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Wind damage and flood damage are covered by different insurance policies, so telling them apart after a storm is critical for getting your claim paid correctly. Wind damage is covered by your homeowners insurance. Flood damage is covered by a separate flood policy. When a hurricane brings both high winds and storm surge, the same home can have damage from each source—and each claim goes to a different insurer.
Wind damage typically shows a top-down pattern. High winds tear off shingles, break windows, peel back roofing materials, snap tree limbs onto structures, and force rain into openings created by the wind. Signs of wind damage include:
Flood damage follows a bottom-up pattern. Rising water leaves a visible waterline on walls, warps baseboards and flooring, and deposits mud and debris at ground level. Signs of flood damage include:
Your homeowners insurer and your flood insurer will each send an adjuster—or sometimes the same adjuster represents both. They will try to separate wind damage from flood damage. If you only have homeowners insurance and no flood policy, any damage attributed to flooding will not be covered. If you have both policies, you may need to file two separate claims, each with its own deductible.
In major hurricanes, the line between wind and flood damage is not always clear. An insurer might attribute damage to the peril their policy does not cover. Detailed photos taken immediately after the storm, contractor assessments, and a thorough understanding of your policies can help you push back on incorrect attributions.
The time to prepare for a wind-versus-flood dispute is before the storm, not after. Make sure you carry both homeowners and flood insurance, document your home's pre-storm condition, and understand your deductibles for each policy. A Truscott coverage review will walk you through both policies so you know exactly which insurer to call—and for what—when the wind and water arrive together.
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