Hurricane Insurance in Fort Myers, FL

Every year, hurricanes threaten thousands of U.S. homeowners and inflict millions of dollars in property damage. These severe storms are among the most costly natural disasters, and as a homeowner, you must take time to assess and address various loss control measures to ensure you can handle the resulting financial consequences. With this in mind, you should discuss your hurricane insurance needs with a qualified professional, such as those at Wilcox Family Insurance.

How Does Hurricane Insurance Work?

As a homeowner, you should first understand that hurricane insurance may not refer to a single policy purchasable from all insurers. Rather, this term may refer to a collection of coverages that, when combined, are capable of providing financial security when severe storms are on the horizon.

You should also be aware that hurricane-related damages are likely not covered if you have a standard homeowners insurance policy. As such, you should strongly consider purchasing additional policies or augmenting your existing coverage to ensure you are not left without the means to recover financially in the wake of severe weather.

What Does Hurricane Insurance Cover?

When acquiring or adjusting coverage, there are several primary components of hurricane insurance that you should familiarize yourself with, including the following:

• Flood insurance—This coverage can help pay for losses caused by external water entering your home, including damage to the structural elements of your home and your belongings.
• Windstorm insurance—This coverage may provide financial assistance for damage caused by winds and may expand beyond hurricanes to also include tornados, cyclones and other severe storms.
• Hurricane deductible—When adding hurricane-related coverage to a homeowners insurance policy, a separate deductible for hurricane-related losses may be included. This means that even if you’ve already met your policy’s deductible that year for other incidents, you will be required to pay for some of the damage sustained by a hurricane out of pocket.

How to Prepare for Hurricanes

In addition to having adequate hurricane insurance, you may also be able to protect your home and limit financial losses caused by these disasters by implementing and maintaining suitable precautions, such as the following:

• Remove trees and weak branches that could be toppled or broken by heavy winds.
• Install storm shutters or attach plywood over windows to keep them from being broken by flying objects.
• Seal cracks around windows, doors and other wall openings, such as vents and outdoor electrical outlets.
• Remove objects that could be blown around by heavy winds, such as patio furniture.
• Replace gravel or rock landscaping with lighter materials, such as shredded bark.

How to File a Hurricane Insurance Claim

Even after taking steps to protect your home and property, you may still accrue losses. When filing a claim against your insurance for hurricane-related losses, it can be helpful to understand the process ahead of time. Remember to take the following steps:

• Notify your insurer immediately about your losses.
• Keep records of any communications with your insurer, including who you spoke with, what you talked about and the date of conversations.
• Document your damages, including using photographic and video evidence.
• Be prepared to have a claims adjuster dispatched to your property to investigate the damages.
• Keep any receipts or quotes related to repairs that you must make to your home before the claims process has finished.

Your claims adjuster’s findings will typically determine if your losses are covered by your insurance policies and determine payout details. The exact claims process may vary depending on unique circumstances, so you should consider reaching out to your insurer before a hurricane affects you to ensure you understand the process.

Get the Right Coverage

With over 25 years of industry experience, the dedicated staff at Wilcox Family Insurance is more than capable of helping families and homeowners acquire and maintain the right hurricane coverage. Our agents will work with you to assess your needs, analyze your options and assemble optimal protection. Contact us today to get started.