With Hurricane Ian causing significant damage throughout Florida recently, homeowners insurance is at the top of many people’s minds. If your home sustained damage from the storm, it’s possible you may be covered, but it’s also possible you won’t be, according to The Property Advocates.
The two major factors in determining whether you are covered for the damage sustained during a storm are what caused the damage and what is included in your homeowners’ insurance policy.
We look below at the differences between the three types of insurance coverage for hurricanes, floods, and wind.
Flood Insurance Coverage
Flood insurance specifically provides coverage in case your home is damaged by water from outside of your home. In other words, it provides coverage for weather-related events that cause floodings, such as rain and river overflows. Flooding that occurs because of an interior issue, such as a pipe bursting, would likely be covered by your main home insurance policy.
Homeowners’ insurance policies don’t include flood insurance by default. You must purchase that either through a private carrier or a federal government program. Most people choose not to purchase this insurance, though, unless they’re located near a coastline or in an area prone to flooding.
If your home sustained flood damage from a weather-related event and you don’t have flood insurance, you likely will not be covered.
Wind Insurance Coverage
Damage your home sustains due to wind is covered under your main homeowners’ insurance policy. In fact, according to Florida state law, all insurance policies in the state have to include coverage for wind — even if it happened during a hurricane.
Wind damage doesn’t have to come during a hurricane, but it can.
It’s also possible that if your home suffered flood damage that directly resulted from wind damage, it might be covered under your homeowners’ insurance policy.
For example, if your roof was heavily damaged by wind during a hurricane and your home was flooded due to rain pouring into it, you could be covered for this damage, even if you don’t have flood insurance. You would need to prove that the wind caused the roof’s initial damage that led to the flood damage, which an experienced insurance law firm such as The Property Advocates could help you do.
Hurricane Insurance Coverage
There is no specific insurance coverage for hurricanes that you can purchase. Damage your home sustains as a result of a hurricane will be covered either under your main homeowners’ policy or through supplemental flood insurance that you purchased.
One thing to keep in mind is that Florida homeowners insurance policies typically have a separate hurricane deductible. This is typically higher than your normal deductible and could come into play should your home suffer hurricane-related damage from a storm that was officially declared a hurricane by the National Weather Service.
This is something to keep in mind, as it could result in you paying a higher portion of the damages your home suffered than you might initially think.
The Property Advocates, P.A. is a full-service Florida insurance law firm specializing in property insurance claims. With offices in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, The Property Advocates team consists of nearly 25 experienced attorneys with decades of combined experience who are compassionate, knowledgeable, and not afraid to go to trial for their clients. They have a successful track record of resolving complicated property insurance claims and getting their clients the fair compensation they deserve.