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Spring in Northwest Ohio means one thing: storm season. And over the last few years, Lima and the surrounding area have been hit with more frequent high-wind events, severe thunderstorms, and the kind of weather that leaves trees on roofs and siding in the neighbor's yard. After every major storm, we get a flood of calls with the same basic question: "Does my insurance cover this?" The honest answer is: it depends on the type of damage and how it happened. Let's break it down clearly. What Standard Home Insurance Does Cover After a Storm The good news first. Most standard homeowner's insurance policies in Ohio do cover wind and storm damage under what's called "open perils" or "all-risk" coverage for the structure of your home. This typically includes: Wind damage to your roof, siding, windows, and walls Damage from falling trees or branches (including your neighbor's tree that falls on your property) Hail damage to the roof, gutters, and exterior Rain damage that enters through a hole created by a covered peril — for example, rain that comes in after wind blows off a section of your roof Damage to detached structures like garages and sheds, typically up to 10% of your dwelling coverage Important: If a tree falls on your house and damages it, your insurance generally covers the structural repairs — even if the tree came from your neighbor's yard. However, if that same tree falls in your yard and just misses the house, most policies will not cover the cost of removing it. Tree removal without structural damage is typically not covered. What Home Insurance Does NOT Cover After a Storm This is where a lot of Ohio homeowners get caught off guard. There are several very common types of storm-related damage that standard home insurance simply does not cover: Flooding from storm runoff. This is one of the most common misconceptions in all of home insurance. If heavy rain causes water to flow across the ground and into your basement or home, that is flood damage — and it is not covered by your standard homeowner's policy. Flood insurance is a completely separate policy. Sewer or drain backup. When a severe storm overwhelms the sewer system and water backs up through your drains or toilets, that's also typically not covered unless you have a specific water backup endorsement on your policy. Gradual damage or poor maintenance. If your roof was already aging and a moderate windstorm causes shingles to lift, your carrier may argue the damage was due to wear and tear rather than the storm itself. Keeping up with maintenance matters for your claim outcome. Your car. Vehicle damage from storms — hail dents, fallen tree branches, flooding — is not covered by home insurance. That falls under your auto insurance comprehensive coverage. Power surges. Storm-related power surges that damage electronics or appliances are usually not covered under a standard policy. You'd need a specific equipment breakdown endorsement. The Wind and Hail Deductible Trap We've talked about this in depth in a recent post, but it bears repeating here because it catches so many NW Ohio homeowners off guard after a storm. Many home insurance policies now have a separate, higher deductible that applies specifically to wind and hail claims. So even if your standard deductible is $1,500, your wind and hail deductible might be 1% or 2% of your home's insured value — which could be $3,000, $5,000, or more. Before you file a wind or hail claim, check your declarations page for a separate wind or hail deductible line. Knowing that number before you call the claims department will help you make a more informed decision. What to Do Immediately After Storm Damage If your home sustains damage in a storm, the steps you take in the first few hours matter a lot for your claim outcome: Document everything before touching anything. Walk around the home and take photos and video of all visible damage — roof, siding, windows, gutters, interior water intrusion, everything. Prevent further damage. You're required under most policies to take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage. Cover a damaged area of the roof with a tarp, board up broken windows, and move belongings away from water intrusion areas. Keep receipts for any emergency repairs you make. Call your agent before the carrier's 1-800 line. We can walk you through whether to file, what to expect, and how to present the damage clearly to the adjuster. Don't let a storm chaser pressure you. After major storms in NW Ohio, roofing contractors often knock on doors offering to file insurance claims on your behalf. Be cautious — some are legitimate, many are not, and signing over your claim rights can complicate the process significantly. Is Your Coverage Actually Ready for Storm Season? If you haven't looked at your home insurance policy recently, spring storm season is the perfect reason to do it now. Specifically, you want to know: Whether you have a separate wind or hail deductible and what it is Whether you have flood coverage or a water backup endorsement (most people don't, and don't realize it until they need it) Whether your home is insured to its current replacement cost — not its market value, but what it would actually cost to rebuild it today These are questions we answer every day for Lima and Northwest Ohio homeowners. If you're not sure what your policy actually covers, a 15-minute conversation with us can give you a lot of clarity — and peace of mind heading into storm season. Call (419) 222-2454 or visit leyinsurance.com to schedule a free policy review before storm season hits fu ll swing.
