If wind causes a storm surge, isn't this damage caused by wind?

[eccles12]

This is a question about Katrina victims and their insurance. The latest decision by the court has me wondering.

[mtnsnake]

1. Only indirectly

The direct cause would be the water. That's what I'm thinking anyhow.

[baldguy]

2. The insurance co.s sold "Hurricane coverage" that only covered wind damage

Sounds like fraud to me.

[Igel]

5. This makes sense to me. Now.

We're checking into buying a house, and asked about insurance.

There's property insurance. The usual stuff. Structure, contents, liability.

There's wind insurance. We're near the Gulf, and while Houston and environs flood, there's also a lot of wind damage that could occur. When Rita was going to nail us there was talk about strength of materials and what wind speed would cause catastrophic failure of buildings.

There's flood insurance. Through FEMA, still, apparently. But it's a different critter entirely. And fairly inexpensive, as such things go.

[Dr.Phool]

10. Inexpensive?

I live in a 100 year flood zone, and pay over $700 per year for flood insurance alone. Structure only, no contents, and they only cover up to the water line. In other words, if the water came up 2 feet, they only pay to replace 2 feet of drywall, not the whole sheet.

[Bonhomme Richard]

3. Usually insurance contracts define terms and I guess.............

you would need to know the definition (contractually) of "hurricane". Maybe you also need to have flood insurance. I don't know.

[htuttle]

4. If the wind blew a car into your house,...

...would you have to have your auto insurance cover it?

Hmm...

[msongs]

6. people who buy insurance need to READ their contract first nt

[Jed Dilligan]

7. But what causes the wind?

Eventually, we can all sue the butterfly who flapped his wings in China... or else, the oil companies....

[Saphire]

8. No, not if your an insurance company.

[ramapo]

9. You get what you pay for

The case seemed pretty clear to me. The policy expressly didn't cover water damage. That is pretty standard. If you want coverage for water damage, you need to buy flood insurance. Plain and simple.

If you live ANYWHERE near water, it is prudent to purchase flood insurance. If you don't, shame on you.


I believe that some properties should not be eligible for flood insurance, or at least not eligible for rebuilding. I object to government sponsored insurance for million dollar plus homes that are built where people have no business building (like on the beach). In effect the taxpayer subsidizes the millionaire.

On the flipside, our government has done next to nothing, maybe less than nothing, to help people financially devastated by Katrina. Shame on our government.