One of the greatest threats to a homeowner is a violent act of nature. Even if you don't live in Tornado Alley, your home can still get struck by a tornado or severe windstorm that causes a ton of damage. That's why it's critical to know if and when your homeowners insurance covers tornado damage.
Luckily, an independent insurance agent can help you find the right homeowners insurance policy. They'll get you covered long before it's time to file a claim for tornado damage or anything else. But for starters, here's a breakdown of when and how home insurance covers tornado damage.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tornado Damage?
In many cases, yes, homeowners insurance covers tornado damage. Wind damage is a covered peril under standard homeowners policies. Fortunately, lightning and hail are also covered by standard home insurance, which is equally important since tornadoes are produced by thunderstorms in the first place.
However, if you live in an area prone to windstorms, your home insurance policy might exclude wind damage or have a separate deductible for this coverage. You'll need to review your specific home insurance policy to be certain of whether it has a wind exclusion, which could limit or fully exclude tornado and other windstorm damage to your home. Your independent insurance agent can help you review your coverage.
How Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tornado Damage?
Homeowners insurance can provide coverage against tornado damage in a few different ways. Standard homeowners insurance can protect your home against tornado damage in the following categories:
- Structural coverage: Homeowners insurance includes protection for the structure, or dwelling, of the home against many disasters, including storms like tornadoes and other incidents like fire and vandalism.
- Contents coverage: Homeowners insurance also protects your personal property, such as silverware and electronics, inside the home from covered perils like tornado damage. You may also have limited coverage for personal belongings stored elsewhere, such as in a storage unit.
- Additional living expenses: If a tornado damages your home so badly that you're left with no option but to live somewhere else while it's being repaired, your home insurance can cover these extra costs. Additional living expenses coverage can be used to pay for hotel stays, takeout meals, gas mileage, etc.
Review your specific home insurance policy with your independent insurance agent to be certain of how it covers tornado damage to your property.
When Homeowners Insurance Won't Cover Tornado Damage
Standard homeowners insurance should cover the main components of tornado damage, including wind, lightning, and hail, as long as you don't live in an area where this coverage is excluded or limited. But homeowners insurance doesn't cover damage or destruction caused by natural flooding, which can be produced by the severe thunderstorms that spawn tornadoes.
To cover your home against flood damage that accompanies a tornado, tsunami, heavy rain, or any other weather event, you'll need a separate flood insurance policy. An independent insurance agent can help you find flood coverage in your area.
The Cost of Tornado Damage to Homes
Perhaps contrary to what you may expect, tornadoes actually cause the most insurance losses to homes and other structures of all the natural disasters. The cost of repairs to your home after just one tornado can range from $3,500 to over $50,000. That's why it's critical to ensure you're protected by the right coverage against wind damage.
How to Protect Your Home Against Tornadoes
Fortunately, you can protect your home against tornadoes before they ever strike, so hopefully, you won't have to rely on your homeowners insurance at all. Check out these quick tips for tornado-proofing your home.
- Install a wind-rated garage door: Wind-rated garage doors are specifically designed to withstand tornado winds. Regular garage doors are one of the most vulnerable elements to tornado damage in the entire home.
- Set up surge protectors: It's important to protect your valuable electronics from the lightning that accompanies tornadoes. Surge protectors can guard your computers, etc., from damage caused by power outages during tornadoes.
- Trim your trees and shrubs: Before a tornado strikes, it's critical to ensure that your trees and other plants are trimmed a safe distance away from your home. Just one strong wind gust could send a stray limb through a window.
- Install screens on HVAC units: Make sure your home's HVAC unit is also prepped against tornado and hail damage by installing a special screen around it. Without adequate protection, the HVAC unit's internal components, like coils, could get damaged.
- Upgrade your home's roof, gutters, and downspouts: There are roof, gutter, and downspout products specifically made to withstand tornado and other natural disaster damage. If you live in a region prone to storms, it's crucial to ensure your home is equipped with the best defenses upfront.
After you've hurricane-proofed your home as much as possible, it's time to review your home insurance policy with your independent insurance agent. With their help, you'll be able to patch any possible existing holes in your coverage.
The Best Homeowners Insurance Companies
You can get homeowners insurance from many major insurance companies, but not all policies will match your specific needs. The best way to find the right policy for you is by working with an independent insurance agent. They can shop multiple carriers and compare quotes for you with ease.
But if you're ready to start shopping for coverage now, check out this list of some of the top recommended homeowners insurance companies.
| Top Homeowners Insurance Companies | Overall Carrier Star Rating |
| The Hartford |
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| Nationwide |
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| Progressive |
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| Selective Insurance |
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| Stillwater |
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| USAA |
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| Safeco |
|
Here's How an Independent Insurance Agent Can Help
Independent insurance agents simplify the process by shopping and comparing insurance quotes for you. They have access to multiple insurance companies, ultimately finding you the best homeowners insurance coverage, accessibility, and competitive pricing while working for you. And down the road, your agent can help you file home insurance claims and update your coverage when necessary.
Sources
https://www.iii.org/article/tornadoes-and-insurance
https://ibhs.org/thunderstorm-ready/
https://www.progressive.com/answers/does-home-insurance-cover-tornado-damage/
https://www.insuranceclaimrecoverysupport.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-repair-tornado-damage/