Before the Storm Is the Only Time That Matters
Louisiana hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, but here's what most homeowners don't realize: once a named storm enters the Gulf of Mexico, most insurers freeze new policies and changes. That means you can't buy flood insurance, increase your coverage, or switch carriers until the threat passes.
The time to review your insurance is now. Not when the weather channel starts showing spaghetti models.
Your Pre-Season Insurance Checklist
1. Confirm Your Homeowners Policy Is Active and Up to Date
This sounds basic, but every year we see homeowners who let their policy lapse without realizing it, often because of a missed payment or a carrier non-renewal letter that got buried in the mail.
Action items:
- Verify your policy is active and the premium is current
- Check your policy's effective and expiration dates
- Confirm your dwelling coverage amount reflects what it would actually cost to rebuild your home today (not what you paid for it)
- Review your deductible. Many Louisiana policies have a separate hurricane/wind deductible (often 2–5% of the dwelling coverage)
2. Understand What Your Homeowners Policy Does NOT Cover
Standard homeowners insurance covers wind damage from hurricanes, but it has critical gaps:
- Flood damage is NOT covered. Wind pushes a tree through your roof? Covered. Rising water fills your first floor? That requires a separate flood insurance policy.
- Storm surge is flood, not wind. This is the distinction that devastates families. If Gulf water pushes inland and enters your home, that's flood, not covered by your homeowners policy.
- Cars damaged by the storm are covered by your auto insurance comprehensive coverage, not your home policy.
3. Get Flood Insurance (Yes, Even If You're Not in a Flood Zone)
About 25% of flood claims in Louisiana come from properties outside high-risk zones. You don't need to live on a bayou to flood. A clogged drainage canal, an overloaded pump station, or 10 inches of rain in 6 hours can put water in any home in Baton Rouge.
If you don't have flood insurance, get it now. There are two options:
- NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program): government-backed, available everywhere, but has coverage limits ($250,000 dwelling / $100,000 contents)
- Private flood insurance: often cheaper with higher limits and fewer exclusions
We wrote a full comparison: NFIP vs. Private Flood Insurance in Louisiana
Important: NFIP policies have a 30-day waiting period before coverage kicks in. If you wait until June 1, you won't be covered until July 1. Buy early. The exception is new home purchases, where you can get coverage with no waiting period as long as the policy is purchased before closing.
4. Review Your Hurricane/Wind Deductible
Most Louisiana homeowners policies include a named storm or hurricane deductible that's separate from your regular deductible. This is usually expressed as a percentage of your dwelling coverage:
| Dwelling Coverage | 2% Deductible | 5% Deductible |
|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $4,000 | $10,000 |
| $300,000 | $6,000 | $15,000 |
| $400,000 | $8,000 | $20,000 |
| $500,000 | $10,000 | $25,000 |
That means on a $300,000 home with a 5% hurricane deductible, you're paying the first $15,000 out of pocket before insurance kicks in. Make sure you know your number and have funds set aside.
5. Document Everything You Own
If your home is damaged, you'll need to prove what you had and what it was worth. Do this before the storm:
- Record a video walkthrough of every room with your phone and narrate what you see. Open cabinets, closets, and drawers.
- Photograph serial numbers on electronics, appliances, and tools.
- Save receipts for major purchases: furniture, appliances, jewelry.
- Create a home inventory spreadsheet with estimated replacement costs.
- Store everything in the cloud: Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox. A paper list in your filing cabinet doesn't help if your filing cabinet is underwater.
6. Keep Your Insurance Documents Accessible
During a storm, you may not be able to access your home. Keep digital copies of:
- Your homeowners policy declarations page
- Your flood insurance policy declarations page
- Your auto insurance cards
- Your agent's contact information (that's us: (225) 395-4000)
- Photos of your home's exterior and major systems (roof, HVAC, water heater)
Store these in your phone, in the cloud, or both.
7. Check Your Additional Living Expenses (ALE) Coverage
If your home is uninhabitable after a hurricane, ALE coverage pays for hotel stays, meals, and temporary housing while repairs are made. Most policies include it, but the limits vary.
Review how much ALE coverage you have and how long it lasts. After a major storm, temporary housing in Baton Rouge fills up fast and prices spike. You want enough coverage to avoid financial stress on top of the stress of displacement.
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If a Storm Is Approaching
Once a named storm is in the Gulf, you typically cannot:
- Buy a new homeowners or flood policy
- Increase coverage limits
- Switch carriers
- Lower your deductible
What you can do:
- File claims for any existing damage before the storm compounds it
- Secure your property (board windows, move vehicles to covered parking and/or higher ground)
- Gather important documents and medications
- Photograph your home's current condition as a pre-storm baseline
After the Storm: Filing a Claim
If your home is damaged:
- Document everything before cleaning up. Take photos and video of all damage, interior and exterior, before you move or repair anything.
- Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage (tarp the roof, board broken windows). Keep all receipts. Your policy covers reasonable temporary repairs.
- Call your agent immediately. We'll help you file claims with the right carriers (homeowners for wind, flood for water, auto for vehicle damage).
- Keep a log of all conversations with adjusters, contractors, and your agent. Note dates, names, and what was discussed.
- Don't sign anything from a contractor without reading it. After storms, unlicensed contractors flood the area (no pun intended). Get multiple estimates and verify licenses.
Review Your Coverage Before the Season Starts
If you haven't looked at your policy recently, now is a good time. Give your agent a call and ask about your wind deductible, your flood coverage, and whether anything has changed since your last renewal. A 15-minute conversation can clear up a lot.
