Unpredictable Hail, Wind And Lightning Damage
Storm and Hail Insurance
Everything is bigger in Texas, from the cities, the wide-open spaces, to the food, to the weather! In fact, Texas has had thirty-six $100,000,000 or larger disasters from severe storms in the past 25 years and more than 80% of the time, hail was to blame for the damage. According to the 2018 LexisNexis Home Trends Report, Texas accounted for nearly 25% of catastrophic hail claims across the entire United States. Both hail frequency and severity have also been steadily rising since 2012.
Each year high winds also ravage businesses and homes across the state. Amarillo, Lubbock, and Corpus Christi are frequently ranked as the windiest cities in the U.S. Straight-line winds often exceed 58 mph and include downdrafts, downbursts, microbursts packing tornado-like force, gust fronts, and massive, merged storm systems called derechos. No matter the name, winds in Texas often cause serious damage.
On top of straight-line winds and hail, storm damage can occur from hurricanes and tornadoes in certain regions of Texas. Spring and fall are peak times for storm insurance claims. Read on to learn how to protect your business and home from storms and hail, wind and water damage.
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Does My Existing Policy Protect from Storms?
It depends on the damage caused by the storm which could include wind damage, wind-driven rain (water damage), lightning (fire damage), hail, tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes and falling trees.
Hail is getting bigger and claims are becoming more frequent, affecting buildings and vehicles throughout Texas. Fortunately, hail damage is included in standard property policies and often leads to a roof repair or replacement. However, some carriers exclude cosmetic hail damage that only affects the appearance of walls, roofs, windows, etc.
Lightning can also lead to damage during a storm, affecting personal property (computers and electronics) and even causing fires. Fortunately, lightning has few exclusions and damage is covered in most property policies.
Other scenarios can create damage after a storm including collapse of a roof due to buildup of rain, hail or snow. You need a broad policy traditionally called an “open perils” policy or “special” form to provide coverage for collapse.
Water damage caused by a storm can happen in several ways. Flood insurance is always required to protect from rising water damage. Wind-driven rain can also lead to water damage inside the home, but many exclusions exist. If windows or a skylight were left open, it often isn’t covered. If a tree falls and creates a hole in the roof leading to water damage, it would be covered in most policies. However, if an old roof leaks during a storm without any new damage, a claim will often be denied.
Wind damage can be caused by straight-line winds, hurricanes, and tornadoes. This type of claim is often catastrophic, affecting the roof, siding, and windows. Tornadoes are covered in a standard homeowner’s policy and have few exclusions. For straight-line winds, exterior damage is covered in most policies. However, hurricane-caused wind damage almost always occurs in coastal counties and therefore requires a separate windstorm insurance policy.
Windstorm insurance, also known as wind and hail insurance, can be required by your mortgage lender. If you live in a high-risk area near the Gulf Coast, you may be forced to purchase coverage through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. This carrier provides wind and hail insurance to the 14 Gulf Coast counties and a portion of Harris County.
Storm Insurance – Wind Insurance
Cost of Storm and Hail Insurance
Property insurance rates in Texas vary depending on where your home is located, the total number of claims in a previous year, the insurer you choose, your home’s value, and aspects of how your home is built. The cost of wind insurance for an expensive beach-side house along the Gulf, for example, will cost more than the same coverage for a small home that’s located in Central Texas or near El Paso. Likewise, a hail belt goes through DFW, Wichita Falls, Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland / Odessa, and Abilene. As a result, these areas of Texas have higher homeowners premiums compared to central and south Texas.
Replacement cost is another item to consider. If your roof is 50% worn out, which is still considered a good roof, then without replacement cost coverage you would only get half of the cost to replace the roof in the event of hail or wind. You would also have your deductible subtracted from any claim as well.
It is becoming more common to have 2% deductibles in the hail-prone areas of Texas. And, more carriers are starting to offer replacement cost to composition roofs that are 15 years or newer because older roofs are more easily damaged in storms.
