Windstorm insurance: What is it and how does it work?

Homeowners insurance generally covers the cost of repairs if your home is damaged by wind or hail. However, in states that experience frequent tropical storms or tornadoes, like Florida and Texas, policies often exclude coverage for wind and hail in high-risk areas.

If that’s the case, you’ll need windstorm insurance — a special type of property insurance that specifically covers your home and belongings from wind or hail damage. Windstorm insurance is sometimes available as an add-on to your homeowners insurance, though it can also be purchased as a separate wind-only policy.

What is windstorm insurance?

Windstorm insurance is a special type of property insurance that can either be added to your homeowners insurance or purchased as a separate policy.

If you live in an area where severe windstorms are common, including a state prone to hurricanes or Tornado Alley, you may find that damage caused by wind and hail is excluded from your homeowners insurance — meaning if a hurricane or tornado rips shingles off of your roof or damages your home's foundation, you won’t be covered for repairs. 

To fill that gap in coverage, you’ll need to buy windstorm insurance to cover the cost of damage caused by wind and hail. Bear in mind that windstorm insurance is intended to complement your home insurance, not replace it. 

What does windstorm insurance cover?

A typical windstorm insurance policy includes five types of coverage. Each type of coverage has a limit of liability, which is the maximum amount your insurer will pay out when you file a claim.

How do windstorm deductibles work?

When you file a claim for wind and hail damage, insurers may require you to pay a special wind/hail deductible. This is the amount you’re responsible for paying before your insurance will kick in on a wind or hail damage claim. 

Wind/hail deductibles are typically percentage deductibles between 1% and 5% of your home’s dwelling coverage limit. 

Here’s an example. 

Say your home is insured for $500,000 and your wind/hail deductible is 3%. That means $15,000 would be subtracted from your claim payout before insurance kicks in for wind damage repairs.

→ Learn more about wind/hail and hurricane deductibles

Do I need windstorm insurance coverage?

If you live in a coastal community in any of the following states, wind and hail may be excluded from your homeowners insurance. If that’s the case, you’ll need windstorm insurance to cover your home from coastal winds or named storms.

How much does windstorm insurance cost?

The national average cost of homeowners insurance in 2022 is $1,899, but if you live in a high-risk coastal area, you can expect to pay several hundreds of dollars more than just in windstorm insurance premiums.

In Texas, the average cost of a windstorm policy costs $1,750 a year, according to the Texas Wind Insurance Association (TWIA). [1] Keep in mind you’ll be paying this in addition to your home insurance. 

You’ll also generally see higher home insurance premiums in states that experience frequent tornadoes and wind storms. Below is the average cost of home insurance in the five states that experience the most tornadoes. 

The amount you pay for windstorm insurance is determined by several factors about your home, including its:

• Location

• Age

• Construction type

• Roof age and condition

How to buy windstorm insurance

You can generally buy windstorm insurance in one of three ways. 

1. Add wind coverage as an endorsement to your homeowners insurance policy

2. Purchase a wind only policy through a specialized private insurer

3. Apply for last-resort coverage through an insurance pool administered by your state, like a Beach Plan or Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan

Keep in mind that Beach Plans are usually only offered in counties specified by your state’s department of insurance. Some plans, like New York’s C-MAP, require proof that you’ve been turned down by at least three companies before they’ll insure your property — same goes for FAIR Plans in most states. [2]

However, a few coastal states offer wind coverage even if you haven’t been turned down on the voluntary market. While it’s fairly easy to qualify for windstorm insurance through state insurance programs, Beach Plans and FAIR Plans are typically more expensive than coverage through standard insurers who offer coastal home insurance policies. [3]   

How to file a windstorm insurance claim

If your home is damaged by a windstorm and you have windstorm insurance, you’ll need to contact your windstorm insurance company to notify them. Below are a few things you should have on hand and steps you should take. 

• Contact your insurance company either over the phone or online

• Know your windstorm insurance policy number

• Document the damage with photos and videos

• Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage

• Check your home inventory and make note of which belongings were damaged or destroyed

• If you need to temporarily relocate, keep any receipts so you can get reimbursed by your insurer

Once you submit the claim, your windstorm insurer typically has a deadline of when they can get back to you about whether the claim is covered or not. The TWIA has a 30 day response deadline, for example. [4]  

How to reduce windstorm damage to your home

There are certain areas of your home that are more susceptible to windstorm damage than others, including your roof, windows, doors, patios, and landscaping. In order to prevent wind and debris from causing additional damage to your home, take the following steps:

• Trim branches and trees

• Secure outdoor furniture or anything that may act as potential debris

• Install a disaster-proof garage door

• Install storm shutters or put plywood over your windows and glass doors prior to a tropical storm

• Install impact-resistant storm shingles on your roof

Frequently asked questions

Which counties in Texas need windstorm insurance?

If you live in any of the following 14 counties, your home is at considerably high risk of catastrophic wind damage from hurricanes: Aransas, Calhoun, Chambers, Galveston, Kenedy, Matagorda, Refugio, Willacy, Brazoria, Cameron, Harris, Jefferson, Kleberg, Nueces, and San Patricio. Fortunately, residents of these counties are eligible for windstorm insurance through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA).

Is windstorm insurance included in homeowners insurance?

In most of the country, yes — a standard homeowners insurance policy includes windstorm coverage along with 15 other covered perils.

But in areas where natural disasters like hurricanes or tornadoes are most common, insurers will often exclude wind and hail from coverage or they'll charge a separate deductible on wind damage claims. If your home insurance doesn't cover wind or hail and your house is in a high-risk area, you'll need to buy windstorm insurance to cover your home and belongings.

What states have the most tornadoes?

The top five states that see the most tornadoes each year — in order — include Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Mississippi. But surprisingly, many homeowners who've lived through a tornado believe they're less likely than others to experience future ones.