Posted On: March 16, 2006, 7:29 pm CST

Posted By: DoLittle

The vast majority of homeowners policies provide all risk except as excluded coverage. There are no "perils" as such in most homeowners policies.

Flood damage is excluded, wind damage is not excluded, therefore wind damage is covered.

There are various deductibles that apply at various times. One is a "hurricane" deductible. A "hurricane" deductible applies to defined losses by the homeowners policy at defined times. i.e. during a hurricane.

However, The endorsement that creates and defines a "hurricane" deductible does not create or define coverage.

Keep in mind that the coverage provided by most homeowners policies is all risk except as excluded.

"Flood" is excluded from most homeowners policies but "flood" is covered by the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Policy).

The max amount of coverage is $250,000.00. Additional amounts of coverage (excess coverage) can be purchased from the London (non-admitted) surplus lines market.

Anyone who has a home where the replacement cost is more than $250,000.00 and is near the gulf, or any other flood scource, needs to have more than $250,000.00 in "flood" coverage, i.e. a max NFIP policy and an excess "flood" policy.

As State Farm and most other companies represented by agents are "admitted" companies, the policies they write and we buy, I am insured with State Farm, are submitted to the state insurance department and approved by the state.

The language in the policies written by "admitted" companies has been tested by fire many, many times, and there are court cases that set precedent.

The politicians in Mississippi would have to be monumental dummies to not know this.

It is highly improbable that the courts, state or federal, will find that homeowners policies cover "flood".

The courts will certainly find that homeowners policies cover "wind". But then anyone one familiar with homeowners policies already knows that.

The courts will certainly find that the NFIP covers "flood". But then anyone one familiar with homeowners policies already knows that.