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After a hurricane, document all damage immediately with photos and videos before any cleanup or temporary repairs. Contact your insurance carrier and wind pool (if applicable) separately, as each policy handles its own claims process. Keep records of all repair estimates, receipts for temporary repairs, and hotel/living expenses if you’re displaced. For flood claims, contact your NFIP insurer separately from your homeowners carrier. Most carriers have 24/7 claims lines and mobile apps for initial reporting.

Bridgeway Insurance Agency can help you navigate the claims process and connect you with adjusters. Visit bridgewayins.com/claims for claims guidance, or read our state-specific hurricane guides: Florida | Louisiana | Alabama.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program administered by FEMA that provides flood insurance with maximum coverage of $250,000 for the dwelling and $100,000 for contents. NFIP policies are standardized with set rates determined by Risk Rating 2.0. Private flood insurance is offered by private carriers with potentially higher limits, broader coverage (including loss of use/ALE), and in some cases lower premiums for lower-risk properties. Private flood can often be bound faster than NFIP’s 30-day waiting period.

Many coastal homeowners benefit from combining NFIP coverage with excess private flood for high-value properties. Bridgeway Insurance Agency offers both NFIP and private flood options. Compare flood insurance options or read: Louisiana | Florida | Mississippi.

Inland residents still face tropical weather risk even far from the coast. Tropical storm remnants regularly produce catastrophic inland flooding — Hurricane Helene (2024) killed over 100 people in landlocked western North Carolina and caused billions in damage across inland Tennessee and Georgia. Inland homeowners typically already have wind coverage in their standard homeowners policy, but flood insurance is often overlooked and equally critical. FEMA flood maps underestimate the risk from tropical rainfall.

Bridgeway recommends all homeowners within 200 miles of the Gulf or Atlantic coast evaluate their flood coverage. Get a flood insurance quote or read inland state guides: Tennessee | Georgia | North Carolina.

No — storm surge flooding is not covered by hurricane or homeowners insurance, even if the flooding is directly caused by a hurricane. Storm surge is classified as flood damage, which requires a separate NFIP or private flood insurance policy. This distinction has led to billions of dollars in uninsured losses in major hurricanes including Katrina (2005), Harvey (2017), Ian (2022), and Helene (2024). If you live in a coastal area, flood insurance is essential — not optional.

Purchase flood insurance well before hurricane season to avoid the 30-day NFIP waiting period. Get a flood insurance quote or read our coverage guides: Florida | North Carolina | Georgia.

Purchase or review your complete hurricane insurance program before May 1 to ensure all coverage is active for the June 1 Atlantic hurricane season opening. The NFIP’s 30-day waiting period is the critical driver — any flood policy purchased after May 1 will not take effect before the season begins. Homeowners and windstorm policies can typically be bound more quickly, but insurance carriers impose binding moratoriums when a named storm threatens, so don’t wait until a storm is forecast.

Bridgeway Insurance Agency recommends an annual coverage review each spring. Start your hurricane insurance review or read our seasonal preparation guide: Florida | Louisiana | Mississippi.

Hurricane insurance costs vary significantly by state and coastal proximity. Louisiana coastal homeowners pay $5,000-$13,000/year; Florida $5,500-$12,000/year; North Carolina $3,500-$10,000/year; Alabama $2,300-$6,500/year; Georgia $2,000-$5,500/year; Mississippi $1,800-$5,000/year; and Tennessee $1,500-$3,300/year. Costs depend on replacement value, construction type, distance from coast, elevation, and your named storm deductible.

Bridgeway Insurance Agency shops multiple carriers to find the best rate for your situation. Get a free quote or explore costs by state: Florida | Louisiana | North Carolina.

Several Southeast states operate state-managed wind pools for coastal properties: Mississippi’s MWUA covers coastal counties; Alabama’s AIUA covers Baldwin and Mobile counties; Louisiana Citizens covers coastal parishes; Florida Citizens covers high-risk properties statewide; and North Carolina’s NCIUA Beach Plan covers 8 coastal counties. Georgia and Tennessee do not have state wind pools — private market coverage is available. State wind pool policies cover wind only — flood must be purchased separately.

Learn more: MS MWUA | AL AIUA | LA Citizens | FL Citizens | NC Beach Plan.

Flood insurance is legally separate from homeowners insurance and is required by federal law for properties with federally-backed mortgages in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas. Even outside SFHAs, flood insurance is strongly recommended in hurricane-prone states — storm surge and tropical flooding are never covered by homeowners policies. The NFIP’s 30-day waiting period means late purchases may not be active when needed.

Purchase flood insurance before May 1 to ensure June 1 hurricane season coverage. Get a flood insurance quote from Bridgeway Insurance Agency, or read our state guides for Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia.

A named storm deductible is a special percentage-based deductible that applies when a hurricane or named tropical storm causes damage. Unlike a standard flat-dollar deductible, named storm deductibles are 1%-10% of your dwelling coverage value. On a $300,000 home with a 3% deductible, you owe $9,000 before insurance pays. Named storm deductibles vary by state: Florida 2%-10%, Louisiana 2%-5%, Mississippi and Alabama 2%-5%, North Carolina 1%-5%, and Georgia 1%-3%.

Always check your declarations page to confirm your deductible before storm season. Bridgeway agents can help you understand your deductible and explore options. See our state guides: Florida | North Carolina | Alabama.

Standard homeowners insurance covers wind damage from hurricanes and tropical storms in most states, but flood damage from storm surge is never covered by homeowners insurance — it requires a separate flood policy. In Gulf and Atlantic coastal states, some high-risk properties also need a separate windstorm policy through a state wind pool such as Mississippi’s MWUA, Alabama’s AIUA, or Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance.

Bridgeway Insurance Agency can review your current coverage and identify gaps before hurricane season. Get a free quote or explore state-specific coverage in our guides for Mississippi, Florida, and Louisiana.