Is There A Such Thing As "Hurricane Insurance"?

Why Do You Need Hurricane Insurance?

Understand that there is no "hurricane insurance" in the strictest sense. Instead, you can acquire a bundle of insurance products to protect your property from hurricane damage. If you reside in an area prone to hurricanes, we recommend purchasing as much insurance as you can afford. As we will explore in this post, a storm can wreak devastation, which is not necessarily covered by a normal homeowner's insurance policy.

Homeowner's Insurance Covers Windstorm Damage

A homeowner's insurance policy is the primary line of defense against hurricane damage and may be complemented by windstorm insurance (if offered in your state) or flood insurance. Standard homeowner's insurance protects your home from damage caused by strong winds. If hurricane-force winds rip off your home's siding or shingles, your insurance coverage will reimburse you for the damage. Typically, your policy will include a hurricane deductible (more below).

Wind Damage Coverage: Windstorm Insurance

In some areas, such as Louisiana, Texas, and Florida, you may be required to get windstorm insurance in addition to your standard homeowner's policy. In this situation, this policy would cover all wind damage instead of a standard homeowner's coverage. In addition to hurricane coverage, you would be protected from tornadoes, cyclones, and any damage caused by high-speed winds. You must consult your insurer to see if you require separate windstorm coverage.

Insurance Deductibles

Another consideration is a hurricane deductible. In 19 states and some high-risk areas, you may be required to pay a hurricane deductible that differs from your standard deductible before your claim for storm damage can be reimbursed. Typically, the hurricane deductible is between 2 and 5 percent of the amount your home is insured for.

Typically, for the deductible to be triggered, the storm must be a designated hurricane and satisfy certain other conditions, such as making landfall. You will need to contact your insurance company after the fact to determine if you are responsible for the storm deductible.

Remember that you may have to pay several thousand dollars out of pocket to restore your property following a hurricane. We recommend keeping the funds for the deductible on hand if you are concerned about storms and your home is insured for a high value.

Coverage of Hurricane and Water Damage By Flood Insurance

The second component of "hurricane insurance" is flood insurance. One item is covered by flood insurance: damage to your home and belongings caused by an external flood. You will be protected if you have flood insurance and a hurricane generates rising flood waters that invade your property. One inch of flood water can cause an average of $10,000 in damage, while the average flood insurance claim costs $30,000. Flood damage is costly, with one inch of flood water causing an average of $10,000 in damage and an average flood insurance claim costing $30,000.

If you reside in a very high-risk location and are financing your home, you may be compelled to have flood insurance. The quickest way for everyone to assess whether they are at risk of flooding is to consult their community's flood map. Several thousand municipalities around the nation participate in FEMA's flood mapping program, and if you are unsure whether you live in a flood zone, your city certainly has a map.

Flood maps are divided into multiple "risk" categories. If you reside in an "X" or "A" zone, your home is in the greatest danger of flooding; thus, we recommend purchasing flood insurance. If you reside in a "B," "C," or "X" zone, you are in a more moderate climate zone. Note, however, that around 25 percent of all flood insurance claims originate from these zones. If a storm is projected to strike your area within the next few years and you reside in a moderate zone, we recommend purchasing flood insurance.

If you reside in a location that is unlikely to be inundated by a hurricane, you can likely forego flood insurance.

Why Hurricanes Require Both Home and Flood Insurance

Whether you have only a home policy or a homeowners and windstorm policy, the coverage is likely insufficient. Hurricanes bring wind and rain, but windstorm coverage will only cover the former. If the cause of the damage is ambiguous, such as wind or water, dealing with the insurance company can be a tremendous pain. To avoid this predicament, it is essential to obtain solid flood insurance coverage.

For instance, during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, a house collided with and destroyed a nearby home. The owners of the wrecked property claimed that the wind caused the neighbor's house to crash into theirs, while the insurer asserted that water was to blame. Ultimately, it was determined to have been caused by water. Therefore the homeowners received no compensation for their losses. This is when flood insurance would become applicable.

What is the Cost of Hurricane Insurance?

The average annual cost of homeowners insurance is $1,445, while the average annual cost of flood insurance is $734. This indicates that, on average, our sample of households would pay $2,179 for storm protection. Extra windstorm coverage may cost several hundred dollars more, but the exact amount you pay depends on your home's worth and its closeness to a body of water.

Consider the cost of flood insurance before purchasing a home so close to the water if you reside in a high-risk location for flooding. Several thousand dollars can also be spent on home insurance coverage for costly properties. Remember, though, that the more expensive your home, the more you stand to lose in the event of a hurricane.