Is Hurricane Damage Covered by Flood Insurance?

Jackie Nelson
Jackie Nelson
Feature Writer

Since there’s no such thing as an overarching hurricane insurance policy, the fallout from hurricanes is covered in a few different ways. Some damage will probably be covered by your homeowners insurance policy, and some may even be covered by a home warranty, but the main coverage for hurricane-related water damage will come from flood insurance.

Who covers what damage?

In our experience, there are specific scenarios that will be covered by each policy, and different coverages will have their own pros, cons, and weird exclusions. For example, if hurricane hail accumulates on your roof and causes leaks or a full collapse, your homeowners insurance policy may cover it. On the other hand, if damage to the roof was caused by wind and heavy rainfall, ripping it from your home’s foundation, you’d typically have to file a claim with your flood insurance provider instead.

To break it down, we made a handy graphic to help you navigate what coverage you need and, in the event of damage, which provider you’ll need to contact to file a claim.

Do I need flood insurance?

The great debate among homeowners – do you need flood insurance? It’s best to do a risk analysis of your home with your insurance agent to estimate the likelihood of flood damage to your home. Things like your exact location and the condition of your home will impact the need for additional insurance. There are certain areas where flood insurance is definitely recommended, and others where it is commonly a requirement from mortgage lenders. Check this graph to understand how necessary flood insurance may be for your home.