Homeowner’s Insurance Does Not Cover Flooding.
Damage caused by wind, wind-driven rain, and water that comes into your home through the roof, windows, doors, and holes in the walls is covered by homeowners insurance.
Damage from water that rises from the bottom up, for example, from the overflow of a body of water or a storm surge—is not covered.
Damage from flooding is only covered if you have flood insurance. You can purchase flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program or a private flood insurer. Even if you don’t have flood insurance, it’s still worthwhile to contact Coastal Claims to review your policy and damage to review your insurance policy for claims related to wind damage.
Also, see Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Wind Damage vs. Flood Damage fact sheet for information.
Insurance Companies don’t sell hurricane insurance policies.
You will rely on your homeowner’s policy to get adequate coverage. Most homeowner’s policies cover:
- Your dwelling (the structure of the home)
- Detached structures (shed or detached garage)
- Personal property (your belongings)
- Living expenses if you are displaced due to storm damage
Let’s look at each of these individually:
Dwelling
Dwelling coverage covers the structure of your home, your roof, and attached structures, along with built-in appliances such as your water heater, kitchen cabinets, plumbing fixtures, etc. You generally buy this coverage to equal what it would cost to rebuild your home.
Other structures
Other structures coverage pays to repair or replace detached structures on your property, including garages, sheds, barns, gazebos, and more. This coverage is based on a percentage, generally 10%, of your dwelling coverage limits. So, if you have $400,000 in dwelling coverage, you may have up to $40,000 in coverage for detached units.
Personal property
Personal property insurance covers items like clothing, furniture, and appliances not built into the structure. According to the Insurance Information Institute, many insurers provide personal property coverage of 50% to 70% of your home’s insured value. The limit for personal property coverage is also a percentage of your dwelling coverage limit.
Additional living expenses
Homeowners insurance helps pay for living expenses if you are displaced after a covered loss, like a hurricane. Your policy may reimburse you for the cost of hotel and food expenses while your home is being repaired. The coverage limit for additional living expenses is sometimes a default amount set by the insurance company; you may have the option to increase the limits for more protection.
Using these guidelines, take a look at your homeowner’s insurance policy. If you would like a professional public adjuster to review your insurance policy at no cost to you, call Coastal Claims at 1-844-2File-Now.
Coastal Claims Services works for the insured, not the insurance company, and offers residential and commercial services in multiple states. We have licensed property loss specialists and can help you get the best results from your claim. Our professional public adjusters will be by your side throughout every step of the claims process.
This blog is not intended to be professional advice, and all services are not available in every state. We follow all state guidelines. Contact Coastal Claims for more information on our services: 1-844-2File-Now.