What is wind insurance?
Short answer. Wind insurance is coverage for damage caused by windstorms, including hurricanes, tornadoes and severe thunderstorm winds. For most Georgia homeowners it is part of the regular homeowners policy, but in high-risk coastal areas insurers may exclude wind, which then has to be bought back by endorsement or through a separate wind policy.
Three ways wind coverage shows up
- Built in: standard homeowners forms include windstorm as a covered peril, usually with its own wind and hail deductible. This is the norm across most of Georgia.
- Excluded, then bought back: some coastal policies carry a windstorm exclusion, and a wind endorsement restores the coverage for an added premium.
- Separate wind policy: in some coastal states, a state wind pool or specialty insurer sells wind-only policies to pair with a homeowners policy that excludes wind.
What wind insurance does not cover
- Flood and storm surge, even in a hurricane. That takes flood insurance.
- Wear and tear, or shingles that blew off because they were old or poorly nailed.
- Rain through a closed window or under intact shingles, without a wind-created opening.
Wind insurance in Georgia
Georgia does not run a separate wind pool of the kind some Gulf Coast states have. Coastal homeowners who cannot find private coverage can turn to Georgia's FAIR Plan. Inland, the more important question is your wind and hail deductible, often a percentage of dwelling coverage; see percentage deductibles.
Wind ratings are not wind insurance
Shingle wind ratings and manufacturer wind warranties describe product performance, not storm losses. A Class F shingle tested at 110 mph is a construction feature; your policy is what pays after a storm. See wind damage roof claims.