Why does my policy have more than one deductible?

A policy commonly carries a flat deductible for most claims and a separate percentage-based wind and hail deductible in storm-exposed states like Georgia.

Does my own insurance cover me when I stay in an Airbnb or VRBO?

The host's short-term rental policy protects the host, not you. As an Airbnb or VRBO guest, your own homeowners or renters insurance usually covers your belongings and personal liability away from home, within policy limits, while travel insurance covers trip-specific risks neither the host nor your home policy will.

Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage?

No. Standard homeowners policies exclude all flood damage regardless of cause.

What does uninsured motorist coverage do?

If you are hit by a driver with no insurance or not enough insurance, uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage pays your medical bills.

When do we use Selective for flood coverage versus NFIP?

Selective private flood wins for Zone X and moderate AE properties where it beats NFIP on price and offers higher limits with ALE coverage.

Does homeowners insurance cover wind and hail in Alabama?

All FAQs

Quick answer: It depends on where the home is. Inland, a standard Alabama homeowners policy generally covers wind and hail, often with a separate wind or hail deductible. On much of the coast, wind is excluded and covered instead through a separate policy, frequently the state wind pool. Coverage is available through Olive Cover.

Inland: usually covered, but check the deductible

For most of Alabama, a standard homeowners policy covers wind and hail as named perils. The catch that surprises people is the deductible. Many Alabama policies apply a separate wind or hail deductible, often a percentage of the home value rather than a flat dollar amount, so a wind claim can carry a much larger out-of-pocket share than a kitchen-fire claim on the same policy.

On the coast: often excluded, covered by the wind pool

In Baldwin and Mobile counties, standard carriers frequently exclude windstorm from the homeowners policy because hurricane exposure is so concentrated there. The wind coverage is then bought separately, often through the Alabama Insurance Underwriting Association (AIUA), the state coastal wind pool. So a coastal homeowner can hold a homeowners policy for fire, theft, and liability and a separate AIUA policy for hurricane wind.

Example

A Mobile homeowner assumes one policy covers everything. A hurricane tears off shingles and drives rain inside. Because the homeowners policy excludes wind on that street, the claim goes to the separate AIUA wind policy, and the flood that came up from the bay is a third policy again. Knowing which policy answers which peril before a storm is what prevents a denied claim and a coverage gap.

How to confirm your setup

Whether your wind coverage sits inside your homeowners policy or in a separate wind policy, and what your wind deductible is, depends on your address. A coverage review can read your policy and show exactly where wind is covered and where the gaps are. See Alabama homeowners insurance, Alabama flood insurance, and the coastal Alabama hurricane insurance guide for more.