Hurricanes and Homeowners Coverage

Texas law does not require you to have homeowners’ insurance, yet many lenders will require it.

Homeowners’ insurance financially protects you if your home is damaged by items covered under the policy.

Most insurance policies cover damage caused by fire, lightning, explosions, theft, vandalism, and motorized vehicles.

On the other hand, most insurance policies to do not cover flooding, mold remediation, or damage caused by items or uprooted plants blown during windstorms. In the Gulf Coast of Texas (which includes Harris County), most insurance policies do not cover damage caused by windstorms or hail.

Due to the amount of damage caused by hurricanes, flood insurance is strongly encouraged, even if you do not reside in a designated flood zone. In fact, 50% of homes damaged by Hurricane Harvey were not in a designated flood zones. For mold remediation, it is usually a policy add-on, or endorsement, which can be applied to your homeowners’ policy.

Most insurance policies have a 30 day so it extremely important to review your insurance policy and/or speak with your insurance agent immediately. These policy items are crucial to protect your home from the extreme weather conditions caused by hurricanes.