If you live in 'tornado alley' or a hurricane zone, your homeowners insurance might not be enough to cover windstorm damage

Tornado and hurricane season is here, and if you live in an affected area, it pays to be prepared.

Tornadoes can produce winds in excess of 300 miles per hour, and hurricane winds can be in excess of 200 miles per hour. Although wind damage is covered in standard homeowners insurance policies, if you live in coastal areas, "tornado alley," or certain states where high winds are common, you may be required to get additional coverage for windstorm damage.

What is windstorm coverage?

Windstorm insurance is not a replacement for homeowners insurance — it's an add-on to your homeowners policy.

Both tornadoes and hurricanes produce wind and hail. Wind and hail are named insurance perils in standard homeowners policies. However, most insurers require an additional high-coverage windstorm rider and separate deductible if you live near coastal areas, according to Steve Wilson, senior underwriting manager at Hippo Insurance. 

If you live in "tornado alley," you may need windstorm coverage. According to the National Center for Environmental Information, tornado alley is "a nickname given to an area in the southern plains — the region from central Texas, northward to northern Iowa, and from central Kansas and Nebraska east to western Ohio — that consistently experiences a high frequency of tornadoes each year."

*Available as add-on coverage if not part of policy

**Flood insurance is available through the NFIP and approved insurers

***If you live in hurricane or tornado areas, additional windstorm rider may be required

Wilson said windstorm coverage is regional and premiums will vary geographically. Your deductible is based on a percentage of your coverage amount.

Additionally, some states require an additional windstorm rider if tropical storms are normal in your area or you live in coastal areas, according to Hippo Insurance. Some of these states offer windstorm coverage to residents if it's not provided by homeowners insurance carriers in the region.

States that may require additional windstorm coverage include:

• Alabama
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Mississippi
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Texas
• Virginia

What about mold, water damage, and flooding?

Wind and hail storms can produce damage that causes mold. Mold needs time and warm weather to grow, which is why you normally see mold after a hurricane. Mold damage from a covered peril — such as a wind or a hail storm — may be covered under standard homeowners insurance. For example, Wilson said that wet insulation from wind or hail damage causing mold may be covered.

If mold is not related to a named insurance peril, most homeowners insurance companies will deny coverage for mold damage.

Homeowners insurance usually covers water damage to your home, but there are exceptions. Water damage due to flooding is not covered under homeowners insurance and requires separate flood insurance coverage. Windstorm coverage doesn't cover water damage.

If a severe storm damaged your roof, causing rain to get inside your home, the roof repair would be covered by windstorm coverage, but the water damage wouldn't, according to Hippo Insurance.

If you live in a high-risk flood zone, you're required to purchase flood insurance. However, due to climate and weather changes, we're seeing more storms and damage happening outside target flood areas. 

How much does windstorm insurance cost?

Standard homeowners insurance covers wind damage. However, if you live in a hurricane or tornado zone where high winds are common, you may be required to get windstorm insurance as an additional rider to your homeowners insurance. It will be an additional cost on top of homeowners insurance and the price varies geographically.

The average annual homeowners insurance premium in the United States in 2017 was $1,211, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). 

Because windstorm coverage is available in certain areas, quotes aren't online. However, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) states that the average policy is $1,700. Including homeowners insurance, the cost would be $2,911. 

If you need flood insurance, it will be in addition to your homeowners and windstorm insurance policy. The average flood premium is about $830 annually.

How to protect your home from high winds

1. Talk to your homeowners insurance company to review your policy and discuss whether you have adequate coverage.
2. Repair and maintain your roof, like loose shingles and gutters.
3. Clear debris around your home and foundation, like tree branches and shrubbery.
4. If you have early warning of a storm, bring lawn furniture indoors and cover windows.

Ronda Lee is an associate editor for insurance at Personal Finance Insider covering life, auto, homeowners, and renters insurance for consumers. She is also a licensed attorney who practiced litigation and insurance defense.

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