The 411 on What Your Hurricane Insurance Policy Will and Won't Cover

As the threat of the impending hurricane looms in the minds of many residents, a local insurance agency offers some quick facts and information that policy holders should be aware of.

Mark Matrone, President of , says that now is the time to take a look at homeowner insurance policies.

“We’ve been getting a fair number of calls from people who now have questions about their hurricane deductibles and their storm coverage,” Matrone says.

Matrone says that one of the common misconceptions of the company’s policy holders is the hurricane policy.

“Most of our customers don’t realize that our hurricane policy only takes effect if there is a hurricane warning in Rhode Island,” Matrone said. “If we just have a watch and damage happens, it will not be covered under the hurricane policy.”

He also explained that the deductible is a percentage of the limit on the policy, not on the actual loss caused by a hurricane.

Another common misconception is that some believe that any damage that is caused during a hurricane, such as flood damage, is covered under the hurricane insurance policy. However, Matrone points out that if the home is simply inundated with rain and ground water, hurricane insurance will not cover it.

“Policy holders must have flood insurance to be covered for flood damage, regardless of whether or not there is a hurricane warning,” Matrone said. “Unless of course the flooding is caused by ‘wind driven rain’ that blows out windows and floods the home.”

Matrone’s tips for preparing for a hurricane include:

1. Have your policy in a safe place
2. Have a made up
3. If you must keep your cars outside, keep them away from large trees.
4. If there is lawn furniture in the yard, secure it before the storm.
5. If you have shutters on your home, secure them shut.
6. If you have access to plywood, board up windows.