Renters insurance will cover most hurricane damage, but you need an additional policy to protect against flooding

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• Renters insurance offers protection for your belongings, but there are some exceptions.
• If a hurricane occurs, you'll be covered for wind-related damage, but not for any flooding.
• You'll need a separate flood insurance policy, which costs about $99 a year.
• See Insider's picks for the best renters insurance companies.

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Renters insurance is a type of homeowners insurance that replaces your belongings damaged from a fire, storm, or theft. Your landlord has insurance that covers the building and structure, but your belongings inside the rental unit are your responsibility.

Hurricanes cause flooding and high winds that can damage homes. Although renters insurance covers damage to your belongings from storms, it doesn't cover flooding. If you live in hurricane areas, you will want to add flood insurance for your belongings.

What is hurricane insurance?

Hurricane insurance is coverage for hurricane damage to your home. A hurricane has to be a declared event, which is dictated by an announcement from the National Hurricane Center.

Proper hurricane insurance requires a combination of renters insurance and flood insurance.

Damage from a hurricane is typically caused by winds and flooding. Damage to your belongings from winds is usually covered under your renters insurance as an insurance peril. Other common insurance perils include fire, lightning, theft, storm, and hail.

Remember that renters insurance only covers your belongings – and you're only responsible for your belongings if you're renting. Damage to the apartment and building are the responsibility of your landlord.

Renters insurance usually covers water damage to your belongings, but there are exceptions. For example, water damage due to flooding is not covered under renters insurance; it requires separate renters flood insurance coverage.

What does renters insurance cover?

Yael Wissner-Levy, vice president of communications at Lemonade Insurance, told Insider that renters insurance covers three things:

1. Things that happen to your stuff
2. Things that you're responsible for
3. Events that force you out of your rental

Basic home belongings are covered if damaged by a covered event, known as an insurance peril. You may need additional coverage – known as riders or endorsements – for specialty items like wedding rings or other jewelry, high-end electronics, fine art, or musical instruments.

Coverage	Included with renters insurance?
Dwelling/Structure	No – landlord responsible
Personal liability	Yes
Personal belongings	Yes
Loss of Use (additional living expenses)	Yes
High-end electronics/special jewelry	Limited, requires add-on*
Roommates	No
Cyber liability	Yes*
Water damage	Yes
Flood	No**
Wind or hail	Yes
Earthquake	No*
Pets	Yes*

*Available as add-on coverage

**Renters flood insurance is separate

Data from Hippo Insurance

How is flood insurance different from renters insurance?

Wissner-Levy noted that as a renter, you are protected from anything that suddenly causes water damage without any prior known issues, like the accidental overflow of water or steam from plumbing, heating, AC, or sprinkler systems. You're also protected if your apartment sprinklers go off and soak all your belongings, or if your pipes freeze in the winter and burst.

If you rent in disaster-prone areas – where flood zones, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, mudslides, hail, or earthquakes are common – you will have increased premiums, because these natural disasters aren't included in basic coverage and requires add-on policies, known as riders.

A flood is defined as surface water entering the inside of your home structure through existing openings that are above ground level. Flood insurance specifically excludes water damage from sump pumps, sewer water, broken pipes, rain from an open window, and rain from windstorms.

Will renters insurance cover relocation?

"Loss of use" coverage, also known as "additional living expenses" or ALE, is included in most renters insurance policies and provides reimbursement for temporary housing when a peril causes damage making your rental unit inhabitable.

For "loss of use" and "additional living expenses," much depends on your insurance carrier and it varies by provider. Some carriers will reimburse you for temporary housing. Others may have a list of housing alternatives.

If you're considering leaving your rental due to damage, contact your renters insurance provider first and take detailed pictures of the damage. Make sure to lock up and secure the premises as well.

How much does hurricane coverage cost?

To properly protect your belongings from hurricane damage, it's recommended that you purchase both renters insurance and renters flood insurance.

The average cost of renters insurance is around $15 a month, or $180 yearly. Flood insurance will be in addition to your homeowners insurance policy.

Renters flood insurance is available through approved National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) providers like the National Flood Services for around $99 a year.

Tips to prepare in the event of a hurricane

Hippo Insurance's Steve Wilson recommends taking the following steps:

1. Review your renters insurance annually with your carrier to make sure you have proper coverage for your region like renters flood insurance.
2. Have an evacuation plan on where to meet and what time ahead of a disaster and communicate that with family members.
3. Have a small bag with medication, flashlight, and batteries for three days.
4. Contact your renters insurance carrier if a hurricane announcement is declared.

What to do if you experience hurricane damage

After experiencing a disaster, Wilson recommends staying in touch with your renters insurance company and take the following steps when submitting insurance claims:

1. Contact the insurance carrier to file a claim in a timely manner. Also inform your landlord or property management company.
2. Take pictures of the damage to your belongings.
3. Prevent further damage to your belongings by covering them with a tarp or plastic.
4. Your landlord is responsible for repairing your unit and the building.

Ronda Lee is an associate editor for insurance at Personal Finance Insider covering life, auto, homeowners, and renters insurance for consumers. She is also a licensed attorney who practiced litigation and insurance defense.

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