Virginia Hurricane Insurance
Independent agents in Virginia shop multiple companies to get you the best price on hurricane insurance.
Written by
Jessica Huneck is an insurance writer from TrustedChoice.com. She began her writing career in 2011 and has since earned herself a bachelor's degree in English writing.
Virginia attracts visitors year round. From beautiful snowy mountains to warm summer beaches, the state has a full four seasons for everyone to enjoy. However, due to its location on the Atlantic coast, the state of Virginia has fallen victim to many hurricanes throughout the years. Hurricane insurance is one of the most important coverages to have when protecting your home and lifestyle. Read below to find out what you should know about hurricane insurance before you start looking for quotes.
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The History of Hurricanes in VA
- Hurricane Isabel struck in 2003, causing $2.8 billion in damage.
- Hurricane Gaston, in 2004, caused $130 million in damage.
- Hurricane Irene, in 2011, caused $182 million in damage.
- Since 1950, there have been 14 hurricanes in VA.
Hurricanes bring rain, wind, flooding and damage that can destroy a home in minutes. Whether you've lived in Virginia your whole life or just relocated to the state, you should consider getting hurricane insurance and protecting your home and assets before the storm hits.
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What Is Hurricane Insurance?
Homeowners insurance typically covers much of the damage that a hurricane can cause, including wind, rain and damage from debris. Your homeowners insurance policy will cover the damage. However, you'll need to double check your policy to see what the wording states regarding hurricane damage. Some policies will adopt a deductible that is a portion of the overall damage, while others may set a deductible for a portion of the home's value.
Your homeowners insurance will not however cover water damage stemming from a flood, landslide or cave-in. In order to secure flood damage, you need to purchase a flood policy from the National Flood Insurance Program. The coverage rates will vary based on your location, your home type and the value of your contents. You can buy coverage for both the dwelling and the contents.
What Are Typical Hurricane Insurance Quotes?
In order to give you accurate quotes for hurricane insurance, your insurance agent will likely ask you the following questions:
- Your home's age
- Home's building materials
- Any attached/detached structures
- Home's value
- Home's location
- Value of contents
- Any security systems installed
Be advised, however, to get adequate estimates of the value of your contents. This includes going through your home and writing down every item, its value and taking pictures/video of expensive items, along with writing down serial numbers and original cost. Typically, you will want to double the total in order to get reasonable quotes for contents coverage.
What About Your Car/Boat/RV?
Every state requires you to carry liability insurance on your vehicles. If you secured a loan to purchase your car, boat or RV, you may have been required to carry comprehensive insurance.
The only way to get hurricane insurance on your car, boat or RV is to have comprehensive insurance, also known as "everything other than collision." This coverage will typically cover all damage, including water damage, stemming from a hurricane.
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What About Flood Damage During a Hurricane?
Your homeowners insurance will not cover flood damage originating from a hurricane. Most insurance companies sell flood insurance offered by the National Flood Insurance Program, which regulates the program. The cost to you depends on many factors, such as the following:
- Location of house in flood plain
- Age of house
- Building materials
- Home's value
- Value of contents
Flood insurance typically covers the dwelling and the contents. Residential flood insurance typically offers as much as $250,000 in dwelling coverage for dwellings of one to four families and as much as $100,000 for contents. There are other coverages available for condominiums, townhomes and commercial buildings.
How Do You Get Hurricane Insurance in Virginia?
Protecting yourself with hurricane insurance is a wise idea. When weighing your options for hurricane insurance, a Trusted Choice® agent is always available to help, whether it's to review current coverage, answer questions or even file a claim.
Contact your local Trusted Choice agent for more information on getting hurricane coverage.