Does homeowners insurance cover hurricane damage, or do you need additional coverage?

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• If a hurricane damages your house, it can cost upwards of $20,000 to repair without proper coverage.
• Homeowners insurance covers wind damage and some water damage, but not flooding.
• You need both flood insurance and homeowners insurance to cover hurricane damage.
• See Insider's picks for the best homeowners insurance companies.

Homeowners insurance protects the dwelling, your personal belongings, and offers personal liability coverage for injuries that happen on your property. However, homeowners insurance alone isn't enough to cover hurricane damage because flooding is not covered under homeowners insurance. Flood insurance by itself doesn't offer enough protection, either.

To fully protect your home from hurricane damage, homeowners and flood insurance are recommended. If you live in hurricane-prone areas, you may be required to have an additional windstorm rider to your homeowners insurance.

How is flood insurance different from homeowners insurance?

Homeowners insurance covers the property from damage, referred to as insurance perils. A peril is an event that may damage your home or belongings. Common insurance perils include fire, lightning, theft, ice, snow, sleet, smoke, vandalism, and freezing.

*Available as add-on coverage if not part of policy

**Flood insurance is available through the NFIP and approved insurers

***If you live in hurricane or tornado areas, additional windstorm rider may be required

Floods, earthquakes, government seizures, mudslides, ordinance updates, sewer backups, and sinkholes are perils that will not be covered by homeowners insurance, according to Hippo Insurance. Those will require add-on coverage using a rider policy.

The majority of homeowners who experienced flooding in 2020 did not live in flood zones and were not covered under their homeowners insurance. According to FEMA, 30% of all flood damage claims happen in low to moderate-risk zones, where flood insurance is not required.

"Flooding is one of the most common and costly natural disasters in the US, and given we are in the midst of an above-average hurricane season, consumers need to ensure that they will not be left exposed if their homes are hit hard by a storm," said Ralph Blust, CEO of the National Flood Services. NFS administers flood insurance on behalf of FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Homeowners who live outside of high-risk flood zones and do not have flood insurance will pay for damage out of pocket because flood damage isn't covered under homeowners insurance. According to Blust, one inch of flood damage alone can cost a household up to $20,000.

What is hurricane insurance?

Hurricane insurance refers to the coverage necessary to cover hurricane damage. Damage from a hurricane is typically caused by winds and flooding. Damage to your home from winds is usually covered under your homeowners insurance as an insurance peril. However, if you live in hurricane zones or coastal areas, you may be required to get an additional rider for high-coverage windstorm damage.

Homeowners insurance usually covers water damage to your home, but there are exceptions like flooding. Water damage due to flooding is not covered under homeowners insurance and requires separate flood insurance coverage.

If you live in a high-risk flood zone, you're required to purchase flood insurance. However, due to climate and weather changes, we're seeing more storms and damage happening outside target flood areas.

Proper hurricane insurance requires a combination of homeowners and flood insurance. If you live in certain states, it could include additional coverage for windstorm damage.

How much does hurricane coverage cost?

To properly protect your home from hurricane damage, it's recommended that you purchase both homeowners insurance and flood insurance. Your state may also require an additional windstorm rider to your homeowners insurance if you live in a hurricane zone.

The average annual homeowners insurance premium in the United States in 2017 was $1,211, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Flood insurance will be in addition to your homeowners insurance policy. Blust said the average flood premium is around $830 annually. Together, this is $2,041.

If you live in an area that requires windstorm riders, it will be an additional cost on top of homeowners and flood insurance and varies geographically.

Tips to prepare your home in the event of a hurricane

Hippo Insurance's Wilson recommends taking the following steps:

1. Review your homeowners insurance annually with your carrier to make sure you have proper coverage for your region.
2. Have an evacuation plan on where to meet and what time ahead of a disaster and communicate that with family members.
3. Have a small bag with medication, flashlight, and batteries for three days.
4. Have temporary repair equipment available like a tarp.
5. Contact your homeowners insurance carrier if a hurricane announcement is declared.
6. In between hurricane season, prevent damage by doing home maintenance looking for weak points - under sinks, gutters, shingles, debris around the foundation - and signs of wear and tear.

What to do if you experience hurricane damage

After experiencing a disaster, Wilson recommends staying in touch with your homeowners insurance company to let them know what's going on at your home and take the following steps when submitting insurance claims:

1. Contact the insurance carrier to file a claim in a timely manner. For homeowners, your carrier may provide a list of contractors and offer advice on do-it-yourself tips to prevent further damage. If you're a renter, you should also inform your landlord or property management company.
2. Take pictures of the damage before disposal and cleanup.
3. Beware of price-gouging contractors and door-to-door scammers. Ask contractors for their license and insurance credentials to avoid fraud. If you're a renter, your landlord is responsible for the building and structure.
4. Prevent further damage to your property.
5. Don't do something you're not comfortable with/that doesn't look safe. Homeowners insurance has a condition to prevent further loss. Focus on a temporary fix instead of something long-term so insurance can properly access a permanent fix by a professional.