Individual hardships after a hurricane can come in many different forms, and no one can account for all of the possible variables that might influence a specific situation. On the other hand, however, a few types of problems are predictably common in the wake of a natural disaster and lead to broadly similar questions arising from shared concerns. As individuals and families impacted by a massive storm begin the process of clearing away the debris after a hurricane and preparing to make repairs to homes and businesses and rebuild their lives, there are a few key questions that come up again and again. Many of these questions may relate to legal considerations, particularly when they involve the specifics of insurance policies and claim denials that are unfortunately common after major disasters. Our free guide may serve as a useful starting point, but residents of North Carolina or South Carolina can call 888-748-KING to request a free consultation with one of the experienced attorneys at King Law Offices.
What Kind of Documentation Do I Need To File a Hurricane Claim?
Insurance companies commonly require some form of documentation before they will process a claim. The type of documentation needed can depend on a number of factors, including the type of damage, insurance, and claim – the documentation a health insurance company would request before covering the cost of prescription medicine is likely to be quite different from the type of evidence an auto insurance provider would want to see after a crash.
Before and After Photos
Generally speaking, the majority of insurance claims filed after hurricanes are likely to be for various forms of property damage, although several factors can also lead to an increase in claims for medical care coverage in the aftermath of a natural disaster. The specifics will depend on the type of property damage involved and the procedural rules of the insurance provider, but in most cases, homeowners and others filing claims for property damage can expect to be asked for “before and after” photographs that illustrate what the property in question looked like before and after the hurricane.
One challenge many individuals face after a hurricane is finding clear photos that demonstrate the extent of the damage. Finding photos that are recent enough to show that the damage did not exist prior to the storm can be especially frustrating, so in some cases, it may be necessary to compile a folder that contains multiple photos that give partial or indirect views of the property before the damage. The timestamps that often accompany contemporary digital photos (for instance, photographs captured by mobile phones) can sometimes be helpful in showing when specific photos were taken. An attorney with King Law Offices may be able to help you determine the forms of documentation that may be appropriate in your situation.
Clear and Comprehensive Estimates
An insurance company will typically send an adjuster out to review the damage after receiving an initial claim. The adjuster will probably take photographs of their own, and estimate a projected total for the cost of repairs.
In some instances, individuals may need to provide their own estimates for these costs, particularly if the quotes they receive from local contractors differ significantly from the adjuster’s initial estimate. If you find yourself in a dispute over estimated repair costs, collecting written quotes from multiple sources can often be helpful in demonstrating to the insurance company the insufficiency of their proposed payment.
Does Car Insurance Cover a Hurricane?
Auto damage is extremely common after a hurricane. Personal vehicles may be struck by debris blown by hurricane-force winds, or submerged by flooding caused by storm surge or the heavy rainfall that can fall many miles beyond the eye of the storm.
Liability
The terms of your specific auto insurance policy will obviously be important in determining your total coverage eligibility, but as a general rule liability auto insurance does not cover damage to the policyholder’s own vehicle caused by a storm. This type of insurance may, however, cover a driver’s personal liability for damage caused to someone else’s property due to driving mistakes made during a severe weather event.
Collision
Collision coverage often will not cover damage caused directly by a storm, but you may want to make a careful review of your policy documents before giving up on this type of claim. Some collision policies do offer coverage for a variety of types of accidental damage, and coverage eligibility under a collision policy may not always be determined by cause.
Comprehensive
The type of car insurance most likely to cover personal vehicle hurricane damage is a comprehensive coverage policy. These policies cover not only liability and car accident repairs but a variety of other contingencies, as well. As in many other situations, you will likely want to check your own policy documents to be sure of what is and is not a covered event, as well as the total amount of coverage available.
Does Homeowners’ Insurance Cover Hurricanes?