If you've opened your home insurance renewal letter recently and done a double-take at your deductible, you're not imagining things. Homeowners across Ohio, and really across the entire country, are seeing their wind, hail, and storm deductibles climb significantly. Some are seeing them double. And most people have no idea why it's happening or what they can do about it. At Ley Insurance, we've been fielding a lot of questions about this lately, so we wanted to break it down clearly and honestly. First, What Is a Deductible — Really? Your deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. So if a windstorm damages your roof and the repair costs $12,000, and your deductible is $2,000, your insurance covers $10,000 and you cover the first $2,000. Simple enough. But here's where it gets complicated. The Shift From Flat Deductibles to Percentage Deductibles Traditionally, most Ohio homeowners had a flat dollar deductible — something like $1,000 or $2,500. That's the number most people still think of when they picture a deductible. Over the last several years, carriers have quietly shifted many policies to percentage-based deductibles for wind and hail claims specifically. Instead of a flat $1,000, your deductible might now be 1%, 2%, or even 5% of your home's insured value. Here's why that matters: A 2% deductible on a home insured for $300,000 means you owe $6,000 out of pocket before your insurance pays a single dollar on a wind or hail claim. That's a big number. And many homeowners don't realize that's their situation until they try to file a claim after a storm. Why Are Ohio Carriers Doing This? Insurance carriers don't raise deductibles to be difficult — they do it because the math on storm claims has changed dramatically. A few factors driving this across Ohio: Severe weather frequency has increased. Northwest Ohio has seen more high-wind events, hail storms, and heavy rain events over the past five years. More storms mean more claims. Reinsurance costs have spiked. Carriers purchase their own insurance (called reinsurance) to protect against large losses. When reinsurers raise their rates — which they have significantly — those costs get passed down. Roofing and labor costs skyrocketed post-pandemic. A roof that cost $8,000 to replace in 2019 might cost $14,000 or more today. Higher repair costs mean bigger claim payouts. Some carriers are pulling back from Ohio entirely. When carriers leave a market, the ones who stay can adjust their terms, including deductibles, because there's less competition. How to Tell What Your Deductible Actually Is Don't assume .... pull out your declarations page (the summary page at the front of your policy) and look specifically for a line that says "wind deductible," "hail deductible," or "hurricane/named storm deductible." It may be listed separately from your standard all-peril deductible. If you see a percentage listed instead of a dollar amount, multiply that percentage by your home's insured value to find out what you'd actually owe before coverage kicks in. What Can You Do About It? The good news: you're not stuck. Here are your real options as an Ohio homeowner. Shop your policy. As an independent agency, we can compare your coverage across multiple carriers — some of whom may still offer more favorable deductible structures, especially if your claims history is clean. Adjust your coverage strategically. In some cases, it makes sense to accept a higher deductible in exchange for a lower premium, as long as you keep enough savings on hand to cover that deductible if needed. Ask about endorsements. Some carriers offer endorsements that buy down a percentage deductible back to a flat amount. It's worth asking. Consider an umbrella policy. If you're increasing your deductibles to save money on premiums, an umbrella policy can help fill larger liability gaps. The Bottom Line Deductible increases are frustrating — and they're real. But they don't have to mean you're stuck paying more for less. The right independent agent will review your current policy, explain exactly what you're looking at, and find alternatives if better ones exist. We've been doing exactly that for Lima and Northwest Ohio homeowners since 1987. If your renewal came in and something doesn't look right, let's talk.