Experts say now is the time to review storm insurance

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Hurricane season begins on Sunday, and industry experts say now is the time for your home or apartment to have the right insurance coverage.

Windstorm insurance, for example, is an add-on to a resident's homeowner's or renter's policy that can protect them following storm damage.

Those policy addenda cover against wind, rain, and hail.

That type of policy can't be added when a storm is headed towards the Valley.

When a storm system has formed in the Gulf and reaches a particular latitude and longitudinal coordinates, insurance companies stop writing new policies until the threat has passed.

The specific coordinates will vary from company to company.

Tito Resendez is an independent State Farm Insurance agent who's worked in Harlingen for over 20 years.

He says that before a storm comes, it's important for homeowners and renters to be aware of the coverage they have.

“You would have a base homeowner policy, or a renter’s policy, and you can add windstorm coverage. Not all policies come with it," Resendez said, "It would need to be spelled out in your declarations page.”

Flooding, however, would not be covered. Flood insurance is covered at the federal level and is a separate policy. However, local agents are able to write them.

"It has a different deductible, and it carries a different premium that you pay directly to the National Flood Insurance Program. That’s where your check goes, and that’s where the coverage comes. But it is not associated with a specific company," Resendez adds.

He said homeowners apply for that coverage, but there's a 30-day waiting period before the flood insurance is activated.

For example, homeowners would not be covered if a severe rain event like the catastrophic flooding that recently hit the Valley were to happen within that window.

Resendez advises that even if policyholders are covered, it's still a good idea to make sure they're getting enough coverage for what their home is worth.

“Things are much more expensive to rebuild, and if people have not reviewed their coverage lately, they should review it at least annually. And this is a perfect time to do it, around hurricane season as kind of your trigger point," Resendez said, "Did I make any additions to the home? Did I remodel the home? Is my home insured to the proper value? Because you don’t want to find that out after the storm has passed.”

Resendez says it's a good idea to take videos of your belongings before a storm comes; that way, there's a record of what was lost or damaged should homeowners ever need to file a claim.