Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage?
Let's review the best ways to protect your investment in the event of a hurricane.
Homeowners insurance and hurricane damage
If you live in a hurricane-prone area, you're probably familiar with power outages, wind damage, and debris during a storm. But will your homeowners insurance cover the damage? The good news is it usually does—but there's a catch. Many homeowners need additional coverage, like flood insurance, since standard policies often don't cover floods.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, so it's important to prepare before the storms start. Make sure your home and belongings are protected in advance.
Keep reading to learn what your insurance covers and whether you need extra flood coverage.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 2024 hurricane season forecast predicts above-normal activity, increasing the risk to homes.[1] Standard homeowners policies typically don’t cover flood or wind damage, so it’s important to consider additional coverage options from private insurers. If those aren’t available, programs like the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) can help protect your home from costly hurricane damage.
What is hurricane insurance?
The term “hurricane insurance” is a little misleading: there is no insurance coverage for hurricanes specifically. The damage caused by hurricanes comes from different sources, including wind and flooding from storm surge and rain. As such, home insurance coverage in a hurricane often comes down to what element of the storm — or its aftermath — is responsible for the damage.
For instance, most homeowners policies will cover wind damage, but if the damage was the result of flooding, you may be out of luck. If you live in an area at high risk of hurricanes or other strong storms, insurers may limit — or withhold — wind damage coverage. Learn more about windstorm insurance.
If wind coverage is not included as part of your home insurance policy, you can seek out a special endorsement. The specifics of your policy will be clearly defined on your homeowners policy declarations page. If you are uncertain, reach out to your insurer to confirm you are properly covered.
What hurricane damage is covered by homeowners insurance?
- Dwelling: Covers the structure of your home, your roof and attached structures.
- Other structures: Any stand-alone structures — like a carport or tool shed — not attached to the home. A typical limit is 10% of your dwelling limit.
- Personal property: Covers personal items. Limit is often a percentage of your dwelling limit, and you may choose to insure your belongings on a replacement cost or actual cash value basis.
- Additional living expenses: This covers a stay at a hotel and food expenses if you are temporarily displaced after a covered loss.
-
Damage from covered perils associated with hurricanes, like wind and rain
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Flood damage
Homeowners insurance covered perils:
- Fire
- Lightning
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Windstorms and hail
- Damage caused by vehicles
- Damage from aircraft
- Weight of ice, snow and sleet
- Freezing of household systems
- Riots
- Explosions
- Falling objects
- Volcanic eruptions
- Water damage: overflow or discharge
- Damage from artificially generated electrical current
- Sudden tearing, cracking or bulging of home
Protect your home from hurricane damage with the right coverage.
Coverage in hurricane-prone states
Every state along the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean — including Washington D.C. — is susceptible to hurricane damage.
That’s why it’s crucial to ensure you have the right coverage. Standard homeowners insurance often falls short, especially when it comes to flood and wind damage. To fill these gaps, consider supplemental policies from private insurers. If private coverage isn’t an option, state programs like the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan can provide the protection you need.
Many hurricane-prone states may mandate special deductibles for hurricanes and wind.
While home insurance covers some water and wind damage, flood damage— like storm surges— is never covered. To protect yourself against loss, homeowners in high-risk areas should consider separate flood and wind insurance policies.
Flood insurance is available through FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or private insurers, who also offer wind-only policies. A separate flood policy is usually the only way to protect against flood damage.
What is a hurricane deductible?
Though hurricane-specific insurance doesn’t exist, hurricane deductibles do. A deductible is a sum you agree to pay before your insurance kicks in to cover a loss. Many hurricane-prone states may require that a special “hurricane deductible” be written into home insurance policies.
Hurricane deductibles are usually not set at a fixed dollar amount, but instead a percentage of your dwelling coverage, typically between 1% and 10%. If your home is worth $250,000 and your hurricane deductible is 5%, you would be responsible for covering up to $12,500 of damages. This far exceeds the deductible on most homeowners policies. Even though it’s expensive, it gives you a chance of recovering from a potentially devastating storm.
