Hurricane deductible calculator

It is a percentage of your dwelling coverage, not of the damage. That distinction is worth thousands, and most people only discover it after a storm.

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Your policy

Assumes the selected deductible applies to covered damage, with no prior annual deductible credit. Does not model depreciation, coverage limits or a separate flood claim.

On your declarations page. Not your home's market value.

What applies to a non-storm loss, for comparison.

 

Hurricane deductible—
Your standard deductible—
Extra you absorb on this loss because it is a storm—
Estimated payment under these assumptions—
Show the math

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    Actual cash value vs replacement cost

    Once the deductible is settled, depreciation decides the rest of the cheque.

    Should I file a claim?

    Compare payout and premium assumptions without delaying required notice.

    The percentage is not applied to your damage

    This is the whole misunderstanding, and it is worth stating flatly before anything else: a hurricane deductible is a percentage of the amount your home is insured for, not a percentage of the loss. The Insurance Information Institute is explicit that these deductibles are calculated against insured value, and gives the arithmetic without softening it — a home insured for $300,000 with a 5 percent hurricane deductible absorbs the first $15,000 of the claim.

    For an illustrative home insured for $400,000, a 2% deductible is $8,000. With $9,000 of covered damage and no other settlement adjustments, the modeled payment is $1,000. With $7,500 of damage it is zero. A zero estimate does not remove policy notice duties, and an earlier loss may matter to an annual deductible balance.

    Compare the dollar amount with the ordinary deductible, but do not assume either one applies merely because it produces a better result. Use the declarations page and endorsements to identify the covered peril, percentage and calculation base.

    Where these deductibles apply

    Nineteen states plus the District of Columbia apply hurricane deductibles: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. The typical range is one to five percent of insured value, and higher in coastal high-risk areas where carriers price the exposure more aggressively.

    State rules can limit deductible options and change how repeated losses are treated. For example, Florida describes an annual hurricane deductible for personal residential policies with the same insurer or group: earlier losses can reduce the remaining hurricane deductible, while the all-other-perils deductible can still affect a later claim. This calculator does not apply that annual credit. See the Florida Department of Financial Services explanation and ask your insurer for your remaining balance.

    What actually switches the deductible on

    Read the deductible endorsement as well as the declarations page. The applicable trigger and time window depend on the policy and state rules; a storm name or warning alone does not establish what your policy requires. Record the loss date and ask your insurer to identify the exact provision it applied.

    Keep the date and time of loss, photographs and the insurer’s written explanation together. Ask which endorsement, event and time window support the deductible. This gives you a concrete discrepancy to discuss if the calculation differs from your documents.

    Separate deductibles, separate perils, one storm

    Hurricane, named-storm and wind/hail deductibles can have different definitions. Do not assume they are interchangeable or decide how multiple coverages interact from this calculator. Ask the adjuster to explain the deductible applied to each part of a mixed loss.

    Flood is a different matter entirely. Storm surge and rising water are excluded from standard homeowners policies and covered separately, usually through the National Flood Insurance Program, with its own deductible. A hurricane that damages a home by both wind and water routinely produces two claims, two deductibles and two adjusters, and the split between wind and water damage is one of the most disputed determinations in property insurance.

    If the deductible looks wrong

    Start with the declarations page and deductible endorsements. Compare the selected percentage and coverage base with the adjuster’s figures. If they differ, request the inputs and policy provision in writing. This separates an arithmetic discrepancy from a disagreement about coverage.

    If the dispute concerns the loss estimate, read the policy appraisal provision and ask about its costs and binding effect before using it. Coverage disputes may require a different process. Your state insurance department can explain complaint options; no particular resolution or timetable is guaranteed.

    Once the deductible is settled, depreciation decides the rest. Run the actual cash value vs replacement cost calculator to compare depreciation assumptions and potential additional payment after repairs.

    Hurricane deductible rules by state

    Triggers, permitted percentages and annual rules from each state's insurance regulator.

    Connecticut · Florida · Louisiana · Maryland · Massachusetts · Mississippi · New Jersey · New York · North Carolina · Rhode Island · South Carolina · Texas

    Compare all states

    Frequently asked questions

    Is a hurricane deductible a percentage of the damage or of my coverage?

    Of your coverage. It is calculated against your dwelling coverage limit, sometimes called Coverage A, not against the size of the loss. This is the single most common misunderstanding about these deductibles. Two percent of $400,000 in dwelling coverage is an $8,000 deductible whether the damage is $9,000 or $200,000.

    Which states have hurricane deductibles?

    Nineteen states plus the District of Columbia: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. They typically run 1 to 5 percent of insured value, and higher in coastal high-risk areas.

    What triggers the hurricane deductible instead of my normal one?

    The policy endorsement and state rules determine the trigger and time window. Ask the insurer to identify the exact provision, the event it relied on and the recorded loss time. This calculator compares amounts; it does not determine which deductible legally applies.

    Is a named storm deductible the same as a hurricane deductible?

    Not necessarily. Read each endorsement for the covered peril, event definition and time window. Do not assume a named storm and hurricane provision use the same trigger or percentage.

    Can my insurer choose any percentage it wants?

    Deductible options depend on state rules and the policy. Use the percentage and coverage basis shown in your documents, and ask the insurer to explain any difference from its loss estimate. This tool does not validate the legality of the selected percentage.

    Sources & further reading

    This tool's assumptions come from the primary sources below. Sources and calculator checked: October 8, 2026.