Does Auto Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage?

Hurricanes pose a serious threat to vehicles, particularly when storms move inland. In 2024, CARFAX reported more than 347,000 hurricane-related vehicle damages. Floodwaters can quickly destroy engines, while powerful winds and flying debris may total a car within minutes. This is why understanding whether your auto insurance covers hurricane damage is so important.  

Key Takeaways:  Comprehensive coverage is the only coverage that pays for hurricane damage.  It covers wind, flood, water, and debris-related vehicle damage.  Liability and collision won’t protect your car from hurricane losses.  You must add coverage before a storm. Insurers pause changes once warnings start.  If the car is totaled, your insurer pays its actual cash value minus your deductible. 

Does Car Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage?

Yes, car insurance can cover hurricane damage, but only when you carry comprehensive car insurance. This part of your policy pays for wind damage, flood damage, falling debris, and other natural disasters that can destroy a vehicle. If your car is hit by water, wind, or debris, comprehensive helps with paying for damage or replacing the vehicle once you pay your deductible.  

Drivers without comprehensive coverage are not protected. Liability coverage never pays for your own vehicle damages, and collision coverage only applies if you crash during the storm. To be sure your car is covered, the coverage must be active before the storm, since insurers often pause changes when a hurricane approaches.  

How Does Comprehensive Coverage Help with Hurricane Damage?

Comprehensive car insurance coverage helps because it’s built to cover damage to your own vehicle from events you can’t control. Hurricanes trigger several covered perils, and each one can harm a car in a different way. When these causes match your policy’s list of protections, your insurance covers hurricane damage, applies, and your insurance company helps with the cost of repairs or a replacement. 

Here’s how comprehensive steps in during a hurricane: 

• Wind damage that dents panels or shatters glass 
• Water damage from rain or flood caused by a hurricane  
• Flying debris or falling debris that crushes the roof or hood 
• Hail damage or lightning strikes your car during the storm 
• Theft or vandalism if the area becomes unsafe afterward

Because hurricanes combine wind, water, and fast-moving debris, most vehicles suffer more than one type of loss. Comprehensive groups these events as natural disasters, which means your vehicle insurance pays once you meet your deductible. If the damage is severe or hidden, your insurer may declare a total loss and pay the vehicle’s actual cash value.  

When Will Auto Insurance Not Cover Hurricane Damage?

Auto insurance won’t cover hurricane damage when the cause falls outside the protections in your policy. The biggest gap happens when drivers only carry liability coverage/state minimum car insurance requirement, since it never pays for vehicle damage caused by natural disasters. Coverage can also fail when the damage results from an excluded action or a peril your policy doesn’t list.  

Common situations where hurricane damage is not covered: 

• You only have liability insurance, not comprehensive coverage 
• You tried to add coverage after a storm warning, during an insurer moratorium 
• You drove through deep flood water, and the policy excludes that scenario 
• The loss came from something not listed under covered perils, like certain glass exclusions 
• Damage occurred because the insurer considers the event preventable or negligent

In short, if the specific cause of the loss isn’t protected in your car insurance policy, the insurance company may deny the claim.

When Should You Buy Coverage? 

The best time to buy comprehensive coverage is long before hurricane season begins. Because insurers pause new policies when a storm is approaching, and most moratoriums start 24 to 48 hours before expected landfall, based on National Hurricane Center forecasts. So, once that pause begins, you can’t add or change coverage until the storm passes.  

Buying early also protects you from last-minute gaps. It gives you time to check your insurance policy, choose a comfortable deductible, and confirm that natural disasters like hurricanes are included in your insurance package. Since hurricane season runs from June through November, most drivers review and update their coverage at renewal to make sure their vehicle is fully protected.  

To protect your vehicle from hurricane-related damage, buy a comprehensive policy separately along with state minimum, or simply purchase our affordable full coverage auto insurance. If you’re living in a state prone to hurricanes, this policy could be your best financial protection. So, get your auto insurance quote today or simply call us at (800) 893-9393.   

Which States Are Most Prone to Hurricane Damage?

States along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts face the highest risk. They sit in the direct path of powerful storms and natural disasters. These areas see repeated severe weather, strong winds, and coastal flood events that often lead to heavy vehicle damage during hurricane season. 

The most hurricane-prone states include: 

• Florida. Surrounded by warm water on both sides, it sees the most storms each year. 
• Texas. Its long Gulf coastline brings frequent landfalls and costly storm surge. 
• Louisiana. Low-lying coastal areas make cars especially vulnerable to water damage. 
• North Carolina. The Outer Banks jut into the Atlantic and attract many Category 1 and 2 storms. 
• South Carolina. It often takes direct hits or strong impacts from nearby storms.

Other high-risk states include Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, and Virginia. Even the Northeast can see damaging storms when systems track up the coast.

If you’re living in a hurricane-prone state, you’re most likely to face high rates for comprehensive coverage. This is because your location matters when it comes to car insurance rates. You can stay prepared this hurricane season at affordable insurance costs with L.A. Insurance. We offer comprehensive coverage for drivers in Florida, Georgia, Michigan, and Texas!  

