Some private insurance companies offer separate windstorm, or “wind and hail,” insurance policies. In some states where no private windstorm insurance is available, the state has created a high-risk insurance pool to provide wind and hail coverage to residents living in specifically designated high-risk areas. States offering state-sponsored windstorm insurance pools are:

• Alabama
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Texas

If you have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, first check your policy to learn what wind-related damage is covered under your policy. If you have a “named perils” policy it will list the specific circumstances under which you are provided coverage – i.e. fire, windstorm, hail, etc. If you have an “all risks” policy then you are covered under any peril EXCEPT for perils specifically excluded in the policy. If you have any questions or it is not clear to you when reading the policy what it covers, contact your insurance agent. His/her name and contact information should be on your policy.

If your insurance company excludes wind damage from your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, you may first want to contact your agent to ask if they offer separate windstorm insurance. If they don’t, ask if another company operating in your state does. If you are unable to find private windstorm insurance in your state, you might want to look into purchasing windstorm coverage from your state-sponsored windstorm insurance pool if your state provides it.

If you have homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, first check your policy to learn what wind-related damage is covered under your policy. If you have a “named perils” policy it will list the specific circumstances under which you are provided coverage – i.e. fire, windstorm, hail, etc. If you have an “all risks” policy then you are covered under any peril EXCEPT for perils specifically excluded in the policy. If you have any questions or it is not clear to you when reading the policy what it covers, contact your insurance agent. His/her name and contact information should be on your policy.

If your insurance company excludes wind damage from your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, you may first want to contact your agent to ask if they offer separate windstorm insurance. If they don’t, ask if another company operating in your state does. If you are unable to find private windstorm insurance in your state, you might want to look into purchasing windstorm coverage from your state-sponsored windstorm insurance pool if your state provides it.

You will need to pay an annual premium for windstorm insurance coverage, and a deductible when you file a claim to help pay for home damage repair following a windstorm. The deductible for windstorm insurance can either be a flat fee or a percentage of the value of your home, typically anywhere between 1 and 15 percent of the value of your home. So, for example, if your home is appraised, or valued, for $150,000 and you have a 2 percent deductible policy, you will have to pay the first $3,000 in damage-related expenses before your insurance company will pay on a claim.

If your homeowner’s or renter’s policy DOES provide coverage for wind-related damage, ask if there is a separate deductible to meet if you file a claim related to a windstorm. Ninety percent of all private homeowner’s insurance companies require policyholders to pay a separate deductible from their homeowner’s deductible for expenses caused by wind.