies) were dropped from the list under the new framework, so check current guidance at floridarevenue.com/DisasterPrep before you restock rather than assuming last year’s list still applies.

Booking Policy & Guest Communication

This is the piece long-term rentals don’t have to think about, and it’s where most short-term-rental storm problems actually originate.

Write your storm policy into the listing before the season starts, not after a guest is already asking. Spell out what happens to a reservation if a mandatory evacuation order is issued for your zone — refund, credit, or rebooking — so you’re applying a documented policy instead of improvising one over text message.
Push proactive updates once a watch or warning is issued for Palm Beach County — evacuation zone, nearest shelter, and a clear instruction to leave if ordered to. Guests on vacation are often unfamiliar with Florida storm protocol and won’t think to check the National Hurricane Center on their own.
Have a same-day contact plan for a guest currently checked in when a storm accelerates — a local co-host, cleaner, or your property manager who can reach the unit in person if you can’t.

During the Storm

Follow evacuation orders for your zone immediately if one is issued — don’t wait to see how the forecast track shifts.
Secure or remove loose furniture, grills, and decor from patios, balconies, and pool decks; anything left outside becomes a projectile in sustained wind.
Shut off gas and water service if the property will sit vacant through the storm, and unplug major appliances and electronics.
Keep guest communication going even after evacuation — a short “shelter in place until further notice” or “evacuation lifted” message matters more than it seems like it would in the moment.

After the Storm

Don’t allow guests or cleaning staff back into the unit until you or your manager has confirmed it’s safe — downed lines and structural damage aren’t always visible from the street.
Document any damage against your pre-storm photos and file your claim promptly; insurers move faster on claims with clear before/after evidence.
Line up your contractor relationships before hurricane season, not during it — the good ones book out fast the week after a storm makes landfall anywhere in South Florida.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need separate insurance for a vacation rental versus a standard rental property? Often, yes. Many standard landlord policies exclude or limit coverage for short-term/transient use, and lenders and insurers may require a specific short-term-rental endorsement. Review your policy language directly with your carrier — don’t assume a long-term-rental policy covers guest turnover and short-stay bookings the same way.

Should I cancel bookings ahead of a possible storm, or wait for an official warning? Wait for official guidance from the National Hurricane Center and Palm Beach County Emergency Management before cancelling — acting on an early forecast cone that shifts can mean refunding guests unnecessarily. Your written storm policy should specify that cancellations/credits trigger on an official watch, warning, or evacuation order, not a five-day forecast.

Does TPG handle storm prep for the vacation rentals it manages? Yes — seasonal maintenance, including A/C service and exterior upkeep, is part of TPG’s Gold and Diamond plans, and our local vendor network means faster dispatch for storm shutters, debris removal, and post-storm inspection than an owner coordinating it alone from a distance.

Let TPG Carry the Storm-Season Workload

Hurricane prep is one more thing on a long list for an owner already juggling guest turnover, pricing, and maintenance. TPG Property Management handles both long-term and short-term/vacation rentals across Palm Beach County, with local vendor relationships that mean your storm shutters, generator checks, and post-storm inspections happen on schedule — whether or not you’re in the state when the next watch is issued. Contact TPG Property Management to talk through storm-season coverage for your rental.

TPG Property Management — Royal Palm Beach, FL | (561) 875-5110