Insurance for winter storms: A complete guide

Does home insurance cover winter storm damage?

Yes, homeowners insurance covers damage from winter storms, including ice storms and blizzards.

Your home insurance policy covers winter storm damage to your home, other structures on your property and often even trees and bushes. You can expect home insurance to cover:

Damage to your roof from the weight of snow and ice
Frozen pipes
Damage to personal property if snow or ice gets into the home
Damage from falling trees or branches
Damage from strong winds

What does home insurance cover after a winter storm?

Your homeowners policy is made up of several coverages that are designed to pay for different types of damage and loss. After a winter storm, any or all of these coverages will kick in to get you back on your feet.

Dwelling coverage. Covers the house itself and any attached structures up to the replacement cost listed on the policy. Dwelling coverage will pay to replace your roof if it collapses under the weight of snow or your deck if a winter storm causes a tree to fall on it.

Other structures. This coverage pays for damage to structures on your property that are not attached to the house, like a shed, fence or detached garage.

Personal property. This covers all of the personal property in your home, from your towels to your TV. If your roof collapses due to snow or ice and items inside your house are damaged, this coverage will pay to replace or repair them.

Loss of use/additional living expenses. If covered winter storm damage to your home is so extensive that you can’t live there during repairs, additional living expenses (ALE) coverage kicks in to pay for hotel and other extra living expenses.

Does home insurance cover someone slipping on the ice?

If someone slips and falls on ice on your property, your home insurance liability coverage and medical payments will pay for medical bills or resulting lawsuits.

Liability coverage only applies to other people. If you or a member of your household slips and is injured, home insurance doesn’t cover you. Your health insurance will kick in instead.

What isn’t covered by home insurance after a winter storm?

Homeowners insurance generally excludes damage caused by snow and ice to certain structures. They include:

Docks and piers
Patios
Awnings and canopies
Swimming pools
Retaining walls
Pavement

Be sure to read your policy carefully to find out what’s excluded.

Furthermore, standard homeowners insurance policies don't cover flood damage. If heavy melting snow causes a flood, that damage would only be covered if you have a flood insurance policy.

Does condo insurance cover winter storms?

Condo insurance covers winter storm damage to your personal property and to any part of the condo itself for which you are responsible.

Your condo association’s policy will cover the structure itself, but depending on how it’s set up, you might be responsible for some internal parts of the structure. Like home insurance, condo insurance also provides additional living expenses coverage.

Does renters insurance cover winter storms?

Your landlord is responsible for insuring the house or apartment building you live in, but that doesn’t cover your personal property. A renters insurance policy will pay for any damage to your personal property caused by snow, ice or other winter weather. It also includes coverage for loss of use.

Does car insurance cover winter damage?

Winter weather can cause a wide variety of damage to your car, not the least of which is the increased risk of an accident when roads are icy or snowy, or when visibility is low.

Your car insurance policy provides several options for covering winter weather-related damage. If you’re in an accident and are found at fault, liability insurance will pay for any damage or injuries you cause.

For damage to your car in an accident, including a single-car accident such as your car sliding off of the road and into a ditch, you will need to carry collision coverage.

Finally, comprehensive coverage pays for any non-collision damage to your car, such as that caused by weather. If a chunk of ice slides off of the roof and breaks your windshield, comprehensive will cover it. And unlike home insurance, comprehensive car insurance does cover floods, so if that snowmelt gets in your car, you’re covered.

Does car insurance cover snow damage?

Your car insurance will cover damage done by snow as long as you carry comprehensive coverage. The weight of ice and snow can cause dents on the hood and roof, which is covered by insurance. However, rust caused by snow over time is not covered by insurance.

How to prepare for a winter storm

As climate change drives winter storms into new places and changes both temperatures and snowfall totals, preparing for winter is even more important. Even if the damage is covered, no one wants to deal with repairing a roof or frozen pipes.

Take steps to avoid a winter claim, including:

Clear snow and ice wherever you can
Use ice melt on sidewalks and driveways.
Remove snow from the roof near your gutters and around your downspouts to prevent ice dams. Before the snow falls, make sure your gutters and downspouts are debris-free.
Have any dead or unhealthy trees on your property removed immediately. Dead trees are more likely to come down in a storm.
Have all of the air and water blown out of exterior pipes, hoses and sprinkler systems to avoid water freezing inside.
If you’re traveling during the winter, ensure your house stays warm enough and you have proper insulation to avoid frozen pipes.

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