A single hurricane can affect millions of people and damage property of all kinds. Car insurance can provide coverage for your vehicle from hurricane damage if you have your policy set up properly. The main thing to keep in mind when it comes to hurricanes and insurance coverage: You need the coverage in place before the hurricane is projected to hit your area.

You will certainly have a hard time adding physical damage coverage, meaning both comprehensive and collision coverage, onto any current or new vehicle until the storm has passed. Most all insurance providers freeze coverage in the storm zones. Restrictions protect the insurance carrier against coverage being added just for the hurricane. Car insurance carriers provide coverage for unknown future claims, not expected losses, its common business sense.

Comprehensive Coverage: Comprehensive is the main coverage which will cover your vehicle minus your deductible due to hurricane damage. A lot of different types of damage can occur during a hurricane.

• Wind Damage: My car rolled over into my neighbor's yard due to hurricane force winds. Comprehensive will cover repairs to your vehicle. Any damage to your neighbor’s property caused by your vehicle would be covered by your property damage coverage.


• Flood Damage: My car flooded because of a hurricane. Good news, even flood is covered under comprehensive coverage.


• Hail Damage: Even if a hurricane produces hail, your vehicle is covered with comprehensive coverage.


• A Tree Fell on My Car: Hurricanes are notorious for knocking down trees. Trees falling onto vehicles are covered by comprehensive coverage.

Collision Coverage: Collision coverage still applies in some cases. For instance, if you are driving and low visibility from the hurricane causes you to rear-end the vehicle in front of you, collision coverage would cover your vehicle repairs. You can’t get coverage under comprehensive coverage by saying the cause of the accident was a hurricane.

Obviously, extra caution should be used when driving in hurricane or tropical storm conditions. Or, the safest option would be to avoid driving in severe conditions all together. Certainly some things cannot be prevented, but luckily hurricanes usually come with advance notice giving you time to exercise extra caution.

Liability Coverage: Hurricane's really do not spark liability claims against your automobile. If you were found liable for one reason or another, your car insurance would protect you even if a hurricane was involved.

Filing a hurricane related car insurance claim can be frustrating process. With so much loss after a major hurricane disaster you are probably both physically and emotionally drained. Remember processions can be replaced and with the help of your car insurance, hopefully you will get back to normal a little quicker.