Protect your home from hurricane damage. Get a hurricane insurance quote online today.
The term “hurricane insurance” can be misleading. There is no single coverage that addresses all the damage caused by a hurricane. However, most homeowners insurance policies, like the ones from Kin, do offer coverage for hurricane wind damage. If you live in a hurricane-prone area like Florida, your homeowners insurance policy usually has a separate deductible – a hurricane deductible – that applies for the wind damage caused by named storms.
For the flood damage that accompanies hurricanes, you need either a separate flood policy altogether or to add a flood insurance endorsement to your policy. A standard homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover water damage caused by storm surge, and hurricane insurance doesn’t cover storm surge damage, either. (More on that distinction in a bit.)
Such as your garage, fence, greenhouse, shed, and more
Such as clothing, furniture, appliances, and more
This protection is usually available in increments of $5,000 up to $50,000 maximum.
That said, it may sometimes cover water damage that wind damage made possible
Where hurricane coverage ends and flood insurance begins can be hard to assess, so let’s look at a few sample scenarios.
These scenarios are meant to be illustrative only. Every insurance company has its own criteria for assessing damage and its source. That’s why, if you live in a region prone to hurricanes and flooding, it’s smart to have both hurricane and flood insurance. You never know when you’ll need them.
As mentioned earlier, your hurricane deductible is separate from the standard AOP deductible that applies to other covered perils, such as fire, theft, or vandalism claims.
While your general deductible is usually a flat dollar amount, your hurricane deductible is a percentage of the coverage you have for your dwelling. These are usually:
So if you have $300,000 in dwelling coverage and a 2% hurricane deductible, your out-of-pocket expense for a hurricane claim would be $6,000.
Your hurricane deductible is triggered by specific conditions outlined in your policy. Generally, a storm declared as a hurricane by the National Weather Service or a named storm triggers this deductible.
Deductible options may vary based on state regulations. For example, Florida insurers are required to offer hurricane deductible options of $500, 2%, 5% and 10%.
A named storm or a storm the National Weather Service labels as a hurricane can trigger your hurricane deductible
Currently, 19 states allow some type of specific deductible on their hurricane insurance policy form that applies to hurricane wind damage. State laws influence how high this deductible can be.
For example, Florida requires all insurers to offer hurricane deductible options of $500, 2%, 5%, or 10% of the dwelling property limit in your policy.
Understanding that hurricane insurance has an additional deductible is important to getting the right policy for your home. Higher deductibles can bring down your premium, but that means you’re responsible for more of your losses if you have to file a claim.
Here is a list of the 19 states. Note that the District of Columbia also requires an additional deductible on hurricane insurance.
States in Tornado Alley, like Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, and South Dakota, may also have an additional wind / hail deductible.
Hurricane coverage is not separate from your home insurance, so your home insurance premium includes this protection. But hurricanes are one of the reasons homeowners insurance in Florida is some of the most expensive in the country. Our more recent data show the average cost for a homeowners policy with hurricane coverage is $2,030 per year.
Your premium is also dependent on a host of other factors, including:
A wind mitigation inspection that shows how resistant your roof ist to hurricane winds can help you reduce home insurance premiums considerably in Florida.
Florida home + hurricane
insurance averages
$2,030
per year
Chances are your homeowners’ insurance hurricane coverage doesn’t pay claims for certain kinds of losses. And remember, hurricane insurance isn’t a specific policy. So to really find peace of mind, you may want to investigate other types of insurance policies that can provide coverage for other types of losses.
This impacts your home insurance shopping in two ways. First, you’ll want to identify what perils are covered when you evaluate various companies’ hurricane insurance quotes. If something strikes you as particularly important to have covered, you may need to add it either with an additional policy or an endorsement.
Next, you’ll need to consider how much more the added coverage will cost. Any time you add coverage, your overall insurance costs are likely going to go up.
As with any type of insurance, the time to have hurricane insurance is before you need it. That’s why it’s smart to shop for coverage or to switch insurance providers well before hurricane season.
You should also know that insurance companies often put moratoriums, or binding prohibitions, in place before a catastrophic event. This delays your ability to purchase coverage or change insurance companies.
Though moratoriums are infrequent, insurance companies can put one into effect because of approaching hurricanes, tropical storms, wildfires, or other catastrophes.
For example, insurance companies often pause binding hurricane insurance as much as 24 to 48 hours before the storm’s predicted impact.
The most important tip for getting the best hurricane insurance is to evaluate your particular situation. Every home has its own set of perils to consider – and every homeowner has to decide how much risk they’re willing to take on. Other tips for buying home insurance hurricane coverage include:
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