What does ex wind mean in insurance?
Short answer. Ex wind means the policy excludes windstorm coverage, and often hail along with it. On an ex wind homeowners policy, wind damage to your roof, siding and the house is not covered, so you would need a separate wind policy to fill the gap. These policies are most common in coastal areas where insurers limit their hurricane exposure.
How an ex wind setup works
- Main policy: covers fire, theft, liability, water and other causes, but excludes windstorm and usually hail.
- Separate wind policy: covers windstorm and hail, typically from a specialty insurer or a state program of last resort, with its own deductible, often a percentage.
- Two claims after a storm: wind damage goes to the wind policy; other damage, such as interior water from a burst pipe, goes to the main policy.
Why it matters for your roof
Almost every roof claim involves wind or hail. If your main policy is ex wind and you have no separate wind coverage, a storm that tears off shingles or a hailstorm that ruins the roof may not be covered at all. Even a fallen tree may be denied if wind knocked it down.
Where it shows up
Ex wind policies are mainly a coastal issue, but any homeowner should confirm that windstorm and hail are covered. Look for a windstorm or hail exclusion endorsement listed on the declarations page, or a statement that wind is excluded.
Disputes over the cause
When two policies split coverage by cause, insurers may disagree about whether damage came from wind or something else. Document the storm carefully with photos and dates. See wind damage roof claims and date of loss.
Checklist
- Confirm whether your policy excludes wind or hail.
- If it does, confirm you have a separate wind policy and its deductible.
- Make sure both renew on time; a lapse in the wind policy leaves the roof exposed.