“Am I covered for a Hurricane?”
Homeowner’s Insurance covers damage from winds and rain but there may be an additional deductible for wind damage.
- Most homeowner’s insurance policies cover wind damage and wind-driven rain during a hurricane
- Insurance companies may charge separate wind or hurricane deductibles before they’ll cover storm damage.
- Your policy won’t cover hurricane flood damage, but separate flood insurance is available
With Homeowners Insurance, you’re protected from the perils listed in your policy, including damage from hurricane winds and wind-driven rain. However, the storm surge and catastrophic flood damage following a hurricane is not covered by homeowners insurance — you’ll need to purchase flood insurance.
How hurricane deductibles work
Most homeowners insurance perils are covered by dollar amount deductibles — a fixed amount example: $500, $1,000, $2,500 etc… that you pay out of pocket, before they’ll reimburse you for the remainder of the loss.
However, if your policy has a hurricane deductible and your insurer determines that the damage to your property was caused by hurricane winds, you’re required to pay that separate deductible before you’ll be paid out for a claim. Your hurricane deductible is typically a percentage — usually 1% to 5% but sometimes higher — of your home’s dwelling coverage. If your deductible is 5% and you’re covered for $400,000 and you file a claim, you’ll have to pay a $20,000 deductible before your insurer will cover the remainder of your loss.
What is covered if I have hurricane or wind damage?
Dwelling coverage covers the structure of your home, your roof, and built-in appliances inside your home like your water heater, electrical panel, kitchen cabinets….
Your dwelling coverage limit should be equal to the total rebuild cost of your home. Remember, hurricane damage is expensive and could drain you financially if you’re underinsured. Consult with your Professional Insurance Agent for the proper amount of coverage.
Personal property coverage covers property not physically attached to your house, such as clothing, furniture, appliances, plants… Take a careful inventory of everything you own and make sure your belongings are insured at their replacement cost instead of their actual cash value or depreciated value, so you can replace them with new items of equivalent value if they’re damaged or destroyed.
Loss of Use (additional living expenses) will cover temporary housing and food costs if your home is uninhabitable after a hurricane. You’ll want to make sure there is enough here to pay for the extensive and exorbitant costs associated with hurricanes. For instance, if a Category 5 storm rolls through and wipes out everything in its path — including your home — you’ll need to be reimbursed for temporary shelter and restaurant meals while your home is being rebuilt, a process that can last months or even years.
Flood insurance is a separate policy
Your homeowners insurance policy won’t cover flood damage caused by hurricanes; you must purchase a separate policy. However, many policyholders aren’t aware that homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flood. When a hurricane makes landfall and causes flood damage to their home, they’re shocked to find out that nothing is covered. According to the Insurance Information Institute, 90 percent of all-natural disasters include some form of flooding, so homeowners in coastal states should make sure their home is well-equipped with flood insurance. Please reach out if you need a flood insurance quote.
