Does Renters Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage? (2025)
Renters insurance can cover hurricane damage, but only when caused by a covered peril, like wind. It doesn’t cover damage from flooding.
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Written byElizabeth Rivelli
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Elizabeth Rivelli
5+ years writing insurance and personal finance topics
Auto, home, health, and life insurance expertise
Elizabeth has extensive insurance industry experience, having written for Insureon, Rate Retriever, and Insurify. She’s also finance and insurance editor for Car and Driver.
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Edited byKatie Powers
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Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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Renters insurance can cover personal items destroyed in a hurricane, but only when a covered peril, like high winds, causes the damage. Policies typically exclude flooding and storm surge damage — even when caused by natural disasters.[1] Before buying a policy, it’s important to understand what types of hurricane damage your renters insurance covers and excludes.
Here’s what you should know about renters insurance coverage for hurricane damage, including how to file a claim and additional coverage options to consider.
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Types of hurricane damage renters insurance covers
Renters insurance can pay to replace your personal property after a hurricane if wind, hail, lightning, or fire causes the damage. Your policy can help cover additional living expenses if your home becomes uninhabitable after a hurricane. Most standard renters policies also include liability coverage.[2]
Renters insurance has a policy limit, which is the maximum amount of money you can receive for a covered loss.[3] Many policies also have a deductible, which is the portion of a claim you pay out of pocket before your insurer pays. In some locations, renters need to pay separate hurricane deductibles or windstorm deductibles, especially in hurricane-prone areas.[4]
Because every renters insurance policy is slightly different, it’s a good idea to check your policy overview for specific details and exclusions related to hurricanes. For example, some coastal areas may exclude coverage for wind and hail damage. In this case, you might be able to add endorsements for these perils.
Types of hurricane damage renters insurance doesn’t cover
Renters insurance policies don’t cover all types of hurricane damage. Here are some common examples of storm damage these policies typically exclude:
Flooding: You need a separate flood insurance policy to cover flooding. You can get renters flood coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private flood insurer.
Storm surges: Renters insurance excludes coverage for storm surge damage. But a separate flood insurance policy typically covers storm surges.
Structural damage: Because renters don’t own the physical building they live in, renters insurance doesn’t cover structural damage. A landlord’s insurance policy should cover any building damage.[5]
Wind and hail coverage in high-risk areas: Some renters insurance policies exclude coverage for wind or hail damage in hurricane-prone areas. Make sure to check your policy details to see what it covers and excludes.
Vehicle damage: If a covered peril damages or totals your vehicle during a hurricane, your renters insurance won’t cover it. A comprehensive car insurance policy can cover the damage.
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Learn More: Best Companies for Auto and Renters Insurance Bundles
Does renters insurance cover additional living expenses (ALE) during a hurricane?
Yes. Your policy’s additional living expenses (ALE) coverage can pay for housing, meals, and other necessary costs if damage to your home results in temporary relocation during repairs. Some insurers may call this “loss of use coverage.”
ALE coverage applies only if your home becomes uninhabitable because of a covered peril, like fire or wind damage. That means it won’t cover relocation expenses if flooding causes the damage.
If you need to use your ALE coverage, it’s important to keep your receipts and any documentation related to your displacement, like a letter from your landlord. This information can help your insurer during the claims process, whether a hurricane or another covered event damages your home.
How to supplement your renters coverage before hurricane season
If you live in a hurricane-prone area, hurricane preparedness is essential. To fill the gaps in a renters insurance policy, many tenants can benefit from adding optional endorsements.
Here are some ways you can supplement your renters coverage before hurricane season begins:
Purchase flood insurance. Buying a separate flood insurance policy is the only way to get coverage for flood-related damage after a hurricane. Renters can get flood coverage through the federally backed NFIP or a private insurer. But flood exclusions can still apply. For example, NFIP policies don’t cover ALE, so make sure to check the policy terms and coverage limits before you buy a policy.[6]
Find out if insurers require windstorm insurance in your area. In some high-risk areas, insurance companies require a windstorm policy or named-storm endorsement for customers who want hurricane coverage. Ask your insurer whether your policy covers hurricane personal property damage or if you need to add separate coverage.
