When you hear “hurricane season,” you may immediately think of beachfront homes, storm surge, and coastal evacuations.
But hurricanes and tropical storms don’t stop causing damage when they leave the coastline.
Heavy rain, strong winds, falling trees, power outages, and flash flooding can affect homes and businesses many miles inland. For property owners throughout Maryland and Delaware, hurricane season is a good reminder to ask an important question:
Do you know what your insurance would cover if a major storm hit your property?
At Staples & Associates Insurance, we help homeowners and business owners in North Bethesda, MD, Salisbury, MD, Harrington, DE, and surrounding areas understand their storm-related insurance coverage before severe weather arrives.
Hurricane Damage Can Happen Far Inland
A tropical system doesn’t have to make a direct hit on your community to cause problems.
Storms can bring:
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- Heavy rainfall
- Strong wind gusts
- Falling trees and branches
- Flash flooding
- Power outages
- Roof and siding damage
- Water intrusion
That means property owners shouldn’t dismiss hurricane preparedness simply because they don’t live on the coast.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage?
The answer depends largely on what caused the damage and the terms of your individual policy.
A homeowners insurance policy may provide coverage for certain types of storm-related damage, including damage caused by wind or falling trees when the cause of loss is covered by the policy.
However, homeowners policies have exclusions, deductibles, and coverage limitations that property owners should understand before a storm occurs.
Delaware’s Department of Insurance recommends that homeowners understand their deductibles and verify appropriate wind protection before severe weather.
What About Flooding from a Hurricane or Tropical Storm?
This is where one of the biggest insurance misconceptions comes into play.
Standard homeowners insurance generally does not cover flooding.
If heavy rain, storm surge, or rising surface water floods your property, you typically need separate flood insurance for that type of loss. Delaware’s Department of Insurance explicitly notes that standard homeowners and standard business insurance policies do not provide flood protection.
And remember: you don’t have to live directly beside the ocean, river, or bay to experience flooding.
Intense rainfall can overwhelm drainage systems and produce flash flooding well inland.
Review Your Wind or Hurricane Deductible
Another detail homeowners can overlook is the deductible that applies to storm damage.
Some property policies may include a separate hurricane, named-storm, or wind deductible rather than the standard deductible you’re accustomed to seeing.
These deductibles may be structured differently and can potentially result in a larger out-of-pocket expense following a loss.
Delaware insurance guidance notes that many homeowners policies use hurricane deductibles for losses directly caused by hurricanes.
Before storm season peaks, ask your agent:
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- Do I have a separate hurricane or wind deductible?
- How is that deductible calculated?
- When does it apply?
- How much would I be responsible for after a major storm?
Knowing the answer before a claim is much better than learning it afterward.
Are Your Home’s Replacement Costs Current?
Construction and repair costs change over time.
If you haven’t reviewed your homeowners insurance recently, consider whether your dwelling limit still reflects the potential cost of rebuilding your home—not simply its market value.
A coverage review should consider changes such as:
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- Renovations
- Additions
- New roofing
- Finished basements
- Upgraded kitchens or bathrooms
- Increased construction costs
Your home may have changed considerably since the policy was originally written.
Your coverage should keep pace.
Don’t Forget About Your Belongings
Storm damage can affect more than the structure itself.
Furniture, electronics, clothing, appliances, and other belongings can represent tens of thousands of dollars in value.
Creating or updating a home inventory can make it much easier to document what you owned if you ever need to file a claim. Delaware’s Department of Insurance specifically encourages homeowners to prepare a home inventory as part of severe-weather planning.
Take photos or videos of:
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- Each room
- Electronics
- Furniture
- Appliances
- Jewelry and valuables
- Tools and equipment
Store the inventory somewhere you can access even if your home is damaged.
What About Fallen Trees?
Strong storms often bring down trees and branches.
Whether damage is covered can depend on what happened, what was damaged, and the provisions of your policy.
For example, coverage considerations may differ if a tree:
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- Falls onto your house
- Damages a detached garage
- Lands on your vehicle
- Falls without damaging insured property
This is another reason it’s helpful to understand both your homeowners and auto insurance coverage before severe weather.
Business Owners Should Prepare Too
Hurricanes and severe storms don’t only threaten homes.
Businesses may face:
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- Building damage
- Equipment losses
- Inventory damage
- Power outages
- Interrupted operations
- Flood damage
Commercial property and business interruption coverage may help with certain covered losses, while flood damage generally requires separate flood protection. Delaware’s Department of Insurance confirms that standard commercial policies, like standard homeowners policies, do not provide flood coverage.
Business owners should review their property values, equipment, inventory, income protection, deductibles, and flood exposure before storm season peaks.
Hurricane & Storm Risks in North Bethesda, Salisbury & Harrington
Storm exposure looks different throughout Maryland and Delaware.
North Bethesda, MD: Even well inland, heavy rainfall, wind, falling trees, and overwhelmed stormwater systems can create property risks.
Salisbury, MD: The Eastern Shore’s geography makes hurricane and tropical storm preparation particularly important, including reviewing both wind and flood exposures.
Harrington, DE: Inland Delaware communities can still experience heavy rainfall, damaging winds, flash flooding, and prolonged power outages associated with tropical systems.
Your ZIP code doesn’t have to say “coastal” for hurricane season to matter.
Review Your Coverage Before a Storm Is in the Forecast
Insurance preparation works best when it’s done ahead of time.
That’s particularly important with flood insurance. Delaware’s Department of Insurance notes that National Flood Insurance Program policies generally have a 30-day waiting period before coverage takes effect, subject to certain exceptions.
Waiting until a hurricane is approaching may be too late to add the protection you need for that particular storm.
Is Your Property Ready for Hurricane Season?
You can’t control the weather.
But you can understand your insurance before you need to use it.
At Staples & Associates Insurance, we help homeowners and businesses throughout Maryland and Delaware review:
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- Homeowners insurance
- Commercial property insurance
- Wind and storm coverage
- Deductibles
- Flood insurance
- Replacement cost limits
- Business interruption coverage
Contact Staples & Associates Insurance today for a storm-season insurance review. We’ll help you understand what’s protected, what’s not, and where you may want to make
Staples & Associates Insurance is an independent insurance agency with locations in North Bethesda, Maryland, Salisbury, Maryland and Harrington, Delaware specializing in farm insurance, home insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, business insurance and more.
We provide personalized insurance solutions designed to protect farms, families, and businesses with coverage tailored to local risks and evolving industry changes. (410) 546-3999 | https://staplesagency.com/