The 2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season was one of the busiest and most destructive in history, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. By the season's official end, 13 named storms had come and gone, resulting in 21 federal disaster declarations covering 13 states and Puerto Rico. The four hurricanes that struck the state of Florida within a six-week period resulted in insured property losses estimated at more than $20 billion.

In late October, the state of Florida's Department of Financial Services issued a ruling clarifying homeowner insurance claim-handling requirements in the wake of the hurricanes. The department has set deadlines of Nov. 22 for claims for losses from Hurricanes Charley and Frances and from Tropical Storm Bonnie filed through Oct. 21; Dec. 8 for claims from Hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne filed through Nov. 8; and 30 days after the claim was filed for all other hurricane claims.

“The industry will comply with this rule, of course, as it does with all regulations,” said William Stander, regional manager for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America. “At the same time, the industry is currently putting forth all available resources to adjust these millions of hurricane claims as quickly as humanly possible. You simply can't get blood from a stone.”