Hurricane season. Flooding. Tornadoes. Living in Louisiana means living with the reality of natural disasters — and that means your insurance coverage has to be airtight before the clouds roll in. At DeJean Law, we’ve seen firsthand how many families and businesses are left scrambling after a disaster, only to find that their policies don’t cover what they assumed they would.
Don’t be caught off guard. Here’s a practical guide to reviewing your insurance policies so you’re genuinely protected when it matters most.
1. Understand what your homeowner’s policy does — and doesn’t — cover
Standard homeowner’s insurance covers a lot, but it notoriously does not cover flood damage. This surprises more policyholders than you’d expect. Wind damage may be covered, but water intrusion from flooding almost never is under a standard policy.
COMMON MISCONCEPTION
Many homeowners assume that because a hurricane caused the flooding, their standard hurricane or homeowner’s policy will pay for it. In most cases, it won’t. Flood damage requires a separate flood insurance policy.
Review your declarations page and look specifically for exclusions. If the word “flood” appears in the exclusions section, you need a separate flood policy — full stop.
2. Know your coverage types before disaster strikes
Most people carry one or two types of insurance and assume they’re set. In disaster-prone regions, you may need several working in tandem:
POLICY TYPE
Homeowner’s Insurance
Covers structure, personal property, and liability. Excludes flood and sometimes wind in coastal zones.
POLICY TYPE
Flood Insurance
Required separately. Usually covers flood damage to structure and contents.
POLICY TYPE
Windstorm / Hurricane
In high-risk coastal areas, wind coverage may be separate. Check if your state has a residual market plan.
POLICY TYPE
Loss of Use / ALE
Additional Living Expenses coverage pays for hotel, rent, and meals while your home is being repaired.
3. Check your coverage limits — not just your premium
A low premium can mean a dangerously low coverage cap. With construction costs surging in recent years, the amount it would take to rebuild your home today may be significantly higher than the limit written into your policy several years ago.
- Ask your insurer for a replacement cost valuation — not just the original purchase priceCheck whether your contents coverage is “actual cash value” or “replacement cost” — ACV pays depreciated value, which is often far lessVerify your loss of use / ALE limits — most families need housing for months, not weeks, after a major disasterReview separate deductibles for named storms or hurricanes — these are often percentage-based, not a flat dollar amount4. Document everything — before you need to
When it’s time to file a claim, the burden is on you to prove what you had and what was lost. The easiest way to do this is to create a home inventory now, while everything is intact.
Walk through your home with your phone and record a video of every room, opening closets and drawers. Store the video in the cloud — somewhere that survives the storm, even if your home doesn’t.
Save receipts for major appliances, furniture, and electronics. If you have high-value items like jewelry, fine art, or collectibles, they may require a separate scheduled endorsement on your policy — standard contents limits often won’t cover them.
4. Watch for bad faith insurance tactics after a claim
Even with the right coverage in place, policyholders sometimes run into insurers who delay, underpay, or wrongfully deny claims after a disaster. Under Louisiana law, insurers have specific obligations — and legal remedies exist when they don’t meet them.
*This is not legal advice, for informational purposes only.