Is Hurricane Insurance the Same as Flood Insurance?

Is Hurricane Insurance the Same as Flood Insurance?

  • The Fee Is Free Unless You Win®.
  • America's Largest Injury Law Firm™
  • Protecting Families Since 1988
  • 20 Billion+ Won
  • 1,000+ Lawyers Nationwide

Free Case Evaluation

Tell us about your situation so we can get started fighting for you. We tailor each case to meet our clients' needs.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Our results speak for themselves

The attorneys featured above are licensed in Florida. For a full list of attorneys in your state please visit our attorney page.

Is Hurricane Insurance the Same as Flood Insurance?

In the aftermath of a serious accident, no homeowner wants to discover that they don’t have proper insurance coverage to deal with the damage. If lack of proper coverage is the case, this can come as both a shock and a serious financial setback. This is why it’s important to know what kind of insurance you’re buying, as well as what it does and doesn’t cover. 

In short, flood insurance and hurricane insurance are not necessarily the same thing. This means you need to read the fine print of your current policy or, better yet, call the insurance policy provider to get more info about what is and is not covered. A quick phone call can help you understand more, including whether or not you live in an area with any flood risk or with the possibility of a hurricane. 
When you get a homeowner's insurance quote, there are many different things to consider in that process. You want to make sure that you are purchasing the right kind of insurance coverage and that you have considered some of the most important aspects of potential water damage. 

Unfortunately, homeowner's insurance does not necessarily make this easy, leaving many people to ask the question, “Is hurricane insurance the same as flood insurance?” Trying to determine if hurricane insurance is the same as flood insurance is not easy, because in many cases, different types of water damage are not covered under traditional umbrella policies for homeowner's insurance. In most situations, a homeowner will have to separately invest in hurricane or flood insurance as a supplement to their existing homeowner's insurance policy. Unfortunately, too many people find this out after the fact, when they have already been subjected to hurricane or flood water damage. Their homeowner's insurance policy may reject their claim in good faith because it is not covered in that specific policy. 

But this is not always the case, which makes it even more important to be able to review whether or not hurricane insurance is the same as flood insurance. If you have already had damages associated with a hurricane insurance claim, it is very important to make sure that you keep on top of the insurance company to verify that they have handled all of the details in a timely manner. If you did indeed have coverage for hurricane damage or for flood damage and the insurance company is failing to keep you up to date or is wrongfully denying your claim, this is an action known as “bad faith.” You are eligible to pursue your own insurance company lawsuit against this company if they are wrongfully denying your claim. 

Scroll down for more
FAQ

Get answers to commonly asked questions about our legal services and learn how we may assist you with your case.

Morgan & Morgan

  • What Is the Difference Between Hurricane Insurance and Flood Insurance? 

    In general, hurricane insurance is for liability coverage in the event damage is done by the wind rather than flooding. It specifically has to do with storms associated with winds greater than 74 miles per hour, also known as a hurricane. Any wind damage under 74 miles per hour would likely be classified as a tropical storm and could still be covered under your homeowner's insurance. 

    Flood insurance, on the other hand, generally covers water that is coming into your home from off of your property. Determining how the damage occurred is extremely important for verifying whether or not it is covered by your policy. No one insurance company policy provides hurricane coverage. However, a renter's insurance policy or a homeowner's insurance policy may cover some hurricane damage depending on the extent of your policy and where you reside. 

    Unfortunately, flooding associated with hurricanes is regularly excluded from renter's insurance and homeowner's insurance, which means that you should consider a flood insurance policy if you are in a high-risk hurricane area and expect some potential damage from hurricanes. For people who live in hurricane-prone regions, such as parts of Louisiana, Texas, and Florida, homeowners typically have the possibility to supplement their coverage with what is known as windstorm insurance.

    Determining where and how to file a claim when you have hurricane damage associated with a storm can be overwhelming and confusing, and many people, who have extensive damage and are already beginning to experience problems with their insurance company, will work directly with an experienced property insurance lawyer to increase their chances of success. In case of hurricane damage to your property, you might have to open an insurance claim under one or more policies to get proper compensation.

  • When Is a Hurricane Covered?

    Perils are the items within your policy that explain what specific coverage you have for certain kinds of events. These are listed as covered or specifically excluded depending on the type of homeowner's insurance policy you have. Hurricanes are usually not called out by name as an excluded or a covered peril. However, the impacts of a hurricane in terms of damage, such as flooding and wind, might be. For flooding and water damage, homeowner's insurance typically covers some kinds of water damage but will exclude flooding or storm surges from a hurricane. This can be problematic if you have some aspects of your claim that are covered and others that are not. 

