Educational checklist · One free phone call

The two insurance questions that decide everything.

Most storm-insurance surprises aren't fine print; they're two big facts nobody checked in the calm: what the wind deductible really costs, and whether flood is covered at all. This page is the checklist for that one phone call, printable, and it never tells you what to buy.

The deadline hiding in this page: flood damage is generally a separate policy, not part of homeowners coverage, and a new flood policy typically has a waiting period before it takes effect, commonly 30 days for the federal NFIP program (with narrow exceptions, like coverage bought in connection with a mortgage). That's why this is an off-season phone call. The day a storm is named, this door is mostly closed.

Question one: "What is my hurricane deductible, in dollars?"

In many coastal and hurricane-prone states, wind or hurricane damage carries its own separate deductible, and it's usually a percentage of the home's insured value, not a flat dollar amount. Industry references put the typical range at 1 to 5 percent of the dwelling coverage, and higher in some high-risk areas. The arithmetic is the wake-up call: on a home insured for $300,000, a 2 percent hurricane deductible means the first $6,000 of storm repairs is yours before the policy pays anything.

Two follow-ups worth asking on the same call: what triggers it (rules vary by state and policy; some deductibles apply only to named hurricanes, others to broader wind events), and where it's written, which is the declarations page of the policy, the one-page summary at the front.

Question two: "Do I have flood coverage, yes or no?"

Not "probably", not "I think it's bundled". Water rising from outside (storm surge, overflowing drainage, rainwater flooding) is generally excluded from homeowners policies. If the answer is no and water is part of your risk picture, the follow-ups: what would an NFIP policy cost here, what would a private flood policy cost, and when would each take effect. The federal NFIP program caps residential coverage at $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for contents; private policies can go higher. Our NFIP vs private flood guide walks the tradeoffs.

Don't know your flood zone? It's free to look up at FEMA's Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov), and it's the first thing any flood conversation will reference.

The checklist for the call

Check marks save on this device only. Print it, put it next to the phone, and it's a ten-minute call.

Find the declarations page of the current policy.Coverage amounts, deductibles, and endorsements, all on one page. Photograph it while it's out.
Ask: hurricane/wind deductible, as a dollar figure.Make them do the percentage math out loud for your dwelling limit, and ask what triggers it.
Ask: is flood covered, yes or no?If no: price NFIP and private options, and ask about each one's waiting period.
Ask: replacement cost or actual cash value?Whether the roof pays out at today's rebuild price or its depreciated value changes the outcome by years of savings. Terms vary; make them explain yours.
Ask: what's the additional living expense coverage?If the house is unlivable after a storm, this is the line that pays for somewhere to stay. Know the limit before you need it.
Photograph or film every room, closets open, plus the exterior.A home inventory is the difference between a smooth claim and an archaeology project. Save it off-site (cloud counts).
Save digital copies of the policy, agent contact, and IDs somewhere that survives a wet house.Same folder as the inventory. The 48-Hour Checklist assumes this already exists.
Calendar it for next year.Policies change at renewal. This call is an annual, and it pairs with the June readiness re-check.

A way to open the call"Hi, I'm doing a storm-season review of my policy. Can you walk me through my hurricane or wind deductible in actual dollars, whether I have any flood coverage, and whether my roof is covered at replacement cost? I'd also like to know my additional living expense limit."

Educational only, never insurance advice: we don't recommend coverage, limits, or carriers, and policy terms are state- and contract-specific, so your agent or a licensed professional is the source of truth. Pattern claims on this page: percentage hurricane deductibles typically 1 to 5 percent of insured value (industry references: Insurance Information Institute, NAIC; some states run higher); flood as a separate policy with an NFIP waiting period commonly 30 days, with exceptions (FEMA/FloodSmart); NFIP residential caps $250,000 building / $100,000 contents (FloodSmart). Data-verified at build 2026-07-08; logged as VERIFY.md V3, V26, V28.