In most cases, the hurricane deductible must be paid on the primary dwelling as well as each covered structure. Also, a separate hurricane deductible may be required for your personal property, as well. This is an important distinction from a standard homeowners deductible, and one that you don’t want to catch you off guard.
See the data below to see what you can expect to pay in premium in states that have hurricane deductibles.
Updating data...
| Hurricane Deductible | Avg. Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| None | $1,864 |
| 2% | $3,906 |
| 1% | $4,041 |
Source: The Zebra
With their ability to cause widespread damage and expensive claims, hurricanes can put homeowners insurance companies at substantial financial risk. The hurricane deductible offloads more of this risk to the homeowner and makes insurance premiums more affordable for the company's customer base.
The Zebra’s homeowners insurance data methodology
The Zebra’s Dynamic Insurance Rating Tool for home and auto insurance rates utilizes the latest ZIP code-level rate filings from across the U.S., sourced from Quadrant Information Services and S&P Global. These filings, typically updated annually or biennially by insurers, are verified through Quadrant’s QA process and then integrated into The Zebra’s estimator.
The displayed rates are based on a dynamic home and auto profile designed to reflect the content of the page. This profile is tailored to match specific factors such as age, location, and coverage level, which are adjusted based on the page content to show how these variables can impact premiums.
For a comprehensive understanding, see our detailed methodology.
Hurricane insurance deductible: duration and details
Hurricanes are not limited to a single damaging event. Devastating wind, rain and flooding can continue for days on end. A hurricane deductible may apply when a watch or warning is issued for any part of your state and remains active for 72 hours after the storm passes. Each state sets its own deductible rules, so check your policy. The storm's classification at landfall could affect your deductible by thousands.
Named storm deductibles
Hurricanes are specifically categorized by the National Weather Service (NWS), but other deductibles can be applied to less powerful storms. A “named storm deductible” typically includes hurricanes and any other storm named by the NWS or National Hurricane Center.
Which states have hurricane deductibles?
- Alabama
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Mississippi
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington, D.C.
Windstorm insurance deductibles
Wind and hail are typically covered by homeowners insurance, but in some areas, windstorms may require a separate deductible. Even a Category 1 hurricane can cause significant damage with wind speeds between 74 and 95 mph. Windstorm deductibles can be triggered by strong winds, not just hurricanes, and in some states, tornadoes may also apply.
In certain regions, windstorm coverage might be excluded from standard policies, so you’ll need to add it through an endorsement if you live in those areas.
Updating data...
| Deductible amount | Avg. Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| Policy deductible | $3,282 |
| 1,000 | $3,273 |
| 2,000 | $3,256 |
Source: The Zebra
Why do insurance carriers pull out of states when a hurricane is about to hit?
When an insurance company issues a moratorium, homeowners in high-risk states find themselves without coverage just as a storm is about to strike. But why stop coverage when it’s needed most? It comes down to cost. Moratoriums help insurers avoid taking on more risk than they can afford, ensuring they have enough to pay existing claims.
Homeowners insurance spreads risk across many people through premiums. But when a disaster hits multiple homes at once, insurers face huge payouts, often leading to higher premiums. In places like Florida, this has forced some insurers to stop offering coverage entirely. During a moratorium:
- Current policyholders will be unable to change any limits or coverages in their policy.
- New applicants are restricted from purchasing a new policy with this insurer.
- Existing customers cannot switch insurance carriers.
By pulling out before a disaster, companies protect their own assets and current policyholders.
The verdict: Will homeowners insurance cover hurricane damage?
As noted above, hurricane insurance doesn’t really exist as a separate coverage. Depending on where you live, you may need to take steps to protect yourself in the event of a serious storm. Some of the steps you can take include determining whether or not your state has a special wind pool or hurricane deductible. If you live in an area at risk of flooding, it’s worth considering NFIP flood coverage.
While it’s impossible to fully shield your home from powerful storms, these steps can go a long way toward helping you recover. Getting homeowners insurance is a great start in protecting your assets — enter your ZIP code below to compare rates instantly.
Live in a hurricane zone? Compare top home insurance options with The Zebra.
Homeowners insurance and hurricanes FAQs
NOAA predicts above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. NOAA
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