After the events surrounding hurricane Katrina in the 2005 hurricane season many people in coastal areas are asking themselves if they need to purchase hurricane insurance. If you are asking yourself this question, you probably do. There actually isn't an insurance policy designed to cover hurricane damage. Most homeowners are cover by their home insurance policy for wind damage and wind driven rain damage. Most of the damage that resulted from hurricane Katrina was resulted from flood damage. Flood damage is not covered under your standard homeowner's insurance policy. Flood insurance has been offered by the federal government since 1968 through FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). Most insurance companies in coastal areas will package flood insurance in with their homeowner's insurance policies.
During hurricane Katrina up to 80% of the coastal cities in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi were flooded. Thousands of homes were destroyed completely. If you live in a coastal area I would recommend looking into flood insurance for your home. The most costly and deadly hurricanes have always been associated with large storm surges. In most areas a call to an insurance company will give you the chance to get informed about the costs associated with flood insurance. The worst case scenario of a outright flood makes it well worth it to become informed about whether or not you are at risk.
Between homeowners insurance and flood insurance the damages to your home caused by a hurricane and the associated storm surge will be covered. The insurance company will access the damage and assign the charges for the damage to your home. It is important to keep your insurance records somewhere safe during a storm and make sure to keep them waterproof. Also make sure to take pictures as soon as you can of the damage. Your insurance company will need them once you file your claim. The more information you can provide your insurance company the faster your claim can be settled and you can get your life back.
