Windstorm Insurance
Windstorm Insurance Information
Wind is harmful and deadly in certain situations. Even so, it’s often hard to secure your property against its damage threats. In the right circumstances, wind could destroy your house or belongings, and devastate your life. You’ll want your property insurance to step in to protect you in such cases.
Nevertheless, windstorm insurance isn’t automatic in many property policies. Make sure you add it to your coverage if you live in an area prone to high winds.
Certain storms bring a high wind that exceeds the classification of what your home insurance policy covers. In these instances, you must have additional coverage in place to protect yourself. Windstorm insurance can provide coverage for the damage caused by high wind events such as tornadoes, hurricanes and cyclones.
Windstorm insurance can cover both the outside buildings and main structure of your property, as well as the inside contents. Windstorm coverage may not be automatically provided for in a standard home insurance policy, but it can be added through a rider or endorsement. Some, such as individuals living in zones that are prone to catastrophic winds, may find that they need a separate policy for adequate windstorm coverage. Often, this coverage will also pay for the damages associated with hail.
Generally, if you live in an area that is susceptible to high-wind storms and your home insurance policy does not automatically cover the damages they could cause, you will want to add this protection. Remember that if a flood occurs as a result of the storm, the windstorm coverage will generally not cover the damages. Instead, you’d need to look to your flood insurance policy.
Windstorm coverage added as a rider to your home insurance policy will generally have a separate deductible from the rest of the hazards covered by the policy (for areas prone to hurricanes, this may be referred to as a hurricane deducible). This amount is generally represented as a percentage of the policy’s overall limit. In order to determine which deductible applies to an individual event, your insurer might rely on the National Weather Service’s classification of the recent storm that caused the damage to your property.
Common Windstorm Insurance Questions:
Wind happens all the time. Often, it’s a very pleasant refreshment. However, as windspeeds increase, damage risks also rise. Strong winds could easily damage your property. Think of it this way:
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Parts of your dwelling, like your roof and walls, are durable. Still, few of these items can withstand the highest winds. Following structural damage, your home or business could become structurally unsafe. That often makes occupancy untenable.
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When structural damage occurs, it could allow debris into the home, creating further damage. Water, pests and other vermin might all invade the space.
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Wind could create projectiles and falling objects, such as flying limbs. These items could damage your property and possessions when they fall. Therefore, damage risks arise not only within a structure itself, but also from the area around that property.
In all cases, any of the above damage could become costly. To mitigate the costs, you’ll want your property insurance to step in. However, to get the most from your coverage, you’ll likely need windstorm insurance.
Most property insurance policies will cover homes or businesses that sustain weather damage. In many cases, windstorm protection will fall under this umbrella. Therefore, should damage occur, turn to your property coverage as a first line of defense.
Keep in mind, however, that certain limitations might exist regarding your coverage.
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Some property policies don’t automatically include windstorm protection. Therefore, you might need to add a windstorm rider to your coverage.
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All property policies will come with financial limits and most will include deductibles. Work with your agent to establish appropriate value protection for your home.
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Carefully review what your policy defines as windstorm damage. Policies might cover damage from hurricanes, hail, tornadoes and more. However, they might not cover damage from storm surge or flooding, which often accompanies high winds.
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