If a hurricane is headed your way, it’s a good idea to evaluate your insurance coverage and make sure you have enough insurance coverage to rebuild and replace all of your belongings. In fact, hurricanes and stormy weather may be one of the best reasons to buy extra insurance, considering that of the 10 most costly catastrophes in U.S. history, seven are hurricanes. If a storm is headed your way, you may be wondering if it’s possible to buy extra car insurance before a hurricane hits.

In the US, hurricane season runs from June through November, so if you live in a hurricane-prone area, it’s wise to carry both home and auto insurance coverage suited to the storm risk in your area. But what can you do in a bind? We take a look.

Buying Extra Car Insurance Before a Storm Hits

If a big storm or hurricane is coming, can you scramble to buy extra car insurance coverage before it hits? It depends on how far in advance you’re looking to purchase additional coverage and whether the insurance company has issued a storm watch.

You may already have comprehensive and collision coverage for your car, though if you don’t, an approaching hurricane is a good time to get it. If you only have your state’s minimum auto insurance coverage, you may want to buy more if you know a natural disaster may arrive soon, because some state minimums don’t require comprehensive or collision insurance.

Comprehensive coverage is for theft and damage, which can include coverage from floods and hurricane-force wind. Collision coverage is for if your car is hit or it hits another car or object, such as the rain from a hurricane causing you to crash your car.

However, buying auto insurance — whether a new policy or adding coverage to an existing policy — can be impossible if a storm watch has been issued, usually 48 hours before a hurricane is expected to hit your area.

Insurers put restrictions on issuing new or updated policies, called “binding restrictions,” when severe weather is predicted. The reason is simple: A claim would be a lot higher than the premium paid for the policy, putting extra risk on the insurer.

How long each car insurance company’s buying restrictions are in effect is determined by each company, including when they start the binding restrictions. They’ll usually start when the storm warning begins and end 2-3 days after it ends. Along with not accepting new policies or additional coverage from existing policyholders, insurers may not increase limits or lower deductibles during this time.

You’ll still be able to buy your state’s minimum auto insurance requirements when a storm warning is in effect, though some state minimums don’t require coverage for damage to your vehicle. Only liability, property damage and personal injury may be covered.

Insurance you’ll need for a car in a hurricane

Purchasing just the state minimum liability coverage won’t protect your car from hurricane damage. Instead, you’ll need to consider coverage specifically for your vehicle, like comprehensive and collision, to cover some of the major risks hurricanes present.

Comprehensive Coverage

One of the major damages to a car from a hurricane is from flood waters, which can make a car undriveable and a total loss. Another is falling trees or tree branches, which can also total your car.

Comprehensive insurance coverage should cover your car if its damaged by water or falling objects, as outlined in your policy. If the damage is more than your deductible, you’ll want to file a claim with your insurance company when the hurricane has passed and it’s safe to go outside.

Collision Coverage

Collision coverage can help cover repairs to your car if you’re driving during the rainstorm from the hurricane and you lose control because of the rain and crash. Even if the accident was your fault or someone else caused it, you’ll likely still be covered.

Gap Insurance

If you’re paying off your car, you’ll want to consider gap insurance. Gap insurance — which is a separate add-on to an auto insurance policy — can help pay the difference if your car is totaled and you owe more on it than it’s worth. Cars depreciate in value fast, and lenders will still want their money if your car is totaled and the loan balance is higher than the car’s value.

Rental Car Reimbursement

If you have rental car reimbursement on your car insurance policy, it will pay you a certain amount per day or week to rent a car while your car is being repaired or you need time to find another car because your car is totaled. This coverage is helpful in getting things back to normal after a big storm.

Tips for Buying Car Insurance During Hurricane Season

If you’re planning on buying a new car, try to do it before a storm approaches. If a hurricane warning is in effect, you could be locked out from buying anything but the minimum amount of insurance required by law.

Also keep in mind when your current policy expires. If it’s set to expire during hurricane season, shop early for your renewal so that the binding restrictions won’t affect you.

Conclusion

Adding extra coverage beyond your state’s required minimums is always a good idea for protecting yourself from the many risks you can encounter on the road. If you’re pondering adding extra car insurance coverage when a big storm is on the way, acting quickly can help you secure the coverage you need to properly mitigate your risk, though you may not be able to if you wait too long. Planning ahead with your auto insurance coverage may raise your premium, but that advance planning can pay off if a storm causes damage to your vehicle.

 
Learn more about comprehensive and collision coverage and compare auto insurance quotes and save by calling one of our expert insurance advisors today at (844) 300-3364!

 

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Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist who covers the insurance industry and specializes in personal finance topics.