What Is Windstorm Insurance in Texas?

Windstorm insurance is property insurance that pays for damage caused by wind and hail. In most of Texas, that protection is simply part of a standard homeowners policy. Along the coast, it often is not: many insurers exclude wind and hail from homeowners policies written in coastal areas, so wind protection there is typically a separate windstorm policy with its own premium and its own deductible.

The peril being insured

The damage in question comes from high-wind events: hurricanes and tropical storms, severe thunderstorm winds, and tornadoes. The National Weather Service's wind safety page describes the range of high-wind hazards and the watch and warning products it issues for them — useful background for understanding what a windstorm policy is actually pricing. A windstorm policy responds to wind and hail damage from these events; it does not cover flooding or storm surge, which require separate flood insurance, and it does not replace the rest of a homeowners policy (fire, theft, liability, and so on).

Why the coast is different

Where private insurers decline to include wind coverage, coastal property owners buy it separately. Some buy from private carriers that still write wind in their area; many buy from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA), the state-established residual market for wind and hail coverage in designated coastal territory. What TWIA is and how it works has its own guide on this site.

Is windstorm insurance required in Texas?

No Texas law requires a homeowner who owns a property outright to carry windstorm insurance. In practice, the requirement usually comes from a mortgage lender: lenders generally require insurance against wind damage as a condition of the loan, and where the standard homeowners policy excludes wind, that means carrying a separate windstorm policy. Renters and condo owners can face parallel requirements from leases or association rules. Whether coverage is required in your situation is a question for your lender and your policy documents, not a general rule.

The deductible looks different

Windstorm and hurricane coverage commonly uses a percentage deductible — a share of the home's insured value rather than a flat dollar figure. The Insurance Information Institute's deductible explainer covers how these percentage deductibles work and why they appear on wind and hurricane coverage in particular. Because the dollar amount depends on your coverage limit, a percentage that sounds small can be a large number; the deductible guide and the calculator on the home page walk through the arithmetic.

Where to look next

For the current official rules — which areas are designated, what policies must include, and who may sell them — the Texas Department of Insurance is the authority, and a licensed agent can apply those rules to your specific property.