All Vermont homeowner insurance policies cover wind damage.
Susan Donegan, deputy commissioner of insurance for the Department of Financial Regulation, said that if Hurricane Sandy causes mainly wind damage, as forecasted, Vermonters will fare better fiscally than they did during the flooding wrought by Tropical Storm Irene.
“Damage from wind is a covered peril under [Vermont] homeowners policies, which is why we always say we’d rather have a wind event than a water event,” said Donegan. “When you get into water and flooding that takes it out of homeowners’ insurance and into federal flood insurance.”
In Vermont, unlike other states, there are not separate deductibles for hurricane or wind damage.
“It is just whatever your regular deductible is under your homeowners policy would apply,” said Donegan. “If you are going to have downed trees that hit your roof, the first thing you’d do is to pull your homeowner’s policy, call your agent or your company, and put in a claim.”
Since Vermonters must have homeowners insurance in order to mortgage a home, Donegan said, “That is something most people often do not forgo.”
In the case of a damaged automobile, she said, auto insurance covers wind damage.
