Which Types of Storm Damage Are — and Aren’t — Covered by your Homeowners Insurance

A key benefit of homeowners insurance is that it reimburses you for damage and other financial setbacks resulting from inclement weather. But it’s important to understand that not all weather-related perils are covered under a standard insurance policy.

That knowledge is especially vital now that “human-caused climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of certain types of extreme weather,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Weather-related threats that are on the rise include wildfires, hurricanes and flooding from heavy rain.

Even though most of these potential property perils are covered under standard homeowners policies, there can be limits to that coverage. The distinctions to understand include how insurers consider damage from rain downpours that enter the home directly, compared with those from water that contacts the ground before reaching the property.

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Worsening weather, rising costs

Despite climate change, insurance policies for most homes cover much the same weather-related perils now as they ever did. Damages from high winds, rain, hail, and lightning are typically covered, as are those from wildfires.

That said, there are exceptions. As detailed later in this story, these include the critical distinction between damage from rain and that from flooding, along with differing coverage of extreme weather impacts in certain vulnerable areas. And homeowners in the riskiest areas for and wildfire damage may need to pay for additional coverage or a higher deductible. (Claims from wildfire damage may also be capped in value.)

The cost of homeowners coverage has been rising overall – by an average of 24% a year from 2021 to 2024, according to the Consumer Federation of America. Rates surged by higher percentages in the states where weather-related damage has been greatest – notably, California and Florida. Homeowners in those states are also coping with a narrowing choice of insurers, especially in their highest-risk areas for weather damage.

Here’s what you need to know, especially if you live in an area that experiences a rising incidence of extreme weather.

Extreme wind coverage can vary

Damage from high winds is generally covered in a homeowners insurance policy, though with a few possible caveats.

First; if winds reach a certain hurricane strength, your policy’s deductible may be raised from a dollar amount to a percentage of your total coverage, such as 3% – which is often a higher sum.

Also, if you live in an area that gets a lot of hurricanes, wind damage coverage in these high-risk areas may not be covered by your regular policy. You may need to buy an additional wind-only policy.

Floods require a separate policy

Homeowners insurance policies make a critical distinction between water damage, which they typically cover, and damage from flooding, which they generally do not.

You can claim for water damage from rain that struck or entered your property directly from the sky. You’re usually covered, then, for a roof damaged in a severe rainstorm, and for damage to the home’s interior from rain that enters the home through gaps the storm created in the roof.

However, if water contacts the ground before it reaches your property, any damages will not be covered under your homeowners policy. So if torrential rains swell a river near you and the first floor of your home is flooded, you can’t claim for the cost of putting your property right.

Similarly, you won’t be covered under your home insurance if runoff combines with soil and other elements to trigger a mudslide or landslide.

Rather, protection from flooding requires a separate flood insurance policy, which you can buy through the federal National Flood Insurance Program. You can also buy flood insurance from select private insurers, which may offer higher coverage limits than NFIP.

Also out of scope under a regular home policy is damage caused if floodwater surges into your home through drains and causes a sewage backup. (You may need to add a water backup coverage to your policy to be protected.)

Your own negligence isn’t covered

Homeowners insurance makes another important distinction regarding the condition of your property when bad weather strikes. You could have claims partly, or even fully, denied if you’ve neglected maintenance to your home.

Take the scenario of a roof damaged in a tropical storm through which water has leaked, causing damage to the home’s interior. If the insurance adjuster determines the roof was well past the age at which it should have been repaired or replaced, or long had a known leak, they could cover less than the full cost of replacing the roof and repairing the interior damage.

Similarly, you’re expected to dry out a rainsoaked home sufficiently, so that further damage is avoided. If areas are left wet, and wood rots or mold grows, insurers will consider these problems to result from homeowner neglect, and out of scope for reimbursement.

Do an annual insurance checkup

Knowing what typically is and isn’t within scope of your homeowners insurance is an excellent foundation for knowing the policies and coverages you need to protect your home. But both risks and your policies can change over time. That means you can’t ignore your coverage, year in and year out.

Climate change is altering the maps that designate the flood threats for particular areas, with homes that have rarely if ever suffered flooding now deemed to be vulnerable to it. The maps FEMA uses have been largely updated in recent years to reflect the changing risk, though not all have yet been brought up to date.

In these cases and more, you need to stay aware of how changing weather patterns may require changes to your homeowners insurance or the need to add supplementary coverage like flood insurance. In certain high-risk states such as California, you may also need to seek a new insurer, as some companies have withdrawn from the state and canceled even some existing policies.

Those realities – and the possible continuing rise in homeowners insurance premiums – make it smart to annually review the insurance coverage for your home. At the very least, reach out to your current insurer on or around a certain date every year and discuss whether you may need to change or supplement your coverage, to increase protection or reduce costs.

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