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 Georgia?

All FAQs

Quick answer: Yes. Wind and hail are covered perils on a standard Georgia policy, but many carriers apply a separate percentage deductible of 1 to 5 percent of your dwelling limit instead of a flat dollar amount. On the coast, wind may be excluded and written instead through the Georgia Underwriting Association.

Wind and hail are covered perils on a standard Georgia homeowners insurance policy. The exception is not whether the damage is covered, but how the deductible is calculated.

Most homeowners policies apply a flat dollar deductible, often $1,000 or $2,500, to every covered loss. For wind and hail, many Georgia carriers replace that flat number with a percentage deductible, typically 1 to 5 percent of the home's dwelling coverage limit rather than a set dollar figure. On a home insured for a $300,000 dwelling limit, a 2 percent wind and hail deductible works out to $6,000. That amount is paid out of pocket before the policy responds to the claim, and it applies even on a policy where the deductible for every other type of loss is a flat $1,000.

The percentage deductible usually shows up as its own line on the declarations page, sometimes labeled "named storm deductible" or "wind/hail deductible." It is separate from the standard deductible and does not shrink just because the standard deductible is low.

Closer to the coast, in counties such as Chatham, Glynn, Camden, and McIntosh, some standard-market carriers exclude wind coverage from the homeowners policy entirely because of hurricane exposure. When that happens, wind coverage is written as a separate policy through the Georgia Underwriting Association, the state's residual property market for coastal wind risk. A homeowner in this position typically carries two policies: a standard homeowners policy for fire, theft, and liability, and a Georgia Underwriting Association policy for wind.

For example, a homeowner in Glynn County whose standard carrier excludes wind finds a roof torn off in a summer storm. The homeowners policy does not respond to that loss; the separate wind policy through the Georgia Underwriting Association does, subject to its own deductible and its actual cash value settlement terms.

Because the deductible structure and the carrier writing wind coverage both vary by ZIP code and by carrier, the actual dollar exposure on a given home is not visible from the declarations page alone unless someone reads the wind/hail line specifically. A coverage review can show what deductible applies to a specific dwelling limit and whether wind coverage sits inside the main policy or is written separately. More on Georgia homeowners coverage generally is at the Georgia homeowners insurance page, and carrier options are listed at Olive Cover's carrier page.