Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance covers some hurricane damage in Louisiana, but it may not cover everything. For this reason, you may want to review your insurance policies before hurricane season arrives so you can be prepared and know what to expect in case something happens.
Your coverage depends on how an insurance company writes an individual policy and whether the renter’s or homeowner’s policy covers all aspects of hurricane damage. Some policies require extra coverage for certain types of damage related to hurricanes.
An experienced Louisiana hurricane damage lawyer can review your insurance policy and evaluate your options, ensuring you understand the coverage you purchased.
Does Homeowner’s Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage in Louisiana?
Generally, a homeowner’s insurance policy will cover much of the damage caused by a hurricane. While there is no such thing as hurricane insurance, the insurance companies write policies that provide homeowners with coverage for some of the damage that hurricanes may cause.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), some damage homeowners may see from a hurricane includes:
- Wind damage to a roof
- Damage from falling trees
- Structural damage to the home from wind
- Flooded basements
- Water damage to walls
- Damage to electrical wiring in the home
Data from the Insurance Information Institute (III) reveals that in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, insurers collectively paid out approximately $16.4 billion to settle claims from a staggering million homeowners across impacted areas.
You can get tips for filing an insurance claim after a hurricane from a legal professional.
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ClientDoes Renter’s Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage in Louisiana?
A renter’s insurance policy has quite a few of the same considerations as a homeowner’s policy regarding paying claims after a hurricane. Renter’s insurance does not provide specific hurricane coverage, but it often protects the renter‘s possessions from damage associated with the hurricane.
Although most policies will cover the same basic items related to a hurricane, some have a few exclusions. Always check the specific language in your renter’s policy regarding potential hurricane damage and insurance deductibles.
Specific Types of Hurricane Damage Covered in a Renter’s Policy
Here are some weather events associated with a hurricane that may cause damage to your property in a rental home or apartment:
- Lightning that causes a fire
- Wind
- Hail
- Damage to a natural gas line that leads to an explosion
- Falling objects striking your personal property
- Water damage unrelated to flooding
If winds in a hurricane destroyed the roof of your rental property, rain could enter the apartment through the hole. This rain could cause water damage to your personal property, which renter’s insurance should cover.
You can learn more about a hurricane insurance claim and your options to get the funds you need to recover from a Louisiana insurance claims lawyer.
An attorney can also explain if homeowner’s or renter’s insurance will cover Louisiana hurricane damage. A lawyer can also advise you on what to do if your property was damaged in a hurricane.
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Rick Smith | ClientHurricane Damage Not Covered by Homeowner’s Insurance
Homeowner’s insurance policies may not cover all the losses you face after a catastrophic storm. Below are the types of items you may need extra insurance coverage for in a hurricane, especially in a high-risk area.
Flooding Damage
Standard homeowner’s insurance policies rarely cover flood damage, regardless of whether the flooding came from a hurricane or another type of tropical storm or natural disaster, such as storm surges.
Water damage from rain falling through a hole in the roof may be part of the insurance coverage, though. The differences between types of water damage can be a highly confusing aspect of homeowner’s insurance for property owners.
You almost certainly will need to purchase flood coverage separately and add it to your homeowner’s policy. Keep in mind that private flood insurance policies will also have coverage limits, just like standard homeowner policies.
Wind Damage
Hurricanes bring sustained, strong winds over long periods at high speeds. This wind can cause extensive damage to the home, especially the roof. Coverage for wind damage is nearly always part of a homeowner’s insurance policy.
However, in a hurricane-prone area like Louisiana, some homeowner’s policies may specifically exclude wind coverage for damage that occurs in conjunction with a hurricane.
In situations like this, homeowners may need to purchase additional coverage on top of their standard home insurance policy to cover windstorm damage from a hurricane, or face out-of-pocket expenses.
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ClientItems Your Renter’s Policy May Not Cover
Typically, a renter’s insurance policy will not have flood coverage. Should you suffer damage to your personal property related to a flood after a hurricane, you will not receive a payment.
Renters have the option of purchasing an add-on to their renter’s insurance policy to cover flooding related to hurricanes or other types of storms.
Renters may need to go through the National Flood Insurance Program from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to obtain flood insurance, as private insurers do not always offer flood coverage to renters, even outside of a standard policy.
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ClientYou May Face a Hurricane Deductible
Another item homeowners should watch for in an insurance policy related to hurricanes is a hurricane deductible. In states like Louisiana, which frequently experience hurricanes, insurance companies may offer homeowners a higher deductible for the covered peril caused by a hurricane.
This separate deductible would be higher than what the homeowner’s policy has for regular storm damage or other types of damage. Policies often enact the hurricane deductible as soon as authorities issue a hurricane warning for an area.
The Hurricane Resource Center can provide more information about this deductible.
Do You Have to Pay a Deductible for Every Hurricane?
Property owners should not have to pay a hurricane deductible for each separate hurricane. Instead, this extra cost should only apply to one named storm every year. Your attorney can provide more information about this deductible and how it applies to hurricane-related damage.
How to Work Through Policy Questions
It can be challenging to understand all the specific aspects of a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy related to hurricane damage. Insurance companies may take advantage of this confusion to try to limit the payouts they make.
The insurer may act in bad faith by withholding information from you about what it should cover. You may need help deciphering your policy. You can get help from a professional legal team that understands the language of homeowner’s insurance policies.
For example, a legal professional can explain if homeowner’s or renter’s insurance covers Louisiana hurricane damage.
Talk to Us About Your Hurricane Damage
So, does homeowner’s or renter’s insurance cover hurricane damage in Louisiana? In most cases, insurance policies cover some of the damage from the frequent storms in our area.
Damage from hurricanes and severe storms can be devastating. When filing an insurance claim for hurricane damage, you have the right to hire a Louisiana insurance claims lawyer. They can communicate with insurance agents and help if an insurance provider undervalues or denies your claim.
If you believe your insurer is not treating you fairly with your claim related to hurricane damage, consider hiring Laborde Earles to protect your interests.
Contact our team for a free consultation today. Our lawyers are ready to help you recover from property damage.
