Hurricane Ian's 2022 landfall pushed 12 to 18 feet of storm surge across Lee County, triggering the largest single-county NFIP payout in history at over $3.5 billion. Fort Myers also faces routine Caloosahatchee River overflow flooding during heavy rainfall — storm surge and rising water are not covered by standard homeowners policies.
Southwest Florida's subtropical humidity means mold colonies can establish within 48 hours of saturation. Fort Myers' high ambient outdoor humidity — regularly above 70% — extends drying timelines to four to seven days even for clean-water losses, requiring more equipment than in drier regions.
IICRC S500 certification is the standard to require from any restoration contractor. Under Florida's 2023 Assignment of Benefits law, you remain the named insured on the claim — ask the contractor for itemized moisture logs and a scope formatted for adjuster review before signing any authorization.