Choose a replacement cost coverage policy. Some renters insurance policies include actual cash value coverage for your personal items, which means your claim payouts factor in depreciation. If you choose replacement cost coverage, your policy protects items at their full value, so you receive higher payouts.
Make a home inventory. Having a home inventory is beneficial in case you need to file a personal property coverage claim after a hurricane. A home inventory is a list of all the items you own and their estimated values. Having a home inventory can help the insurance adjuster determine how much it’ll cost to replace your items after a hurricane insurance claim.
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How to file a renters insurance claim after hurricane damage
If you need to file a renters insurance claim for storm damage, here are the general steps you should follow:
1. Document the damage
Take photos and videos of the damage to your personal belongings as soon as it’s safe to do so.
2. Contact your insurance company
Notify your insurance company as soon as possible. You’ll need to submit claim forms with a description of what happened and which peril caused each loss.
3. Make simple repairs
If you can stay in your home, you might need to make simple repairs, like patching a broken window. Keep receipts for emergency repairs so you can receive reimbursement.
4. Save receipts for ALE costs
If your home is uninhabitable after a hurricane, save your receipts for hotel stays, restaurant meals, parking, and other necessary expenses.
5. Receive your settlement
Once your insurer approves your claim, you’ll receive the payout from the insurance company, minus any deductibles.
6. Consider FEMA disaster assistance
If a hurricane affects your personal property and your renters insurance company won’t cover your losses in full, find out if you qualify for FEMA disaster assistance.[7] It can pay for things like temporary housing, replacing essential personal items, and utility bills.
Renters insurance and hurricane damage FAQs
The following information can help answer your remaining questions about renters insurance and hurricane damage.
Do you need flood insurance if you have renters insurance?
Standard renters insurance policies exclude coverage for flood damage. If you live in a hurricane-prone area and want coverage for flooding, you should consider purchasing a separate flood insurance policy.
Will your renters insurance help if you have to evacuate before damage occurs?
Your renters policy won’t cover evacuation costs before any damage occurs. But if a hurricane damages your home and makes it uninhabitable, you may be able to receive reimbursement for additional living expenses, like temporary housing.
Does renters insurance pay for a hotel after a hurricane?
Renters insurance will pay for a hotel after a hurricane only if a covered peril, like wind, fire, or a lightning strike, damages your home. Renters insurance won’t cover a hotel or other additional living expenses if flooding or another excluded peril is the cause.
Will your renters insurance pay to remove mold damage after a hurricane?
Your renters insurance policy may cover mold removal, but only if a covered peril, like water damage from a burst pipe, directly causes the mold. It won’t cover mold caused by flooding or storm surges. Insurers typically consider mold to be a maintenance issue, so they give coverage for it only in very specific circumstances.
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Sources
- Insurance Information Institute. "Are there any disasters my property insurance won't cover?."
- Insurance Information Institute. "Renters Insurance."
- Texas Department of Insurance. "Renters insurance: What does it cover and how much does it cost?."
- Iowa Insurance Division. "Post-Disaster Claims Guide."
- South Carolina Department of Insurance. "Understanding Renter's Insurance."
- National Flood Insurance Program. "Flood Insurance for Renters."
- Insurance Information Institute. "Frequently asked questions about FEMA disaster assistance."
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Elizabeth Rivelli
Elizabeth Rivelli is a freelance writer covering insurance and personal finance. She has extensive knowledge of various insurance lines, including property and casualty, health, and life insurance. Her byline has been featured in dozens of publications, including Investopedia, Forbes, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and Insurance.com.
Elizabeth has been a contributor at Insurify since October 2022.
Licensed auto and home insurance agent
3+ years experience in insurance and personal finance editing
NPN: 20564519
Katie uses her knowledge and expertise as a licensed property and casualty agent in Massachusetts to help readers understand the complexities of insurance shopping.
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