Windstorm Insurance

Windstorm and Hurricane Insurance covers damage to a building caused by high wind—including hurricanes and other severe windstorms—and rain that enters after the wind creates an opening, such as a failed roof, broken window, or damaged exterior. It is usually part of a property or homeowners policy rather than a stand-alone product, but it often has its own deductible. In hurricane-prone areas that deductible is frequently a percentage of the building limit (for example 2%, 5%, or 10%) instead of a small flat amount, so the out-of-pocket cost after a major storm can be substantial. The deductible typically applies only when a storm meets the policy’s definition of a hurricane or named storm, not every time it is windy.

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This coverage does not include flood or storm surge. Water that rises from the ground, a bay, or a storm surge is a flood loss and requires a separate flood policy. Owners should also confirm how the policy treats additional living expense or business interruption, ordinance-or-law (code-upgrade) costs, and whether wind can be excluded or written on a separate wind-only form. Roof condition, opening protection, and construction type all affect eligibility and price. The goal is a program in which wind, other property perils, and flood fit together so a hurricane does not leave an uninsured gap between what the wind policy pays and what the flood policy covers.