No one knows what the weather in the future will bring. That’s why it’s important to speak with a licensed insurance agent today to discuss your coverage needs and to help keep you and your family safe and dry this upcoming storm season.
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Vehicle Insurance
Insurance protection for the vehicles that matter most to you.
– Auto Insurance – We insure thousands of cars, trucks, vans, and commercial vehicles used in all types of businesses.
– Motorcycle Insurance – Start your Motorcycle riding experience with insurance through Hettler.
– ATV and Motorsport Insurance – Does it have a key? Is it a dirt bike? We have a program to cover it.
– Classic Car Insurance – Classics and antique vehicles require special coverages. We represent a couple of different carriers to cover them.
– RV and Mobile Home Insurance – Big values traveling down the road? No problem. We handle the big risks all the time.
– Boat and Watercraft Insurance – We cover boats of all sizes.
Property Insurance
Insurance protection for the property that matters most to you.
– Homeowners Insurance – Your home is your castle. Protect your most valuable asset with quality coverage.
– Condo Insurance – Condos are a little different. Call us to get your specialized coverage!
– Renters Insurance – Fires in apartments and rental homes are way too common. Renter’s coverage is really reasonably priced.
– Landlord Protection ™ – Renting your home? Protect yourself with landlord insurance.
– Flood Insurance – You have to have a separate policy to cover flood… It can happen even here in the desert.
– Storm & Hail Insurance – Texas has had thirty-six $100,000,000 or larger disasters from severe storms in the past 25 years and more than 80% of the time, hail was to blame for the damage.
– Earthquake Insurance – Earthquakes have occurred in 39 states since 1900, and about 90% of Americans live in areas considered seismically active. Most home insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Good news, earthquake insurance can be inexpensive.
Commercial & Business Insurance
Coverage that helps protect your business
– Business Owners Policy (BOP) – Lubbock County is in the top 10 for commercial property damage due to wind, hail and dust storms; and the top 10 for commercial auto comprehensive claims due to weather; and the top 10 for lightning storm damage.
– General Liability Insurance (GL) – Insurance coverage for when you or your products hurt someone or damage property.
– Commercial Property Insurance – Coverage against Fire, Wind, Hail, and many other perils.
– Business Auto Insurance – Cover your business with insurance for commercial and business vehicles.
– Commercial Liability Insurance – also known as “general liability insurance” is a broad policy that covers a number of liability exposures of a business. Business liability insurance is often the first line of defense against lawsuits from customers, allowing an owner to protect both personal and business assets.
– Commercial Umbrella Insurance – Insurance coverage that gives an extra layer of liability protection from the rising costs of lawsuits.
– Workers’ Compensation Insurance (workers comp) – Medical bills and lost income Insurance coverage that helps you take care of injured employees.
– Cyber Security Insurance – In an era of leaked embarrassing online photos, confidential emails and digitally internet connected employees and customers, it’s no wonder businesses (of all sizes) are rushing to cover themselves with cyber liability insurance.
– Surety Bonds – Get your notary bond, your contractor’s bond, your bid bond, or your performance bond from Hettler Insurance Agency.
– Contractor’s Insurance – Many contractors operate out of the home and may not require commercial property insurance. Instead, contractors typically perform work at the customer’s location. This can be a residential home, a construction site or a commercial property.
– Builder’s Insurance – With a good Builder’s Risk policy, the structure, materials and equipment are protected from theft, vandalism and weather damage during the construction phase.
Life/Health Insurance
Insurance protection for your family’s health.
– Health Insurance – Insurance for you, your family, and your pocketbook. Uncovered medical costs can bankrupt you.
– Personal Umbrella Insurance – An umbrella policy provides additional layers of liability protection. If the liability limits are exhausted on your home, auto, or other underlying insurance policy, your umbrella insurance policy takes over and provides you with additional protection. You may need this in case of a car wreck involving a fatality, etc. For a minimal cost, you can protect your assets, and your future earnings.
– Whole Life Insurance – Life insurance coverage designed to be there for your whole life.
– Term Life Insurance – Insurance protection to help keep your family secure for a specific period of time.