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If shingles from my house damage my car during a hurricane in Florida, does my auto policy or home policy pay for it?

My car and home were unfortunately damaged in a recent hurricane—my shingles flew off the roof, and then hit my car. Luckily it’s mostly minor damage, but do I need to put in a claim for both my auto and home policies? How does this work?

avatar
Shannon Martin · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
It’s good to hear that it’s relatively minor damage! To answer your question, yes—you would have to file a claim with both your auto and homeowners policy for the damage. However, you should read your home policy carefully before you do so!
Your
comprehensive coverage
covers wind damage and flying objects. Comprehensive losses are deemed not at fault, so as long as you have the coverage, feel free to file the claim!
If you don’t have the coverage, try downloading the
Jerry
app. Jerry shops low rates with over 50 carriers and you will have 24/7 access to your policy, so you can make sure that you have the proper coverage going forward.
Your homeowners policy may be a different story. Unlike an auto policy, you aren’t required to notify your insurance company about every minor loss as long as you repair them right away to ensure no further damage to your home. You will want to ask yourself these three questions:
  • How much is my wind deductible?
  • Can I easily pay for the repairs out of pocket?
  • How often do I file claims?
If you live in a state that sees a lot of tornadoes and wind damage, you may have a separate wind deductible. It can run from 1%-10% of your dwelling coverage (or Coverage A) depending on what you chose when you purchased the policy. If you don’t live in a high-risk area, though, you probably have a standard $500 or $1000 deductible.
You may be wondering what difference it makes if you’re just trying to repair your shingles—which makes sense, of course! But look at it this way: If your home is insured for $200,000 and your wind deductible is 5%, that means you are required to pay the first $10,000 of the repairs yourself. Plus, once you notify your insurance company about the loss, you may see an increase in your premium.
Have a roofer do an estimate of the repairs before you contact your insurance company, since a small shingle repair job may cost well under $2000. You should do this immediately so there is no further damage to the home.
Best of luck—and here’s hoping your rates stay low!
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