Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage?

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

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.

How is a percentage wind and hail deductible calculated?

Multiply your dwelling coverage limit by the percentage on your policy. A 2% deductible on a $400,000 home is $8,000 out of pocket, versus a $1,000 flat deductible for other perils on the same policy.

How much dwelling coverage do I actually need?

Dwelling coverage is built to equal the cost to rebuild your home, not its market value.

How does Branch Insurance work for Georgia homeowners?

Branch is a technology-forward insurer that bundles home and auto, backed by General Security National.

Homeowners FAQs

What does a Savannah or coastal Georgia homeowner need to know about insurance?

All FAQs

Quick answer: Tybee Island and coastal Savannah properties require a coverage approach that differs significantly from inland Georgia.

Homeowners in Savannah and coastal Georgia face a distinctly different risk profile than those in Atlanta or inland communities. Hurricanes, tropical storms, and storm surge are the primary threats, and understanding how your policy handles wind coverage, flood coverage, and deductibles determines whether you can actually recover after a major event.

What are the biggest coverage gaps for coastal Georgia homeowners?

Standard homeowners policies in coastal Georgia commonly apply a separate named storm deductible that is a percentage of your home's insured value, not a flat dollar amount. On a $500,000 home, a 5 percent wind deductible means you pay $25,000 out of pocket before coverage begins on a hurricane loss. Most homeowners do not realize this until after a storm, when they expect a low flat deductible and receive a settlement reduced by tens of thousands of dollars instead.

Flood is the second major gap. Standard home policies never cover flood, and storm surge is treated as flood under all major policies. Savannah's coastal location places many properties in FEMA-designated flood zones, and those zones directly shape both the risk and the cost of flood coverage.

Which FEMA flood zones affect Savannah and Tybee Island properties?

FEMA designates flood zones based on annual flood probability and wave exposure. Zone X covers areas of minimal flood risk. Zone AE applies to lower elevations with a 1 percent annual flood probability and is the most common designation for Savannah-area properties. Zone VE is the highest-risk designation, reserved for oceanfront areas subject to wave action on top of flooding. Tybee Island and other barrier-island properties commonly fall in VE zones, which carry the strictest building requirements and the highest flood insurance costs. Lenders require flood insurance for homes in AE and VE zones with federally backed mortgages.

Does an NFIP policy cover the full cost to rebuild a coastal Savannah home?

A National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy caps dwelling coverage at $250,000. Private flood policies can provide limits above that cap. Coastal homes cost more to rebuild than inland properties of comparable size because of saltwater-resistant materials, stricter wind-resistant building codes, and elevated construction requirements. For many Savannah-area homes, $250,000 covers only a fraction of the actual rebuild cost. For example, a Tybee Island homeowner faced a tropical storm that pushed surge onto the first floor, causing $80,000 in damage. Their standard home policy excluded the flooding, but their separate flood insurance policy covered the loss. Without it, that cost would have fallen entirely on the homeowner.

How does flood zone designation affect my flood insurance cost in Savannah?

Zone X properties typically pay lower flood insurance premiums because the annual flood probability is minimal. Zone AE properties pay moderate rates based on the elevation of the structure relative to the base flood elevation. Zone VE properties pay the highest rates because they face both flooding and wave action. A home elevated above the base flood elevation in Zone AE can pay significantly less than one at or below it. For example, a Savannah home in Zone AE elevated two feet above the base flood elevation might pay $800 per year for NFIP coverage, while the same square footage at grade level in the same zone could pay $2,500 or more.

How can a Savannah homeowner confirm their coastal coverage is adequate?

Pull your current flood zone from the FEMA Flood Map Service Center using your property address. Compare your dwelling coverage limit against a current rebuild cost estimate for a coastal home in your area. If your named storm deductible exceeds your financial reserves, that gap is worth quantifying before the next hurricane season. A free coverage review can confirm which flood zone your property sits in, whether NFIP or private flood better fits your exposure, and whether your dwelling limit reflects actual coastal rebuild costs.