Homeowners insurance after a hurricane
If your home has been damaged by a hurricane, your first step is to file a claim with your homeowners insurance company.
Start with our guide to what types of hurricane damage homeowners insurance covers so you will know what to expect.
If you have never filed a claim before, our overview of home insurance claims will be helpful. We’ve also put together a comprehensive guide to filing a homeowners insurance claim after a hurricane.
If you have been forced from your home due to a hurricane, find out how to use the additional living expenses (ALE) portion of your home insurance policy with our guide. ALE pays for a temporary place to live as well as other extra expenses you incur when you can’t live at home, like eating out.
In some parts of the country, windstorms may be covered by a separate policy. Here’s what you need to know about windstorm insurance coverage if that’s the case for you.
Due to the often widespread damage after a storm, it’s likely that claims will take some time to process. We have a guide on how long an insurance claim takes to process, but be aware that timelines after a disaster tend to be longer.
Flood insurance claims after a hurricane
With many hurricanes, there are storm surges as well as flash floods from heavy rainfall, mudslides and rivers overflowing their banks. Flood damage is covered by flood insurance, not homeowners insurance. Here’s a guide on how flood insurance works.
Some water damage, however, is covered by home insurance; our page on home insurance and water damage helps explain the difference.
Most flood insurance is issued by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), but you may have flood coverage through a private company. Either way, we have a guide to filing a flood insurance claim to get you through the process.
Car insurance claims after a hurricane
Hurricanes can carry cars away in flood waters and mudslides. Fallen trees and other debris also can damage vehicles. Regardless of the cause, car insurance does cover hurricane damage, as long as you have comprehensive coverage, which takes care of non-collision damage to your car. Read more about how comprehensive coverage works.
If your car is a total loss as a result of a hurricane, you’ll also want to take a look at our guide to total loss claims.
Getting help with insurance claims
The claims process after a hurricane can be long and confusing. We’ve gathered a few additional resources to help:
First, you may want to consider hiring a public adjuster who can work with the insurance company on your behalf; learn more about public adjusters to see if it’s right for you.
You have the right to negotiate your insurance claim settlement. We have tips for how to negotiate with a car insurance adjuster. We also have advice on what happens if your car is totaled and you owe more than it’s worth.
If you receive a claim denial or a settlement that is too low, we also have a guide to what you can do.
Remember that the claims process after a disaster is long. There are many claims and insurance companies will be working overtime to process them. To make things go smoothly, do everything you can to document damage and recovery efforts, and work with your adjuster to get through the process.
Helpful home insurance tools and calculators
