What Happens When You Experience Damage from Multiple Hurricanes in One Season? Understanding Your Coverage Limits

According to CSU Tropical Weather and Climate Research data, there are an average of 14 named storms per year during the Atlantic Hurricane season. Around seven of those storms become hurricanes. Unfortunately, more than one hurricane could strike the same location. For property owners who suffer damage from multiple hurricanes in one season, the process can be especially hard.

It is crucial that you understand your coverage limits. At Insurance Claim HQ, we help homeowners and business owners deal with the challenges of being hit with multiple major storms during a single year. Within this article, our New Orleans hurricane damage attorneys highlight the key points to know about coverage limits and multiple hurricanes in one season.

Three Key Steps to Take After Damage from Hurricanes

Going through a hurricane is stressful. Even if you have been through one (or many) before as a resident of the Gulf Coast region, it is normal to feel stressed out, overwhelmed, and unsure of what needs to be done next. Hurricanes are not perfectly predictable—far from it. Any deviation in speed, direction, or intensity can have dramatic ramifications for homeowners and business owners in a community.

Here are three key steps to take to deal with hurricane damage:

     1. Protect Yourself: Your health, safety, and well-being are always the top priority before, during, and after a hurricane. Your family takes priority over your property. That could mean evacuating the region if there is a serious storm. In the aftermath, avoid entering damaged buildings until they have been declared safe by authorities, as structural damage can make them unstable. You should also be cautious of hazards such as flooded roads, downed power lines, and contaminated water.

     2. Notify Your Insurer: As soon as it is safe to do so, contact your insurance company to report the damage. Most policies require prompt reporting, so don’t delay. Provide a general description of the damage and, if possible, your policy number and contact details. Your insurer will guide you through the process of filing a claim. If you do not have a copy of your insurance policy, ask the company to send you one. You need to know the terms.

     3. Document the Damage: Hurricane damage should be carefully documented. Doing so is especially important if your property is still in the process of being repaired from an early tropical storm/hurricane. Take photographs or video of all the damaged property before you start cleanup efforts. Pictures should include structural damage to your home, as well as damaged furniture, appliances, and other belongings. You should also keep a comprehensive list of any belongings that were lost or damaged.

Multiple Rounds of Hurricane Damage Means Separate Claims (One Deductible in Louisiana)

If your property was damaged by two different hurricanes during the same season, that means that you, technically, have two separate property damage claims. Those claims may (or may not) intersect and overlap with each other. That will depend, in part, on the nature, scope, and timing of the damage. Hurricane insurance is regulated by state law. In some jurisdictions, multiple hurricanes in the same season mean that the policyholder has to pay the deductible twice.

However, that is no longer that in Louisiana. In 2009, there were changes made to state law to provide better, more comprehensive legal protections to residential property owners. Under Louisiana law (Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 22, § 1337), there is a single deductible cap for homeowners who were subject to damage from two different named storms within the same Atlantic hurricane season. The season begins on June 1st each year and ends on November 30th.

Note for Louisanna: Commercial property is not covered by § 1337. As such, the single-season hurricane deductible rule does not apply. A commercial property owner could have one (or more) hurricane insurance policies that require payment of a separate deductible for each storm. These claims can be especially complicated.

Hurricane Insurance: Know Your Coverage Limits

You need to know the coverage limits of your hurricane policy and any other insurance policy that you have on your home or business.

For obvious reasons, experiencing damage from multiple hurricanes in a single season can be overwhelming. Understanding how your homeowners’ insurance policy works can help take away some of the stress caused by uncertainty. Here are some of the key points that homeowners should be aware of:

• There are Different Types of Limits: You may have “per-occurrence” policy limits as well as “aggregate” policy limits. Most homeowners insurance policies have per-occurrence limits, meaning the coverage applies separately to each event. Each hurricane is considered a separate occurrence, you may be covered up to your policy limit for each one. However, some policies also have an aggregate limit that caps the total amount that can be paid during a specific policy period. Multiple claims from different hurricanes could exhaust the limit.

• Deductibles Matters: Depending on your state and type of claim, you may need to pay a separate deductible for each hurricane claim. However, as noted, Louisiana caps homeowners’ hurricane insurance claims at one deductible per season. When considering deductibles, it is also important to know that many policies have a specific hurricane or named storm deductible. They are often calculated as a percentage of your home’s insured value. Hurricane deductibles are often higher than other types of deductibles.

• Policy Renewal and Changes: Filing multiple claims in a short period may lead to higher premiums upon renewal. In some cases, insurers might choose not to renew your policy after numerous claims—especially in high-risk areas. It is a matter that is at least worth considering when evaluating your multiple claims. There are situations in which it may not make sense to file a second hurricane damage claim if the additional damage sustained would lead to no greater payout. You should speak to a New Orleans hurricane damage lawyer who can review all policies that you have and help you determine the best approach to secure the absolute maximum financial benefits.

Why Trust Insurance Claim HQ for a Complex Hurricane Damage Claim

Dealing with the aftermath of a hurricane is stressful. For those who have been hit by multiple storms in one season, the recovery process can be especially difficult. A hurricane should not leave you and your family in pieces. At Insurance Claim HQ, we are here to hold the insurance company accountable and make you whole after multiple hurricanes. With millions recovered for clients, our record of case results speaks for itself. We are proactive. Our New Orleans hurricane damage lawyers are prepared to:

• Listen to your story and explain your options during a free case evaluation
• Gather and review your policy—ensuring you know the requirements and coverage limits
• Handle all of the insurance paperwork and represent you in settlement negotiations
• Take your case as far as it needs to go to help you secure the maximum benefits

Schedule Your Free Case Review With Our New Orleans Hurricane Damage Attorney Today

At Insurance Claim HQ, our New Orleans hurricane damage attorneys have the skills and experience to protect the rights of homeowners and business owners. If you have any questions about navigating coverage limits after multiple hurricane damage incidents in one season, we are here to help. Contact us today to set your free, no-obligation initial case review. We provide representation in property damage hurricane claims in New Orleans and throughout the surrounding region.