Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tornadoes: Overview, Coverage, Exclusions, Claims, Costs & Policy

How Homeowners Insurance Covers Tornado Damage

The good thing is that most homeowners’ insurance policies pay for tornado damage as part of their normal coverage for windstorms.

This means that if a tornado damages your home or other buildings like garages or sheds, your policy will help you pay for fixing or replacing them, depending on how much coverage you have.

Your policy also covers your things like furniture, appliances, clothes, and electronics that are damaged by the tornado.

But you should know that there are some things that your policy does not cover or limits.

What Homeowners Insurance Does Not Cover

You should know that homeowners’ insurance does not pay for flood damage, even if it comes from a tornado that makes water go into your home.

For example, if a tornado makes a river or a lake go over its banks and flood your home, your insurance will not help you pay for the damage from the water.

To avoid this problem, you should get a different insurance policy for floods, which you can get from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or other insurance companies.

You can check how likely your home is to get flooded and ask for prices at FloodSmart.gov.

Also, some homeowners’ insurance policies may make you pay more money before they help you with tornado damage, than they do for other types of damage.

The money you have to pay before your insurance helps you is called the deductible.

For example, if your normal deductible is $1,000 and your tornado deductible is 2% of your home’s value:

If your home is worth $300,000, you would have to pay $6,000 before your insurance pays for the rest of the tornado damage.

The deductible amount may be different depending on where you live and who your insurance company is, so you should read your policy carefully or talk to your agent to find out how much it is.

How to Get Enough Coverage for Tornado Damage

Many homeowners make the mistake of not having enough insurance for their homes and things.

This can make them lose a lot of money if they have to fix or replace them after a tornado.

To avoid this, they should have enough insurance to build their home again from the ground up, not just what it is worth now.

They should also think about getting extra insurance that will pay for the higher costs of building after a tornado.

For their things, they should have insurance that will pay for the new price of the same things, not the old price.

They should also keep a list of their things and how much they cost and update it often.

This will help them show their insurance company what they lost and get a fair amount of money.

How to File a Claim for Tornado Damage

Upon tornado-induced home damage, adhering to the following steps expedites claims processing and reimbursement:

1. Promptly notify your insurer to report damage, subsequently receiving a claim number and an adjuster assigned to assess property damage and estimate repair costs.
2. Document damage with photos and videos, compiling a comprehensive list of damaged or destroyed items, refraining from discarding anything until authorized by the adjuster.
3. Mitigate further damage by executing temporary repairs like boarding up windows, covering holes, and removing debris, retaining receipts for potential reimbursement by insurers.
4. Familiarize yourself with policy coverage and deductibles, seeking clarification from the adjuster on claim procedures and expectations.
5. Collaborate with the adjuster, furnishing requested information and documents such as inventories, receipts, and ownership proof, maintaining transparency and accuracy.
6. Review and negotiate settlement offers, seeking recourse through independent appraisers or public adjusters for second opinions if dissatisfied with the initial estimate.
7. Execute the release form upon settlement agreement, receiving payment, potentially in installments contingent upon policy terms, and utilize funds for home repair or reconstruction in adherence to local regulations.

How much does tornado insurance cost?

Tornado insurance costs vary based on factors like your home and belongings’ value, your home’s location and age, chosen coverage type and amount, and deductible.

The average annual homeowner’s insurance premium in the U.S. stood at $1,249 in 2018, as per the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

Nonetheless, costs differ significantly by state and insurer.

To find the most suitable option, you can compare quotes from various insurers using platforms like Policygenius.