Glossary

Windstorm

The peril of damage from high winds, including hurricanes, tornadoes and thunderstorm gusts, which most policies cover, sometimes with a separate deductible.

Also called: wind damage, windstorm or hail, wind peril

Windstorm is the insurance term for damage caused by wind, including hurricanes, tornadoes, derechos and thunderstorm gusts. On the standard ISO HO-3, the dwelling is covered for windstorm because the form insures against all risks not excluded. For personal property, "windstorm or hail" is one of the named perils.

One condition matters in practice. For belongings, the named peril pays for rain, snow, sleet, sand or dust inside the home only if wind or hail first damages the building and creates an opening through which the water enters. Storm surge and flood are not windstorm, even when wind drives them, and they are excluded.

How you pay depends on where you live. Many coastal and hail-prone areas apply a separate hurricane deductible or wind/hail deductible, often a percentage of the dwelling limit. Say a 2% deductible applies to a $400,000 dwelling limit: that is $8,000 out of pocket before the policy pays for wind damage (hypothetical). In some high-risk areas, wind is excluded and written separately, which is covered under wind exclusion. The guide wind and hail deductibles explained explains how those deductibles are calculated and applied.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Peril A specific cause of loss, such as fire, wind, theft or water, that a policy covers or excludes; it is the cause of the damage rather than the damage itself. Wind/hail deductible A separate amount you pay first, flat or a percentage of the dwelling limit, on damage from wind or hail in place of the standard flat amount. Hurricane deductible A separate amount you pay first, usually a percentage of the dwelling limit, that applies to wind damage from a hurricane in place of your regular flat amount. Wind exclusion A provision or endorsement that removes wind and hail from a homeowners policy, so the home needs separate wind coverage from a wind pool or another insurer. Storm surge The abnormal rise of seawater that a hurricane or strong storm pushes onshore above the normal tide, treated as flood and excluded from homeowners policies. Hail damage Dents, bruises, cracks and punctures that falling ice causes to roofs, siding, windows and outdoor equipment, covered under the windstorm or hail peril.

Related guides

Insuring a coastal home: wind, flood and where to find coverage Coastal owners often assemble coverage from several sources: a homeowners policy, a flood policy and sometimes a state wind pool. How the pieces fit and cost. Beach and windstorm pools along the coast: how they work Wind pools in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and the Carolinas cover coastal wind and hail when private insurers will not. Eligibility, limits and tradeoffs. Falling tree damage: who pays and when Your own homeowners policy pays for a tree that hits your house, whoever owned the tree. Tree removal is capped, and the tree itself is rarely covered. Hail damage claims: roofs, siding and windows How hail claims are inspected and paid, why the roof settlement, the wind/hail deductible and cosmetic exclusions decide the check, and what to do first. What Hurricanes Helene and Milton taught homeowners Two 2024 hurricanes two weeks apart exposed gaps in flood cover, deductible timing and inland wind claims. Loss, NFIP and Florida OIR figures, plus a checklist. Hurricane coverage: wind, flood and storm surge A standard homeowners policy pays for hurricane wind damage but not for flood or storm surge. What each policy covers, where the gaps are and what to check.