Does Car Insurance Cover Hurricane Damage in Florida?

Yes, absolutely. Car insurance does cover hurricane damage in Florida, but as always, only when you carry comprehensive car insurance. As mentioned before, this coverage pays for wind damage, flood, water damage, and flying debris that often destroy vehicles during Florida’s long hurricane season. 

Liability coverage will not protect your car, and collision coverage only helps if you crash while evacuating. Because Florida faces frequent natural disasters, most drivers rely on comprehensive to make sure their car is covered before storms form. 

How Do I File a Claim for a Hurricane-Damaged Car?

For a successful claim, you need to prove the vehicle damage came from the storm. Hurricanes create heavy water, strong winds, and debris, so clear documentation helps your insurance company confirm the loss quickly.  

Here are the steps to file a hurricane damage claim: 

• Take photos and videos of all damages, inside and out. 
• Note water lines, broken glass, dents, or electrical issues. 
• Contact your insurer as soon as it’s safe. 
• Share your policy number, location, and the timeline of the storm. 
• Save towing or emergency receipts.  Avoid repairs until the adjuster reviews the vehicle.

If your car is covered under comprehensive coverage, your insurer will calculate repairs or decide if the car is a total loss. Filing quickly helps you avoid delays, especially when many drivers submit claims at the same time.  

Is There Any Time Limit to File a Claim for Hurricane Damage?

Yes, there is a time limit, and it depends on your state and your insurance company. Some insurers ask you to file a claim as soon as possible after the storm, especially when thousands of drivers are doing the same. Certain states allow up to a year for hurricane-related claims, but waiting slows the process and can weaken proof of vehicle damage. Filing early helps your car insurance confirm what the hurricane actually caused.  

How Much Compensation Will I Get for Hurricane Damage to My Car?

Your payout depends on your coverage, the vehicle damage, and whether the car can be repaired. Comprehensive coverage pays for hurricane losses, so your insurer starts by checking the damage and comparing repair costs to the car’s value.  

If repairs are possible, you’re paid the shop’s estimate minus your deductible. If the car is totaled, the insurer pays the actual cash value. For example, if your car is worth $15,000 and flood damage totals it, a $1,000 deductible leaves you with $14,000. If wind or debris causes $3,000 in repairs and your deductible is $500, you’d get $2,500.  

Please note that compensation is never a flat amount. It’s based on your policy and the actual cost of storm-related damage.   

Key Steps to Prepare Your Car for a Hurricane

Here are key steps to prepare your car for a hurricane in line with guidance from FEMA. 
 
1. Before the storm hits: 

• Fill your gas tank and, if you drive electric, make sure it’s fully charged.  
• Park on high ground or inside a garage away from trees, power lines, or areas prone to flood damage.  
• Clear out loose items from the car and trunk. Remove garden tools, trash bins, or anything that could become flying debris.

2. Grab the essentials: 

• Stock an emergency kit inside your vehicle: warm clothing, blankets, water, snacks, phone charger, flashlights, first-aid kit, and important documents in a waterproof bag.  
• Before the storm, photograph your car inside and out so you’re ready if you need to file a claim.

3. Know your risks: 

• Don’t drive through standing water. Even just six inches of water can disable a vehicle or lead to total loss.  
• Taking these steps gives your car a fighting chance and puts you ahead of many other drivers when the storm arrives.

Car Insurance and Hurricane Damage FAQs

When can collision coverage apply to a car damaged during a hurricane?  

Collision auto insurance applies only when the damage happens because you hit something during the storm, such as sliding into another car or object while evacuating. It never covers wind, water, or falling debris damage.  

Does auto insurance cover hurricane damage in Texas?  

Yes, but only with comprehensive coverage. It pays for wind, flood, and debris damage in Texas the same way it does in Florida or any other hurricane-prone state.   

Does GAP insurance cover hurricane damage?  

GAP insurance doesn’t cover the damage itself. It covers the remaining loan balance if your financed car is totaled in a hurricane and your payout is less than what you owe   

Does car insurance cover flood damage?  

Yes, when you have comprehensive coverage. Flooding from storm surge, rising water, or heavy rain is one of the most common hurricane-related losses and is fully covered under comprehensive.   

What happens if your car is totaled in a hurricane in Michigan?  

Your insurer pays the vehicle’s actual cash value minus your deductible, as long as you carry comprehensive coverage. If the water or wind damage costs more than the car is worth, it’s declared a total loss, and the payout follows the same rules as any other state.   

Will my car insurance rate increase after hurricane damage?  

It can. Filing a comprehensive claim may raise premiums for several years, and rates may increase regionally after a costly storm season, even if you don’t file a claim   

Do I have to pay a deductible for a hurricane damage claim?  

Yes. Comprehensive claims always require the deductible listed in your policy. There is no special hurricane deductible for auto insurance, though some glass-only endorsements may waive it in limited cases.