“Wind-driven rain” is probably a word you’ve never heard of until you buy home insurance.
Many consumers have never heard of the term “wind-driven rain” until they discover their house insurance policy does not cover it.
It may be too late by then.
Today, we’ll go over everything you need to know about wind-driven rain, including whether or not your insurance policy covers it.
What exactly is Wind-Driven Rain?
Wind-driven rain is self-explanatory: it is rain blown into your home by the wind.
Wind-driven rain, as defined in the insurance industry, comes through an opening due to the wind’s propulsion. So, if the wind had not been present, the water would never have entered the home in the first place.
When a hurricane destroys your home, generally, the wind and rain do the most damage. If the wind and rain cause damage on their own, your homeowners’ insurance should cover it.
On the other hand, the “wind-driven rain” condition may be employed if your insurance company discovers that your residence was basically the source of the storm’s damage. Even if you have flood insurance, your insurance company may not pay the losses in this scenario.
How Is Wind-Driven Rain Harmful to Your Home?
For example, a couple discovered that water damage in their house after a hurricane was not covered by their insurance policy – despite paying for a premium home insurance plan.
The adjuster stated that the storm’s rain caused damage inside the house. Normally, such damages are covered by an insurance policy.
However, it was discovered that the rain was forced into the house because the roof tiles needed to be repaired. In other words, it wasn’t the storm that caused the damage to the house. It was the roof’s inadequate upkeep.
This is where things get a bit complicated: your house insurance policy would cover damage if the storm’s powerful winds toppled a tree onto your roof, and then water flowed through your roof into your home.
However, if rain was forced into your home via the roof due to damaged tiles prior to the storm, your insurance may not cover it.
Small discrepancies like these might lead to insurance companies denying a claim.
Wind-Driven Rain is Not Covered by Flood Insurance
Many individuals believe that if they see water damage in their house after a storm, their flood insurance will cover it. Unfortunately, such is not the case with wind-driven rain.
According to the National Flood Insurance Program, “When rain enters via a wind-damaged window or door, or through a breach in a wall or roof, the NFIP deems the accompanying puddles and damage to be windstorm-related, rather than flood-related.”
Overflow of inland or tidal waters and extraordinary and fast buildup or runoff of surface waters from any source are covered by flood insurance. The flood, on the other hand, must be a widespread and transient state characterized by partial or total flooding of two or more acres of typically dry ground.”
So, what should you do if your home’s flood insurance does not cover the damage?
Wind-Driven Rain is Not Always Clearly Defined in Insurance Policies
Wind-driven rain conflicts may be quite aggravating for homeowners. Some homeowners believe they have done everything correctly. They went over their homeowner’s insurance coverage. They kept their house in good condition. And their claim is still refused due to the wind-driven rain requirement.
Wind-driven rain is often precisely defined and described in your insurance policy.
However, claims might be erroneously dismissed in rare instances. For example, a company may refuse your claim due to wind-driven rain, even though wind-driven rain was not specifically included in your policy.