Hurricane Insurance Claims: 10 Things You Should Know

When making a claim on hurricane insurance, know what's covered, what isn’t and how to make the most of your policy.

Man grieving over destroyed house
(Image credit: Getty Images)

A big part of picking up the pieces in the aftermath of a storm is making hurricane insurance claims, which includes looking at both what home insurance covers and your type of auto insurance. Dealing with filing may be the last thing you want to do as you manage home repairs and the emotional costs of damage, but it's vital to help you out.

Concerns about hurricane damage have moved front and center after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm (now weakened to a Tropical Depression), the strongest hurricane on record to hit Florida's Big Bend. At least 23 storm-related deaths have been reported across three states. Millions of people are without power as a result of the destruction.

Eight of the 11 costliest natural disasters in U.S. history have been hurricanes. They have a wide range of impact that makes them so destructive, with risks including floods, high winds and storm surge. 

If your home has been affected by a hurricane, you can learn a lot from the experiences of past victims of natural disasters who had to assess the damage, contact their insurers and undergo the long process of physical and financial recovery. 

Of course, one of the key points is to make sure your insurance coverage is up to date before a storm hits, which may mean finding the best policy with the cheapest home insurance to save on costs. 

Here’s how to get the money you deserve from your insurance company and ways to make the most of other assistance to fill in the gaps.

Kimberly Lankford
Contributing Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

As the "Ask Kim" columnist for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Lankford receives hundreds of personal finance questions from readers every month. She is the author of Rescue Your Financial Life (McGraw-Hill, 2003), The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance -- and Still Get the Coverage You Need (Kaplan, 2006), Kiplinger's Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, 2007) and The Kiplinger/BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families. She is frequently featured as a financial expert on television and radio, including NBC's Today Show, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio.

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