Home insurance policies typically cover damage caused by strong winds, including hurricanes. However, your policy may have a separate deductible for damage caused by the hurricane. Hurricane damage is covered by homeowners insurance, but certain provisions modify homeowners insurance coverage in hurricane-prone states. For example, hurricane deductibles are mandatory in 19 states and dictate that the policyholder must pay more money if damage is caused by the hurricane.
Homeowners insurance policies don't offer comprehensive coverage for damage caused. While your homeowners insurance policy will provide limited coverage for damage caused by a hurricane (for example, wind damage to the roof), you may have an additional separate deductible higher than your general insurance. Homeowners insurance policies also don't include coverage for flood damage without a separate flood insurance policy. Insurance companies don't sell separate hurricane insurance policies, so you'll need to rely on your home insurance policy and some supplemental policies, such as flood insurance, to get adequate coverage.
If you live in an apartment, the landlord insures the building, but you still need to have insurance for your possessions and additional living expenses. A hurricane deductible is a separate deductible that applies specifically to your home insurance policy when you suffer damage from a hurricane. If your home insurance covers wind damage or other damage caused by the hurricane, claims may be subject to a separate deductible. Home insurance policies don't cover floods, earthquakes, maintenance damage, and wastewater accumulations.
As a result of these exclusions, you may want to add flood insurance to your home insurance coverage if you live in an area prone to hurricanes. If a hurricane causes increasing flooding and water enters your home, flood insurance covers water remediation and repairs. If strong winds from a hurricane tear off your coating or shingles, for example, your policy will reimburse you for the damage. For example, some home insurers in coastal regions exclude damage caused by windstorms, so windstorm insurance will need to be purchased separately.
If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you need to know things like the average annual cost of hurricane damage, what a hurricane deductible is, and whether homeowners insurance covers hurricane-related damage to be in good hands. Debris removal after a hurricane can easily exceed that limit, so it's a good idea to check if your insurer offers a coverage endorsement to increase reimbursement for debris removal. Each homeowner must purchase a separate flood insurance policy to protect themselves from storm surges, overflowing bodies of water and many other cases that are generally covered by flood insurance. Some homeowners may be surprised to learn that floods, even caused by a hurricane, are generally not covered by a standard home insurance policy.
If you're a homeowner in an area where hurricane damage is common, you need to know if your home insurance policy will cover damage caused by a hurricane. Most standard home insurance policies include home coverage for wind damage outside your property.
