Comprehensive insurance covers damages resulting from natural disasters and other “Acts of God”—but timing matters. Sign up in advance of an impending storm.

Written by Kianna Walpole

Edited by Jessica Barrett

Reviewed by Brice Regling

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Jump to:

Does car insurance cover natural disasters?
Here’s when car insurance won’t cover natural disasters
You can’t purchase car insurance right before a natural disaster
How to file a comprehensive claim after a natural disaster
FAQs

Load full table of contents

Comprehensive

car insurance

covers losses resulting from circumstances other than collisions, such as theft, vandalism, and natural disasters. It’s part of a full-coverage auto insurance policy, which will protect you in various situations and ensure you have the coverage you need.

Does car insurance cover natural disasters?

Comprehensive coverage

covers damage from natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides, wildfires, lightning strikes, tornadoes, and flooding—plus a range of other non-collision-related events that are outside of your control. This includes:

Automobile theft

Vandalism

Fire/explosions

Falling objects

Severe weather

Broken windshield or glass damage

Comprehensive coverage is one component of the typical

full coverage insurance policy

, which also includes state minimum insurance and

collision coverage

If you file a comprehensive auto insurance claim after a severe weather event, you will be reimbursed only for the damages to your vehicle that can be directly attributed to the storm. The specifics will depend on your policy, the type of damage sustained, and the source of the damage.

Your comprehensive coverage won’t pay for storm-related car accidents or medical or legal expenses. If you’re involved in an accident during a downpour from a hurricane, you’ll need collision coverage to avoid paying out of pocket for all your damages.

Learn more:

Does car insurance cover ‘acts of god’?

Here’s when car insurance won’t cover natural disasters

Sometimes, your car insurance policy might not pay out for natural disaster damage. Let’s break down when that might be the case:

You lack the required coverage: If you only carry state minimum insurance coverage (like liability insurance), your policy will not pay for damage to your vehicle—from a natural disaster or any other cause.

Your policy excludes natural disasters: Some policies may exclude damage from specific natural disasters, such as floods or earthquakes. In these cases, you won’t be able to make a claim if the damage to your vehicle is a result of those exclusions.

You fail to file a claim in time: Be sure to file your claim as soon as possible after the natural disaster that caused your damage. Waiting too long can lead to your insurance provider denying the claim. Depending on your state and provider, the window to file could be anywhere from 90 days to a couple of years.

If you have questions about what type of damage your policy includes or excludes, it’s best to reach out to an insurance agent to go over your policy details.

You can’t purchase car insurance right before a natural disaster

Natural disasters, such as hurricanes or hail storms, are typically forecast in advance—but you can’t purchase coverage once that happens. This is known as a “binding restriction” and prevents insurers from having to pay out more for vehicle losses than they would make in premiums.

Insurers require your flood insurance and comprehensive coverage to be active for a specific period before they cover any losses. To ensure you’re covered for storms and other natural disasters, you should add comprehensive insurance to your policy well in advance.

How to file a comprehensive claim after a natural disaster

According to the National Centers for Environmental Information, there were 18 climate-related disasters in the US in 2022, costing at least $1 billion in damages each1. This list included wildfires, flood damage, tornadoes, tropical cyclones, and severe weather.

If you experience damage from a natural disaster and need to file a claim, this is what you should do.

1. Document the damage and estimate cost of repairs

Once you notice damage to your vehicle after a natural disaster, it’s best to document the scene by taking photos and/or videos of the area and your car. You should also make a complete list of any items that were damaged or destroyed.

After you have proof of damage, you can get ahead of the curve—and your budget—by estimating repair costs. While your comprehensive coverage will pay up to your policy limits, you will still have to pay your deductible. If the total damage is less than (or only slightly more than) your deductible, it isn’t worth filing a claim.

Using the

Jerry

app, you can estimate how much certain repairs will cost.

From your headlights and windshield to internal systems like your ignition and battery, you can see a rough estimate of pricing for each service at trusted repair shops near you, plus a breakdown of fees and timing.

Learn more:

Car body repair quotes: Estimates and how to shop

2. Contact your insurance company

When filing a comprehensive claim for natural disasters, contact your insurance agent as soon as possible once you know what damage has occurred. Be sure to have the following information on hand:

Your driver’s license number

Policy number

Relevant photos and videos

A description of the damage

During this call, confirm with the agent what your car insurance policy covers. Not every insurance provider will cover every type of natural disaster.

3. File your claim

After all the necessary information is gathered, you can file your insurance claim. You will need to provide information on the extent of the damage and how it occurred.

Most providers recommend that you file a claim as fast as you can because repair shops and insurers typically get a wave of calls after a natural disaster. The slower you are to get the claims process started, the longer it will take to get your vehicle back in tip-top shape.

Before you file your claim, assess whether or not the damage is worth the insurance premium hike. For example, hail damage can break your windshield, but it might not be worth making a claim. To help make your decision, compare your deductible amount against the cost of repairs to determine if a claim makes sense.

4. Complete your repairs

As soon as you file your claim, you can start looking for an auto body repair shop. Your insurance company will probably have some options for you, but you can also Jerry to find trusted, local shops.

Jerry can show you nearby repair shops with average customer raings, average hourly rates, and typical diagnostic fees.

You’ll be able to save your top choices and compare rates before making your final decision.

FAQs

Does car insurance coverage cover hurricanes?

Most comprehensive policies will cover events including hurricane damage and wind damage, but it’s best to contact your provider to determine exactly what your policy does and does not cover.

What happens if your car is destroyed in a natural disaster?

If your car is a total loss after a natural disaster, your comprehensive coverage will pay out for the actual cash value of your vehicle, minus any deductibles.

Should I get coverage for natural disasters?

Almost everyone can benefit from comprehensive coverage—but this is especially true if you reside in a natural disaster hot zone. Comprehensive coverage extends beyond natural disasters to pay for theft, vandalism, and more.

Is there a deductible for natural disasters?

There is a deductible for comprehensive coverage. Depending on your financial situation, you can opt for a lower or higher deductible—but keep in mind that this will also change your monthly premium amount.