Hurricanes can cause property damage in many different ways, from the tornadoes they often set off along a storm’s leading edge to the sometimes life-threatening inundations of a storm surge. As many families unfortunately discover after a hurricane has passed, it is very common for homeowners’ insurance to cover some types of hurricane damage and exclude others. In addition to the potentially crippling cost of rebuilding a home with limited insurance coverage, navigating the “hopscotch” path of inclusions and exclusions can impose a tremendous burden of stress on households already devastated by their losses during the storm.
Homeowners’ Insurance Flood Damage
According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), most standard homeowners’ insurance policies do not typically cover water damage caused by flooding. Most flood insurance, instead, needs to be purchased as a separate policy, which can be bad news for the 96% of United States homeowners the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates to be without flood insurance. Families living in designated flood plains or other “high-risk” areas may be more likely to carry flood insurance, especially if their home is under mortgage, as banks and other financial institutions in these areas commonly require flood coverage as a condition for approving home loans.
Water Damage Not Caused by Flooding
Not all hurricane-related water damage is caused by flooding, and the cause of water damage can sometimes make all the difference in whether the repairs are, or are not, covered under a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. III explains that sewer damage, like flood damage, is typically excluded from standard homeowners’ insurance – but other forms of water damage may qualify for a claim, particularly when the water damage occurs as a direct result of a covered event. One of the most common scenarios in this category may be water damage that occurs when rain enters via leaks caused by wind damage to the home’s roof or walls. Many homeowners’ insurance policies do cover damages caused by storm winds, and depending on the policy this coverage may extend to secondary damage that results from the initial qualifying event.
What Is a Named Storm Deductible?
Another common problem many homeowners face after a hurricane is the shock of an unexpectedly high deductible. Specifics vary from policy to policy and of course from one insurance company to another, but named storm deductibles are part of the insurance industry’s regulatory framework in many states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
Named Storm Deductible vs. Exclusion
Named storm deductibles are different from exclusions in that they do not represent outright denials of homeowners’ insurance claims after a hurricane or tropical storm. Instead, named storm deductibles increase the deductible – the amount a homeowner must pay before their insurance policy will begin to pay toward the remaining total. Most insurance policies of any kind do include specifications for deductibles, with amounts varying widely by insurance type and the scope of the policy (generally speaking, higher premiums tend to be associated with lower deductibles, and vice versa).
Named Storm Deductible Amounts
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explains that once a tropical cyclone’s winds reach a speed of at least 39 miles per hour, the cyclone is classified as a tropical storm and assigned a name by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for purposes of facilitating clarity and rapidity in communication about developing storms. A named storm deductible means that the amount a homeowner will be required to pay out of pocket for damage caused by one of these “named” storms (such as Hurricane Helene in 2024) will be greater than the amount the homeowner would be required to pay for repairs needed after a severe weather event that was not assigned a name. Named storm deductibles may be assessed either as total deductible limits, or as percentages of the value of the property, depending on the terms of the policy.
Named Storm Deductible Estimates
Because named storm deductibles can sometimes dramatically increase a homeowner’s expected contribution to total repair costs, it can be more important than usual to get contractor estimates after a hurricane. If the named storm deductible specified by your homeowner’s insurance policy is at or near the total estimated cost of repairs, it may make more sense to pay out of pocket or find an alternate way to fund some or all of the repair costs, than to file a claim that will increase your policy usage history without significantly decreasing the financial burden of hurricane repairs.
Where Can I Get More Information?
The III, the NAIC, FEMA, the United States government, and the American Red Cross provide a variety of tools and resources that business owners, families, and individuals may find helpful as they begin the process of rebuilding after a hurricane. Once initial damage assessments are completed, however, more detailed questions may arise – particularly in the sometimes confusing territory of hurricane-related insurance claims. Residents of North Carolina and our local communities in upstate South Carolina can reach out to the experienced attorneys with King Law Offices to schedule individual consultations to discuss concerns specific to each unique situation. Call 888-748-KING today to be connected with a member of our team near you.