Metro Atlanta sits in a regional severe-weather corridor. The National Weather Service confirms several EF-rated tornadoes touching down within 100 miles of Johns Creek each year. Hail of two inches or larger is common during spring storms.
Most homeowners and commercial property policies cover tornado damage. Wind is a named peril on standard policies. The catch is in the deductible.
Three deductible structures for wind and hail
- Flat dollar deductible (same as your normal homeowners deductible, typically $1,000 to $2,500). Most common in metro Atlanta.
- Percentage deductible (1 to 5 percent of the dwelling coverage limit). Often triggered only by named storms. On a $400,000 dwelling, 2 percent is $8,000.
- Separate wind/hail rider with its own deductible.
A few carriers have started introducing percentage wind/hail deductibles in metro Atlanta over the last 18 months. Check your declarations page for any line that mentions wind deductible, named storm deductible, or percentage deductible.
What is and is not covered in a tornado
- Direct wind damage to the structure: covered.
- Hail damage to the roof: covered, but ACV roofing schedules may apply.
- Tree falls on the house: covered, including tree removal up to a sublimit.
- Tree falls in the yard with no damage to insured property: usually NOT covered for removal.
- Wind-driven rain entering through wind-damaged roof: covered.
- Wind-driven rain entering through windows you forgot to close: not covered.
Document everything in advance
Take photos of every room, every exterior elevation, your roof if you can safely access it, and every major appliance and electronics serial number. Store the documentation in cloud storage so it survives the storm.