Your Complete Guide to Hilton Head, SC Hurricane Insurance

As a resident of Hilton Head Island, you are surely well aware of the damage that a hurricane or tropical storm can bring to this coastal town. One of the worst to hit this area was Hurricane Matthew in 2016. This Category 2 storm caused more than $51 million in damage in Beaufort County alone.

Fortunately, you can protect your finances by covering your property with the proper hurricane insurance. Independent insurance agents in Hilton Head can help you review your current policies to ensure that you have enough hurricane insurance and that you are getting it at a competitive price. Contact an insurance agent near you to learn more.

What Is Hilton Head Hurricane Insurance?

Hurricane insurance is not a stand-alone policy. Rather, it is something that may be included in the insurance policies you already have. If not, you may need to add certain policy options or endorsements in order to get the coverage you need. In some cases, supplemental insurance may be necessary.

Hurricanes pose a significant risk in Hilton Head, so you will want to make sure that all of your property is adequately covered against these destructive storms. This often means taking a closer look at the insurance you currently have for your home and vehicle, as well as for your business, if applicable. Independent insurance agents can help.

Hurricane Insurance Can Cover Your Hilton Head Home

Usually, when people hear that a hurricane is headed toward them, the first thing they think about is protecting their home. Bracing doors and windows with storm shutters, unplugging expensive electronics, and securing loose outdoor property can go a long way toward minimizing damage, but when a storm makes a direct hit, it often isn’t enough.

Because property along the Eastern Seaboard is especially susceptible to hurricane damage, home insurance rates along the coast tend to be higher than average. However, this does not necessarily mean that your home insurance policy provides the protection you need against these storms.

Some insurance companies will require you to purchase special endorsement to cover against hurricanes and windstorms, while others will include this coverage as part of their standard coverage. This is why buying the least expensive policy isn’t always the best choice. An independent insurance agent can help you review your home policy to ensure that it includes wind and hurricane coverage.

A Word about Flood Damage to Residences

The other risk that often accompanies hurricanes is flooding. Even though water damage caused by rain coming into your house through a damaged roof or broken window is nearly always covered, damage caused by rising waters is not. To be covered, you need to buy a separate flood insurance policy.

Your insurance agent can help you get affordable coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Whether supplementing homeowners insurance, condo insurance, or renters insurance, residents can purchase up to $250,000 in contents coverage against flood damage.

Talk to your insurance agent to learn more about covering your home against hurricanes.

Cover Your Vehicle against Hurricane Damage

Hurricanes can also cause significant damage to vehicles. Whether they are crushed by falling trees, dented by flying debris, or carried away in floodwaters, cars and trucks are frequently totaled by these powerful storms. The only way you can get compensation for storm-related damage to your vehicle is if your car insurance policy includes comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive (or “other than collision”) insurance is designed to cover damage to your vehicle that is not due to a traffic accident. This can include damage caused by hazards like falling objects, high winds, and floods. Though optional, comprehensive coverage is typically required by lenders if you are still paying for your vehicle.

Purchasing gap insurance is also beneficial if you currently owe more on your car than it is worth. This often happens with new cars, since they depreciate in value very quickly. Gap insurance, as its name implies, is designed to bridge the gap between what you owe and what the car is worth. This can prove quite valuable if a hurricane destroys your new vehicle.

Protect Your Hilton Head Business with Hurricane Insurance

Many businesses, including boutiques, restaurants, and resorts, can be found on Hilton Head Island. Whether you have a small business with just a couple of employees or own a large company on the island, a business insurance policy can help to protect your investment in your commercial enterprise – especially during hurricane season.

Business insurance includes commercial property coverage, which is designed to cover all of your business assets. Some of this property may need specialized coverage like inland marine insurance or boiler & machinery insurance, but all of it can be covered against damage caused by severe weather like hurricanes and windstorms.

Another way that business insurance can protect you is through coverage against forced closures. If power lines are down for a couple of weeks or if the structure of the building that houses your business is severely damaged, your company may have to remain closed for several weeks. Business interruption insurance can provide your firm with a continuation of income until it can reopen.

A Word about Flood Damage to Businesses

It is important to note that like home insurance, business insurance policies nearly always exclude flood damage from their coverage. Fortunately, your independent insurance agent can help you supplement your business insurance coverage with a commercial flood insurance policy through the NFIP. Business owners can purchase up to $500,000 in contents coverage to cover against flood damage.

Why Work with an Independent Agent in Hilton Head?

You don’t need to struggle with understanding all the details of your insurance policies on your own. A local insurance professional can help you review your current coverage, and can make appropriate recommendations. That way, you don’t have to risk finding out the hard way that your valuable property isn't sufficiently covered against hurricane damage.

Find an independent insurance agent on Hilton Head Island to learn more about hurricane coverage.

Find an Independent Agent

Find an Insurance Company

What type of insurance do you need?

By Coverage Type

By Business Type

Auto & Vehicle Insurance

Home & Property Insurance

Other Insurance

Insurance Solutions & Resources