Homeowners looking for ways to save during tax season may be wondering if their homeowners insurance premiums are tax deductible.
In general, the answer is no. You typically can’t deduct your homeowner insurance premiums from your taxes. However, homeowners that work from home, rent out their homes, or have made claims that were denied may be able to claim certain deductions on their taxes.
Here’s what you need to know about whether or not homeowners insurance is tax deductible in Florida.
Is Homeowners Insurance Tax Deductible?
The short answer is no. In most circumstances, homeowners insurance is not tax deductible in Florida or anywhere else in the United States. This means that you cannot itemize any payments for home insurance on your tax return, including payments for fire, theft, or comprehensive coverage.
There can be some exceptions to this. For example, if you rent out your home or use a part of your home as a home office, you may be able to deduct a portion of your insurance premiums. However, if the home is your primary residence, you generally won’t be able to deduct your insurance payments.
Tax Deductions for Homeowners
While homeowners insurance premiums typically aren’t tax deductible, depending on your circumstances, there are several ways for homeowners to reduce their tax burden.
Here are a few tax deductions you may be eligible for depending on your circumstances.
Tax deductions for remote workers
If you work from home, as many homeowners do these days, you may be eligible to deduct a portion of your insurance premiums based on the percentage of your home in square footage that is used for business purposes.
In order to qualify, you must use a portion of your home as a dedicated home office.
Tax deductions for renting out your home
If you own one or more properties that you rent out to others, you can deduct the home insurance for the rental properties from your taxes.
As a landlord, renting out your home is considered part of your work, meaning money that you spend on the rental property is considered a business expense. This can include anything from repairs and renovations to home or condo insurance.
If you rent out a portion of your home, then you can also deduct a portion of your insurance premiums based on the percentage of your home in square footage that you rent out.
Tax deductions for denied homeowners insurance claims
If your home is damaged by a disaster and your home insurance claim is denied, you may be able to deduct the losses as long as the damages occurred due to a federally declared disaster.
This is known as a casualty and theft loss deduction. This allows homeowners to deduct a portion of the value of their home that was damaged or lost during a federally declared disaster.
It should be noted, though, that the damage needs to have occurred unexpectedly in order to qualify for this deduction.
Property taxes
While homeowners insurance premiums aren’t typically tax deductible, you can usually deduct both local and state property taxes on your tax return. This applies to your primary and secondary residences.
Capital gains
Homeowners that sell their homes for a profit may be able to use the capital gains tax deduction to avoid paying taxes on the sale profits.
Mortgage insurance premiums
Mortgage insurance protects homeowners that are unable to make mortgage payments after losing their jobs. Unlike homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance premiums can typically be deducted from your taxes.
Mortgage interest
Homeowners can also deduct the interest they pay on their mortgages as long as they file an itemized tax return.
Energy-efficient appliances and features
Homeowners that implement energy-efficient features in their homes may also benefit come tax season. If you add green features, like solar panels or energy-efficient appliances, you may be able to deduct these expenses if you file an itemized tax return.
Request a Home Insurance Quote
Homeowners insurance is essential as it protects your home and personal belongings against a variety of hazards, including fire, storms, theft, vandalism, and more. Even though you may not be able to deduct your home insurance premiums on your taxes, home insurance is certainly worth the cost due to the protection it offers.
At FIB Insurance, we work with homeowners in Florida to help them find affordable home insurance policies that offer comprehensive coverage. Contact FIB insurance today to request a custom quote and learn more about homeowners insurance in Miami, FL.