Texas Weather Doesn't Take a Year Off

If you've lived in Katy or Houston for more than a season, you already know: Texas weather rarely stays predictable. We get hurricane spin-up in the Gulf, ice storms that knock out power for days, and summer heat that bakes roofs into shingle confetti. Each of those events can put a different part of your insurance coverage to the test, and most homeowners don't think to review their policy until something has already happened.

The good news is that a few small adjustments at the right times of the year can save thousands in claims and out-of-pocket expenses. Here's what we recommend our clients look at, and when.

Before Hurricane Season (April through May)

Atlantic hurricane season runs June through November, but the smart prep window is April and May. Two coverage items matter most:

1. Wind and hail deductibles. Many Texas homeowner policies use a separate, percentage-based deductible for named-storm wind damage. We've had clients discover after a storm that their wind deductible was 2% of dwelling value rather than the flat dollar amount they assumed. On a $400,000 home, that's the difference between a $1,000 deductible and an $8,000 one.
2. Flood coverage. Standard homeowner policies don't cover flood damage, period. After Harvey, the rule that "you don't need flood insurance unless you live in a high-risk zone" stopped holding water. If you're in Katy, Cypress, or anywhere west Houston, talk to us about whether a flood policy makes sense. There's a 30-day waiting period before coverage kicks in, so this isn't something you can buy when the storm forms.

This is also a good time to walk your property and document what you own with photos and a video. Insurers handle claims faster when you can show them what was there before.

Before Winter (October through November)

The 2021 freeze was a wake-up call for a lot of Texas homeowners. Burst pipes, frozen sprinkler systems, and roof damage from ice put thousands of policies into claim review at once.

The two questions to ask before winter:

• Does your policy cover water damage from frozen pipes? Most do, but exclusions vary by carrier.
• Is your dwelling coverage current with rebuild costs? Construction costs in Texas have climbed since 2020, and a policy written five years ago may underinsure your home by 20% or more.

Before Summer (March through April)

Summer brings hail and heat. Hail in particular gets overlooked because the damage is often invisible from the ground. A roof can be hailed-out, ready to fail in the next storm, and look fine from the driveway.

Two things worth checking each spring:

• The age and condition of your roof. Many carriers move from replacement-cost to actual-cash-value coverage on roofs older than 15 years, which can cut your claim payout dramatically.
• Your auto comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive is what pays for hail damage to your car. Skipping it on an older vehicle saves money on premiums but costs the full repair if a storm rolls through.

What a Seasonal Review Actually Looks Like

When clients call us for a seasonal coverage review, we pull their declarations page, walk through it line by line, and flag anything that doesn't match what they actually own or how they actually live. It usually takes 20 minutes. Most reviews end with no changes needed. Some end with a $50 monthly increase that closes a $50,000 coverage gap. Either way, you walk into the next storm season knowing where you stand.

If it's been a year since you've looked at your policy, give us a call at (281) 344-2557. We're happy to take a fresh pass, no commitment.