North Carolina Tornado Insurance
Find the right tornado insurance policy for you.
Written by
Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.
North Carolina has a wide range of weather patterns. That can be one of its primary attractions in the winter months and one of its handicaps during the blistering, humid summers. Incidentally, North Carolina is second only to Florida for the number of tornadoes each year among Atlantic coast states. North Carolina tornado insurance can keep a bad situation from turning into a financial disaster.
Depending upon your housing and vehicle insurance, you may or may not be protected against the violent storms that can occur without warning. One way to determine your current level of exposure is to seek out the help of a local independent insurance agent. These independent professionals can gather North Carolina tornado insurance quotes so you can compare them to your current coverage and pricing. Contact your member agent today.
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Tornado Occurrences Are on the Rise
Aside from the extreme western tip of the state, North Carolina is not technically within the region known as Tornado Alley. However, it is within a higher-than-average-risk zone.
- Average annual number of tornadoes in North Carolina: 31
- National rank among states based upon the number of annual tornadoes: 17
- Number of tornadoes in North Carolina during recent years: 135
The number of violent storms and the frequency of occurrence are both increasing with changes in global atmospheric conditions. It is reasonable to expect that damage from tornadoes, hurricanes, and other intense weather will continue to increase.
Do You Need Separate Tornado Insurance?
Most homeowners coverage provides North Carolina tornado insurance as part of the basic policy. Also, most comprehensive coverage within an automobile insurance policy includes tornadoes. The confusion stems from the fact that typically hurricanes and floods are not covered in either policy. A problem can occur when the damage from a tornado exceeds the policy limits. This could happen if you put an addition onto your house and fail to notify your insurance carrier. Under that circumstance, the insurance company may only be responsible for the outdated home value.
A sensible solution may be to confirm that your home and its contents are insured for replacement value rather than the depreciated value at current market rates. Your agent can advise you about your current policy and can recommend changes that may actually lower your premium. To get North Carolina tornado insurance for your vehicles, you'll need to carry comprehensive (or other-than-collision) insurance coverage.
If you have taken out a loan on the purchase of the vehicle, your lender may have required that you carry this insurance. It protects you from large repair or replacement costs from falling objects, severe weather (including tornadoes), fire, theft, and vandalism. You can ask an independent agent how much it would cost to add this coverage to your vehicles, including your auto, boat, ATV, or PWC.
Save on Tornado Insurance
Our independent agents shop around to find you the best coverage.
What Does Your Homeowners Insurance Cover?
Homeowners insurance can provide complete protection for your home and all of its contents. Here are some of the coverage details on homeowners insurance, which includes North Carolina tornado insurance:
- The dwelling: This insurance includes coverage for the house, attached structures, all plumbing and electrical fixtures, heating and air conditioning systems. It is important that the policy limit is at least 80% of the replacement cost of the home, or there may be a reduction in the amount payable.
- Other structures: This includes garages and tool sheds. The same 80% coverage factor applies here.
- Personal property: This includes all contents within the home or other covered structures. It is usually capped at 50% of the coverage limit for the dwelling. Note that some items such as cash, jewelry, and valuable collections may not be fully covered. Your agent can advise you of your options for those.
- Loss of use: Capped at 20% of the dwelling coverage, this includes expenses in the event you cannot live in your home because of damage from a covered peril.
- Personal liability: Protects you if you are found to be responsible for an injury to someone other than named residents. This also applies to third-party property damage, libel, and slander. There are some exceptions, such as when the injury is intentional.
- Medical payments to others: This covers accidental injuries within your home to non-family members. Bear in mind that this coverage does not extend to business activities conducted within the home.
Where to Find North Carolina Tornado Insurance Quotes
Those who do not carry a mortgage on their homes are the most vulnerable to North Carolina tornado insurance issues. Usually, the mortgage company will insist upon adequate coverage to protect the home. Without the requirement to furnish that proof, many homeowners allow their insurance to lapse or become outdated. Your property values are probably climbing once again, and the replacement costs for home repairs or reconstruction are rising as well.
The state of North Carolina strongly advises that property owners and renters maintain adequate insurance protection to cover all NC property and to protect against the possibility of a devastating legal judgment. An independent agent within our network can assemble multiple quotes from various insurance companies that you can compare.
Find your nearest agent today to confirm your coverage and protect your family and future.