Flood insurance generally covers water that enters your home from outside your property. Hurricane insurance is for damage caused by wind, not by floods, by a storm of more than 74 mph, that is, a hurricane. Damage caused by a flood from a hurricane will not be covered by your home insurance policy. Instead, you'll need a separate flood insurance policy to cover water and storm surges caused by natural disasters.
If you live in a region that is at risk of floods and hurricanes, you may already need to maintain flood insurance as the term of your mortgage. However, it's still a good idea to consider coverage if you live in a floodplain, even if it hasn't been divided into zones such as high-risk. Despite having windstorm insurance, policyholders may not yet be fully insured for the full extent of the damage caused by the hurricane. This is where flood insurance comes into play.
As with storm insurance, flood damage is generally not covered by standard commercial property policies. Instead, to cover flood damage, policyholders must purchase flood insurance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)'s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or the private market. Your flood insurance policy only covers physical damage caused directly by a flood. Other policies, such as policies for homeowners, do not cover water damage caused by floods, but may cover damage caused by other hazards, such as rain or fire caused by wind.
If a river overflows or rain causes a flash flood to enter your home, this is considered a direct result of a flood and is likely covered by your flood insurance policy. In the event of damage caused by a hurricane, you may have to file a claim under one or all of these policies to receive appropriate compensation. Both flood and property insurance policies don't cover mold damage if the policyholder doesn't take steps to prevent mold growth and spread. Damage to these vehicles would be covered by the integral part of an auto, recreational vehicle, or boat insurance policy with full coverage.
It's understandable that many people assume that their insurance policy covers all damage caused by a hurricane. Similarly, homeowners insurance policies usually don't cover sewer backup, and those who want this type of insurance coverage should purchase it separately. Fortunately, car insurance covers damage caused by the hurricane, as long as you have comprehensive coverage. If you've already suffered damage related to a hurricane insurance claim, it's very important to make sure you're aware of the insurance company to verify that they've handled all the details in a timely manner.
Taking photos of your property before and after a hurricane can be used as solid evidence of damage caused by the hurricane. If you already have a problem with your insurance company as a result of these types of problems, be sure to consult with an experienced insurance dispute lawyer as soon as possible. When this happens, policyholders should consult with an attorney experienced in hurricane insurance coverage. Your home insurance policy may deny your claim in good faith because it's not covered by that specific policy.
In other words, people need a separate flood insurance policy to cover flood damage, since standard hurricane coverage is often not sufficient. When it comes to wind damage, most homeowners insurance policies have coverage to cover the damage.