    For example, if a tree lands on your property and breaks open the roof, causing significant water damage to your carpet from the flooding due to that open roof, you may have grounds to pursue that claim under your homeowner's insurance. It's possible that your homeowner's insurance will cover the carpet damage, but it's a good idea to have extensive coverage in place if you live in a flooding or hurricane-prone area. When it comes to wind damage, most homeowner’s insurance policies have coverage supporting wind damage. However, if you live in a region that is prone to high levels of hurricanes, an excluded peril comment on these policies is wind coverage. You'll need to look at your home insurance declarations page to be sure whether or not this is covered. When it comes to evacuation and temporary relocation, these are other expenses that may be covered by your homeowner's insurance policy. 

    Homeowner's insurance usually won't cover your expenses if you have to evacuate your home due to a hurricane. However, if you come back and significant damage has affected your property, the separate living costs portion of your insurance policy will pay for incremental costs you incur while living in another place, such as a hotel. 

    One of the biggest problems as it relates to hurricanes and insurance coverage is that they can cause multiple types of damage at the same time. This makes it easier for an insurance company to argue that you experienced a non-covered peril. So, for example, your homeowner's insurance policy wouldn't cover damage done to your boat, RV, or car as a result of the damage from the hurricane, but the comprehensive part of your car insurance coverage might. This is why many people choose to partner with an experienced and knowledgeable insurance dispute lawyer because these can turn into serious disputes and conflicts with the insurance company very quickly. 

    Understanding Hurricane Deductibles

    If you live in a high hurricane risk area, you may have what is known as a hurricane deductible or a named storm deductible. These are deductibles that are higher than typical homeowner's insurance deductibles and are typically established as a set percentage of your dwelling coverage. There are 20 states in the U.S. that have hurricane deductibles; they are Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New York, New Jersey, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Louisiana, Hawaii, Georgia, Florida, the District of Columbia, Delaware, Connecticut, and Alabama. Certain triggers must occur in order for a named storm deductible to apply. 

    Exclusions of Wind Damage

    If you live in an area that is known for high hurricane risk, your homeowner's insurance policy may specifically call out wind damage as an exclusion, typically if it is linked to a hurricane. You may need to purchase a separate wind and hail or windstorm insurance policy to supplement your coverage. It may be bought as a separate policy from another provider or as an endorsement of your home insurance policy. If you are already having a problem with your insurance company as a result of these kinds of issues, make sure that you consult with an experienced insurance dispute lawyer as soon as possible.

  • Do I Need a Lawyer for a Claim?

    If you can prove that the insurance company has wrongfully delayed or denied your claim, you might use this as part of a bad faith lawsuit. You can hold the insurance company accountable and you might even be able to recover damages. Contact our hurricane damage lawyers today for more information with a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
     

Scroll down for more Load More

How it works

It's easy to get started.
The Fee Is Free Unless You Win®.

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

  • Step 1

    Submit
    your claim

    With a free case evaluation, submitting your case is easy with Morgan & Morgan.

  • Step 2

    We take
    action

    Our dedicated team gets to work investigating your claim.

  • Step 3

    We fight
    for you

    If we take on the case, our team fights to get you the results you deserve.

Settlement

$40,000,000

Customer Story

“I was in a difficult situation when I was injured by a faulty product. I was hesitant to seek legal help but with the help of Morgan & Morgan, they made the process easy. They took immediate action and got me the compensation I deserved. I couldn't have done it without them. I highly recommend their services.” Estate of Patricia Allen v. RJ Reynolds, et al. | 2014

Client success
stories that inspire and drive change

Explore over 55,000 5-star reviews and 800 client testimonials to discover why people trust Morgan & Morgan.

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances. Based on Select nationwide reviews

  • Video thumbnail for 5l3q2e67j8
    Wistia video play button
  • Video thumbnail for yfe952tcop
    Wistia video play button
  • Video thumbnail for z1bqwg9hkl
    Wistia video play button
  • Video thumbnail for s5nb3hnvkv
    Wistia video play button
  • Video thumbnail for t4elibxene
    Wistia video play button
  • Video thumbnail for 5nr9efxqj3
    Wistia video play button
  • Video thumbnail for e8s1x6u5jp
    Wistia video play button