Does My NC Home Insurance Policy Cover Water, Wind and Hail Damage?

Posted on by agentinsure

Although inland, Charlotte and the larger Mecklenburg county are still affected by the strong thunderstorms and tornadoes spawned by Atlantic hurricanes. North Carolina home owner’s policies cover some common damage types from hurricanes and tropical storms, but not all. 

Water

Your home owner’s policy covers some water damage. It depends on how it occurs. These two examples illustrate the difference:

– If high winds tear a hole into your roof and water enters through it, a standard home owner’s policy covers the damage.
– If rising water from rain enters the home via seepage, only a flood insurance policy covers the damage.

Wind

In North Carolina, a standard home owner’s policy covers wind damage. Residents who have moved from Florida or coastal Texas can rejoice that they are no longer required to carry a separate wind insurance policy. If you own a home on a barrier island or the coast of NC, you may want to increase coverage.

Hail

Every year, hail causes about $1 billion in property and crop damage, states the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Despite its annual damages, in North Carolina, hail is covered by a standard home owner’s policy due to its unpredictable nature. Whether pea-sized or softball-sized hail hits your roof, it can cause damage. That ice pellet, after all, just did a more than 30,000 feet free fall at 70 miles per hour. 

Storm Ready

While you can add items like storm proof windows, storm doors, and a storm shelter to your home, you may still take on damage. Know what you can afford to spend on repairs. That should be the deciding factor for your deductible. Your deductible is the amount you must spend out-of-pocket on repairs before your policy’s coverage pays for anything. As one insurance expert explained, if your deductible is $1,000, but you don’t have that amount on hand in the bank, your deductible needs to be less.

Come by Jim Boyce Insurance of Charlotte, NC to review your home owner’s insurance coverage. We’ll help you make sure you can comfortably weather the east coast storm season.