Central Mississippi doesn’t take direct hurricane landfalls the way the Gulf Coast does, but that doesn’t mean Flora, Madison County, and the Jackson metro are in the clear. Gulf storms regularly track inland after landfall, and by the time they reach Central Mississippi they can still bring damaging straight-line winds, tornadoes, and hail. Add in our regular severe thunderstorm season, and wind damage is one of the most common claims homeowners in this area actually file.
The good news is that wind and hail coverage typically isn’t excluded from a standard Mississippi homeowners policy the way flood damage is. The catch is understanding exactly how that coverage works, and what deductible applies when the damage comes from a hurricane or named storm.
Wind and Hail Are Usually Covered, But Not Unconditionally
A standard homeowners policy (an HO-3) in Mississippi generally covers damage from wind and hail as part of its base coverage. If a thunderstorm tears shingles off your roof or hail dents your siding, that’s typically a covered peril under your regular policy, subject to your regular deductible.
Where it gets more complicated is when the damage comes from a hurricane or a storm that the National Hurricane Center has officially named.
What Is a Named Storm or Hurricane Deductible?
Mississippi is one of 19 states that permit insurers to apply a separate, higher deductible for hurricane or named storm damage, rather than your regular homeowners deductible. Instead of a flat dollar amount, this deductible is usually a percentage of your home’s insured value, commonly ranging from 1% to 5%. On a home insured for $300,000, a 2% named storm deductible means you would be responsible for the first $6,000 of damage before your insurance starts paying.
Under Mississippi Insurance Department regulations, this deductible is triggered once the National Hurricane Center declares a named storm or issues a hurricane watch or warning anywhere in the state, and it stays in effect until 24 hours after that watch or warning is lifted. That timing matters. If wind damage happens during that window, you’re looking at the higher percentage deductible, not your standard one.
Not every policy includes a named storm or hurricane deductible, and insurers are far more likely to apply one to coastal properties than to homes here in Central Mississippi. But it isn’t automatic just because you’re inland. Whether your policy has one, and what percentage it uses, comes down to your specific insurer and policy terms.
Wind Pool Coverage Doesn’t Apply Here
If you’ve heard of the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association, or “wind pool,” it’s worth knowing that coverage is limited to the six coastal counties: George, Hancock, Harrison, Jackson, Pearl River, and Stone. Homeowners in Madison County and the rest of Central Mississippi get their wind and hail coverage through their standard homeowners policy, not through the wind pool.
Know Your Deductible Before the Storm, Not After
The biggest mistake we see is homeowners who don’t find out what kind of wind deductible they have until they’re already filing a claim. A few things worth checking on your policy today:
- Do you have a named storm or hurricane deductible at all? Not every carrier includes one, especially for inland Central Mississippi properties.
- Is it a percentage or a flat dollar amount? A percentage deductible can be a much bigger number than it sounds like on paper.
- What triggers it? Confirm whether it’s tied to a named storm specifically or any hurricane watch/warning issued statewide, since the trigger determines which deductible applies to your claim.
Let Runnels Insurance Review Your Wind Coverage
Understanding the fine print on wind and hurricane deductibles shouldn’t fall on you alone. As an independent agency in Flora, MS, Runnels Insurance can review your current homeowners policy, explain exactly what deductible applies and when, and make sure your coverage matches the real risks facing Madison County and Central Mississippi, before storm season puts it to the test.
Contact Runnels Insurance today to review your homeowners policy ahead of hurricane season.