Hurricane Damage Insurance Claims: What Homeowners Should Know

Hurricanes create some of the most complicated insurance claims homeowners will ever experience. Unlike most storms, hurricanes often cause multiple types of damage at the same time.

A single hurricane may produce:

• extreme winds
• wind-driven rain
• falling trees and debris
• electrical damage
• storm surge flooding

Because several types of damage may occur at once, hurricane claims often involve more than one insurance policy.

Damage caused by wind is usually handled under the homeowner insurance policy, while flood damage is handled separately through flood insurance programs.

Understanding how these different types of damage are evaluated is one of the most important parts of a storm damage insurance claim after a hurricane.

Wind Damage During Hurricanes

The majority of structural damage during hurricanes is caused by wind.

Hurricane winds can:

• tear shingles or roofing materials from the home
• damage siding and exterior walls
• break windows and doors
• cause trees to fall onto structures
• create openings that allow rain to enter the home

When wind creates an opening in the structure and rain enters the home, that damage is usually handled as part of a wind damage insurance claim under the homeowner policy.

These claims often include both the exterior damage and interior damage caused by rain entering through the storm-created opening.

Hurricane Deductibles and Percentage Policies

One of the biggest surprises homeowners face after hurricanes involves hurricane deductibles.

In many hurricane-prone areas, homeowner policies include percentage-based deductibles rather than fixed dollar deductibles.

For example:

• 1% hurricane deductible
• 2% hurricane deductible
• 5% hurricane deductible

Instead of paying a flat deductible like $1,000, the deductible is calculated as a percentage of the home’s insured value.

For example, if a home is insured for $400,000 and the hurricane deductible is 2%, the homeowner would be responsible for $8,000 before insurance coverage begins.

These deductibles typically apply when a storm is officially classified as a hurricane by weather authorities.

Flood Damage During Hurricanes

Flood damage during hurricanes is handled very differently than wind damage.

When water enters a home from outside due to rising water levels or storm surge, the damage is usually classified as flood damage.

Flood losses are typically handled under policies issued through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or through private flood insurers.

Because flood insurance is separate from homeowner insurance, hurricane claims often involve two different policies handling different portions of the damage.

For a full explanation of how flood claims work, see flood damage insurance claims.

How Flood Claims Are Handled Differently

Flood insurance operates under a different system than homeowner policies.

Flood claims typically focus on removing damaged materials and restoring the structure after floodwaters enter the home.

In many situations, flood damage is handled through:

• removal of damaged building materials
• tear-out of affected structural components
• structural drying

Flood policies may also have different rules regarding basement areas and certain building materials.

Because of these differences, flood damage claims are handled very differently than typical water damage insurance claims under a homeowner policy.

How Insurance Companies Separate Wind and Flood Damage

After hurricanes, insurance companies often examine properties carefully to determine which damage was caused by wind and which damage was caused by flooding.

One of the most common indicators used during inspections is the water line, sometimes referred to as the high-water mark inside the structure.

This water line helps investigators determine where floodwaters reached and which areas of the home were affected by rising water.

Damage above that level may sometimes be associated with wind-related damage, while damage below the water line is usually associated with flooding.

Because hurricanes produce multiple types of damage, determining the cause of loss becomes an important part of the claim process.

Why Hurricane Claims Are Often Complex

Hurricane damage claims often involve multiple inspections and contractors.

Homeowners may work with:

• homeowner insurance adjusters
• flood insurance adjusters
• structural contractors
• electricians
• remediation companies

Because different policies may apply to different portions of the damage, hurricane claims often take longer to resolve than other storm damage claims.

Real Life Example

After a hurricane passed through a coastal community, strong winds damaged several roofs while rising storm surge flooded lower levels of nearby homes.

Insurance inspectors evaluated the damage to determine which losses were caused by wind and which resulted from flooding.

Learn More at ClaimHelpMe.com

This page explains the basics of how this type of insurance claim works.

However, inside ClaimHelpMe.com, homeowners can access real repair estimates, detailed examples, and step-by-step explanations showing how claims are documented, evaluated, and presented to insurance carriers.

The free content explains the fundamentals. The ClaimHelpMe platform shows how the process actually works.

Explore more homeowner insurance claim guides in our Claim Guides section.

About the Author

Mark Grossman is a Licensed Public Adjuster and NASCLA Certified Contractor with 28 years in the restoration insurance industry and 35 years in construction.

Learn more → Mark Grossman