Does Car Insurance Cover Tornado Damage?
Car insurance covers damage from a tornado so long as you have comprehensive coverage in your policy.
If you do have comprehensive coverage, it'll pay to repair thrown debris, fallen trees and even damage from your car being lifted by the tornado.
However, comprehensive insurance is optional, so if you don't have it, you'll have to pay for the repairs yourself.
What kinds of damage are covered after a tornado?
Tornadoes can be powerful enough to break a car's window, flip it over and even pick it up and drop it in a different location. If your car is parked near trees, lawn furniture or gravel, it could be severely damaged if those items become airborne during a tornado. Further, the rotating "supercell" thunderstorms that cause tornadoes often bring severe hail, torrential rain and downed power lines that can cause more damage.
Comprehensive insurance covers tornado damage including:
How you're covered for minor repairs and damage after a tornado
If you have comprehensive insurance as a part of your car insurance policy, you will be reimbursed for any damage a tornado does to your vehicle, after your insurance deductible is met.
Let's look at an example of this scenario, where your car is damaged, but not totaled, by a tornado.
Your car is parked in your driveway when a moderate-size tornado comes through your town. Gravel from your neighbor's driveway shatters two windows and riddles two of your doors with so many dents that the doors will need to be totally replaced. A local body shop quotes the total cost at $3,000, including the new doors, paint and labor. The cost of repairs is well under the actual cash value (ACV) of your vehicle, so your insurance company reimburses you with a check for $2,000, after applying your $1,000 deductible.
However, repair costs may not be the only expense you incur. Let's say you need to rent a car to get to and from work while your car is being repaired. If you added the optional rental reimbursement coverage to your policy, you will also receive compensation for any rental fees (up to certain daily and claim limits) while your claim is being processed.
When your car is totaled by a tornado
Comprehensive coverage will reimburse you up to the actual cash value (ACV) of your car, minus any deductibles, if your car is declared a total loss. A total loss is declared when an insurance adjuster deems the cost to repair a vehicle to be greater than the actual value of the vehicle itself.
If a tornado comes within close proximity of your vehicle, there's a high probability it could be damaged to the point of total loss.
How is total loss calculated?
To get compensation from your insurance company after a tornado, you'll have to file a claim. Then, an insurance adjuster will come out to assess the value of your car and the cost of repairs. For the valuation, known as the actual cash value (ACV), the adjuster will take into account your vehicle’s make and model, age, accident history, Kelley Blue Book value and potentially other data, such as the wholesale price of your vehicle, in order to come up with your car's ACV.
If the cost to repair your car is above a certain percentage of its value, called the total loss threshold, your car will be declared a total loss.
For example:
You drive a 2016 Honda Accord in very good condition, with 20,000 miles on the odometer, and a powerful tornado comes through your town. The tornado picks up your car, rolls it across your company's parking lot and smashes it against several other vehicles. The damage to your car is severe — all of the glass is shattered, the entire body is smashed and an axle is bent.
After filing your claim, the adjuster takes a look and sets the ACV of your car at about $11,700 and the cost of repair at more than that amount. It's declared a total loss. However, your insurance policy includes a $1,000 deductible, so the insurance company cuts you a check for $10,700, which you can use to replace your vehicle or for any other purpose you wish. You'll also need to surrender the car to your insurer.
How to make a car insurance claim after a tornado
Regardless of the amount of damage your vehicle takes during a tornado, you should initiate the claims process as early as possible.
The destructive weather that impacted your vehicle has probably damaged hundreds or thousands of other vehicles as well, and your insurance company, as well as local repair shops, will quickly be overwhelmed with requests.
Taking photos or videos of the damage after the storm has passed will support your case. For example, if debris dented your vehicle, take pictures of the scene before clearing it up. Documenting how the storm damaged your vehicle will help ward off any suspicion of fraud, especially if you're late in filing your claim.
Insurance provider | Submit claim by phone | Submit claim online |
|---|---|---|
| Geico | 800-841-3000 | Claims.Geico.com/ReportClaim |
| State Farm | 800-732-5246 | StateFarm.com/Claims |
| Nationwide | 800-421-3535 | Nationwide.com/Claims |
| Progressive | 800-776-4737 | Progressive.com/Claims |
| Allstate | 800-255-7828 | Allstate.com/Claims |
How to protect your vehicle from storm damage
You can take certain precautions to help protect your vehicle if there are reports of an impending storm, or if violent weather is common in your area.
If you live in an area that sees a high level of tornadoes, such as south-central Florida or "Tornado Alley" (which comprises parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio), try to find a garage or another enclosed structure in which to park. If you don't have access to a garage, try to minimize your risk by paying attention to the surroundings.