Hawaii Hurricane Insurance
Find the right hurricane insurance policy for you.
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Hurricanes that affect Hawaii are the result of tropical cyclones that form over the Pacific Ocean. Approximately four or five of these tropical cyclones form each year, but fortunately for residents, most do not affect the Hawaiian Islands. On occasion, however, a hurricane can cause destruction and, when this happens, the damage can be costly. The good news is that you can protect yourself from financial losses by covering your personal property with suitable hurricane insurance. The first step is to request and compare hurricane insurance quotes.
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Hawaii Hurricane Statistics
- An average of 4.5 tropical cyclones form over the Pacific Ocean each year
- In both 1992 and 1994, 11 tropical cyclones developed
- Since 1949, 38 tropical cyclones have affected the Hawaiian Islands
- Of these, 13 occurred in the month of September and 9 were in October
- Hurricane Iwa, in 1982, was the 2nd most damaging storm to affect the islands; though only a category 1 storm, it caused approximately $250 million in damages.
- Hurricane Iniki, in 1992, was the most damaging storm to hit Hawaii; it hit Kauai Island as a Category 4 storm and caused nearly $2 billion in manages.
What Is Hurricane Insurance?
Prior to Hurricane Iniki in 1992, most standard homeowners insurance policies in Hawaii included hurricane damage as part of their extended coverage. However, after this extremely damaging storm, many insurance providers began excluding hurricane damage from their coverage. In this instance, policyholders then needed to purchase a separate hurricane insurance policy in order to obtain this coverage.
Hurricane insurance is designed to cover damages caused by the heavy winds of a hurricane. It does not, however, cover flood damage, which almost always accompanies a hurricane. In order to achieve this sort of coverage, policyholders will also need to purchase a flood insurance policy through the NFIP.
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Why Do Hawaii Residents Need Hurricane Insurance?
Most Hawaiians do not spend much time worrying about hurricanes. Indeed, the islands (with the exception of Kauai) seem almost immune to these storms, which tend to break up or shift course before making landfall. Nevertheless, tropical cyclones and hurricanes do sometimes affect the islands and cause damage.
Nobody knows when the next Iniki-like storm will strike. The 140-mph winds of that storm were excessively damaging and such a hurricane does have the potential to make a repeat performance. Rather than risk losing one’s home or expensive personal property without recompense, it is better to have a hurricane insurance policy as a back-up. If your homeowners insurance provider stopped covering hurricanes, you may want to seriously consider supplementing your policy with this coverage.
Are Hurricane Insurance Quotes High in Hawaii?
Despite the fact that most tropical cyclones do not hit the Hawaiian Islands, FEMA has designated the entire state as a “Wind-Borne Debris Region,” meaning that the risk of wind damage is significant. If your home insurance policy already includes hurricane damage as part of its covered hazards, you do not need to do anything more. If it does not, it is time to start looking at hurricane insurance quotes for policies that can supplement your coverage.
Hurricane insurance quotes are based primarily on the amount of coverage you are purchasing and your relative risk of damage, which will be greater for those who live on the island of Kauai than in other parts of Hawaii. To find out how much it will cost you, you will need to request quotes from insurance providers. It is a good idea to obtain and compare at least three quotes before making a selection. That way you can be sure you are not paying too much for your coverage.
Hawaii Residents Can Compare Hurricane Insurance Quotes
You may already have enough coverage against hurricane damage. If not, you might want to consider increasing your coverage with supplemental riders, endorsements or policies. An independent agent in the TrustedChoice.com network can help you review your currently-held policies to determine whether or not additional coverage is necessary. These agents might even be able to find you better policies that provide more coverage than you currently have at an even lower rate.
Trust your local Trusted Choice agent to provide you with personalized service and a variety of policies to review and compare. Talk with an independent agent near you to learn more and to receive your selection of hurricane insurance quotes for Hawaii.