Is wind covered by homeowners insurance?
Short answer. Yes. Windstorm is a standard covered peril in most homeowners policies, including straight line winds, thunderstorm downbursts, tornadoes and the wind from tropical systems. What is not part of wind coverage is flooding or storm surge, rain that enters without wind first damaging the house, and damage from wear that the wind merely exposed.
What counts as wind damage
- Direct force of wind tearing or lifting roofing, siding, soffits, gutters
- Wind blown debris striking the house
- Trees and limbs blown onto structures
- Rain or hail entering through an opening wind created
What is not wind coverage
- Flood and storm surge, even when wind drives the water. Flood requires a separate policy.
- Wind driven rain through intact walls or roofs, under many policies.
- Pre-existing problems, like shingles that had already lost their seal or were nailed improperly.
- Gradual wear from years of normal wind.
Which deductible applies
Many Georgia policies have a separate wind and hail deductible, often 1 or 2 percent of the dwelling limit. It applies to all wind damage, including tornadoes. Some coastal policies also have a hurricane or named storm deductible. Check your declarations page. See percentage deductibles.
Exceptions
A small number of policies, mainly in some coastal areas, exclude wind entirely, and owners buy it separately. Inland North Georgia policies almost always include it.
Proving a wind loss
Note the date, look up wind reports for your area, and photograph damage before cleanup. Creased shingles and broken seal strips are the classic roof evidence. See wind damage roof claims.