Renters Insurance: Does It Cover Hurricane Damage?
Renters insurance covers some, but not all, types of hurricane damage.
For example, insurance typically pays for damage from high winds, but not flood waters.
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Does renters insurance cover hurricane damage?
Renters insurance protects against most types of hurricane damage.
That includes coverage for damage caused by wind, hail, lightning and fire.
However, renters insurance doesn't usually protect against flooding caused by weather. If you live in an area with frequent hurricanes, you should buy a separate flood insurance policy to protect your belongings.
Hurricane damage covered by renters insurance
- Fire
- Hail
- Lightning
- Wind
- Falling objects
Hurricane damage covered by renters insurance
Renters insurance protects you with four types of coverage: personal property coverage, additional living expenses (ALE) coverage, personal liability coverage and medical payments coverage. Only the first two are important during a hurricane.
Renters insurance hurricane coverage for personal property
Renters insurance will pay to replace your stuff if it's ruined by a covered type of hurricane damage. This can include wind, lightning, hail or falling objects.
Example:
Imagine that severe wind and hail breaks the window of your apartment and damages your television and couch. Renters insurance will help you replace those items.
As a tenant, you aren't responsible for the window damage, as it is part of the structure of your home. Instead, your landlord's insurance policy should cover the cost to replace the window.
The amount your insurance will pay to replace your stuff depends on whether you have a replacement cost or actual cash value policy.
Similar to homeowners insurance, renters insurance does not cover hurricane flood damage.
You need a separate flood insurance policy to protect your things from flood damage. This can include damage from:
- Storm surge or spray from a body of water
- Water that backs up through sewers or drains
- Water below the surface of the ground
Additional living expenses coverage for hurricanes
Additional living expenses coverage (ALE) pays for you to temporarily move out of your home after hurricane damage. This may also be called loss of use coverage. ALE can include moving expenses, your hotel bill and even the cost of food if you don't have access to a kitchen.
Your insurance company will only pay your expenses if a covered event damages your home.
For example, if hurricane winds and hail damage the roof of your apartment and you can't safely live there, your insurance company will pay for your living expenses up to your policy limit.
If flood waters cause your home to become unsafe, you can't use additional living expense coverage.
Instead, you'll have to pay for any additional expenses yourself.
Additional living expense coverage for mandatory evacuations
Insurance companies aren't always clear if your policy covers your expenses during a government-mandated evacuation. However, policy language typically suggests that you can use additional living expenses (ALE) after damage occurs, but not before.
Renters who need money for a hurricane evacuation can apply for federal disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA can provide grants or loans to renters who can't pay for disaster-related costs, like moving and storage expenses.
How to protect against hurricane damage
Renters can protect themselves against hurricane damage by taking preventative measures to protect their stuff, like boarding up windows. It's also important to have the right amount of insurance, including a flood policy.
Take steps to protect your belongings if a hurricane is headed your way
You can board up windows and use sandbags to block entrances to your home. This can help keep water out of your home.
You should move any valuable items to a higher level of your home if you can. And if you're evacuating, make sure to bring important documents and any sentimental items with you, like your will or irreplaceable photographs.
If you have important or valuable items that you don't use often, you can consider storing them in a safe deposit box at your nearest bank branch.
Safe deposit boxes are water-resistant and designed to stand up to natural disasters. However, they're not fully waterproof, so you should keep any documents in a resealable plastic bag.
Make sure you have enough insurance to protect all of your belongings.
Start by making a home inventory list so you can figure out how much your stuff is worth.
Next, make sure your policy has enough coverage for your valuables. Most renters insurance policies cap your coverage for expensive items like jewelry, artwork or sports equipment. You can typically buy extra coverage for these items, but you may need a receipt or appraisal.
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Buy a separate flood insurance policy
Renters insurance won't protect your property from a flood that happens because of a hurricane. But you can protect your stuff with contents-only flood insurance.
Most homeowners and renters get flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). You can get up to $100,000 in contents-only coverage with an NFIP policy.
One major downside to NFIP flood insurance is that it doesn't cover the expenses of living outside your rental home or apartment if it becomes unsafe, called additional living expenses. If you rent in a high-risk flood zone, you should prepare for the possibility that you'll have to pay to relocate if severe flooding damage forces you out of your home.
Frequently asked questions
Are hurricanes covered by renters insurance?
Renters insurance covers most types of hurricane damage, including wind, lightning and hail. However, it typically doesn't protect against weather-related flood damage. Renters need to buy a separate flood insurance policy to protect their belongings from flood waters.
Where can I get renters flood insurance?
Most renters buy flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). You may also be able to get a policy through a private company, but most don't offer contents-only flood insurance.
Does renters insurance cover a broken window from a storm?
Most renters insurance policies would pay to replace any belongings damaged by a broken window. As a renter, you shouldn't be responsible for the cost of a new window. Your landlord's insurance policy should cover the cost of any home repairs.
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