Understanding Your Policy: What Does Hurricane Insurance Cover?

Everyone who lives in Louisiana understands the risks that a hurricane can pose to their homes and families. And while you cannot control Mother Nature, you can try to protect yourself against it by taking out hurricane insurance. But what exactly is hurricane insurance–and more importantly, what does hurricane insurance cover cover?

There Is No “Hurricane” Insurance

The term “hurricane insurance” is itself something of a misnomer. You insure property; you do not insure against specific types of weather. For example, there is no such thing as “tornado insurance” or “thunderstorm insurance.”

Instead, what most of us have is homeowner’s insurance. Homeowner’s insurance can provide certain protections in the event of a hurricane, but the damage need not be the result of a hurricane.

Homeowner’s insurance typically covers four things:

• Your Dwelling: Homeowner’s insurance covers the cost of structural repairs to your house–i.e., your dwelling–if it is damaged during a hurricane.
• Other Structures: Your policy may also cover other structures on your property, such as a detached garage or a gazebo.
• Personal Property: A homeowner’s policy also covers the contents of a home. For example, if there is hurricane damage to your roof and some of your furniture is damaged, that would be covered under personal property.
• Loss of Use: If you cannot move back into your house right away following a hurricane, your homeowner’s policy may cover your additional living expenses, such as the cost of staying at a hotel during the repairs.

Most standard homeowner’s insurance will cover the losses described above if they are the result of wind damage. In some parts of Louisiana–particularly the coast–homeowners may need to purchase additional wind coverage. Other policies might require you to pay an additional “hurricane deductible” for damages caused by a named tropical storm.

What About Water Damage?

Hurricanes are not just a matter of wind; they are also a matter of water. Much of the hurricane damage we see in New Orleans comes from flooding during a storm. Unfortunately, most homeowner’s policies will not cover hurricane-related flood damage. Instead, affected homeowners need to purchase separate flood insurance, usually from a policy backed by the National Flood Insurance Program.

In this sense, “hurricane insurance” is really a combination of a standard homeowner’s policy, additional coverage for windstorm damage when necessary, and flood insurance. Carrying such coverage is often expensive, particularly the flood insurance component. But the alternative is leaving your home unprotected in the event of a hurricane.

Contact a New Orleans Hurricane Insurance Lawyer Today

Hurricanes often prompt thousands of insurance claims in the aftermath of a storm. Sorting out these claims is a long and often complicated process that leaves homeowners frustrated as they seek to rebuild their lives. One way you can help yourself in this process is to work with a qualified New Orleans hurricane insurance lawyer who can assist you in filing your claim–and holding your insurance company accountable if they try to deprive you of full compensation for your losses.

Contact Insurance Claim HQ today to schedule a free claim evaluation.