Mandatory Hurricane Insurance (Houston, Pasadena, Galveston: homeowners insurance, mortgage, house)

[Tyger1906]

In terms of mandatory or advisory hurricane insurance how far south of Houston do you have to go? Is League City, Friendswood, Dickinson, Clear Lake in that zone?

Thanks!

[Poltracker]

There is no mandatory or voluntary hurricane insurance. You must be thinking of wind insurance. Basically, all of Galveston County, Brazoria County, Chambers County and those parts of Harris county East of Highway 146 (Seabrook, LaPorte, parts of Pasadena, Shoreacres).

[ayannaaaliyah]

I was looking to switch insurance carriers when my policy was up for renewal this past May and was told that windstorm was required, and I'm in Katy. I ended up staying with my current provider, Nationwide, but there's a mandatory 1% deductible of your total policy should your home be damaged due to a tropical storm/depression, and/or hurricane.

[groens]

i've never heard of "hurricane" or "windstorm" insurance. i guess there is such a thing since an above poster mentioned it, but i live in south houston, and i have never heard of either!

[Master Shake]

Normal home owner's insurance should cover wind/rain/hail damage -- even if it's caused by a hurricane. If your house is financed, then the mortgage company will require mandatory home owner's insurance.

The optional insurance you are asking about is probably flood insurance. Most (but not all) areas of Houston, especially to the south and east are in flood zones, and it is highly recommended that you have flood insurance. However, some of the newer mass-building cookie-cutter home areas will attempt to build flood channels and catch basins, etc. to minimize the effects of flooding. In this case, you might not need flood insurance.

With the past few hurricanes that made it on the national news, some insurance companies attempted to deny claims of damage caused by hurricanes (wind/rain/hail related), indicating the damage instead came from flood-related issues (for home owners that did not have flood insurance). Many of these claims are still being contested in court.

[Poltracker]

Homeowners insurance will cover damage from normal storms (except flooding) if you live in the areas I outlined above. Persons in those areas must carry windstorm insurance to be covered during a hurricane. In order to do this the home must meet minimum building requirements set by policies. Check it out here: Windstorm Inspection Program