Follow evacuation and shelter instructions.
Ready.gov and the county keep the current guidance. No policy question is worth a drive through moving water.
Houston storm season
Updated September 3, 2026Houston storm season, in three parts: before, during, after.
Houston gets three different storms — rising water, wind, and hail — and each one is handled by a different part of your insurance. This guide puts the practical steps in order, links the free tools that do the arithmetic, and points to the official channels when something actually happens. It is education, not a coverage decision.
Before the storm
Do these while the sky is clear.
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Read your deductibles in dollars.
The wind and hail deductible on a Texas homeowners policy is usually a percentage of the dwelling coverage — 2% on $350,000 is $7,000 owed first. Some policies add a separate named-storm deductible. Type your numbers into the Storm Deductible Calculator so the amount is not a surprise after a roof claim.
Open the Storm Deductible Calculator → -
Check flood coverage now, not the week of a storm.
Rising water is not covered by a standard homeowners policy, and a new NFIP flood policy usually has a 30-day waiting period. The Flood Coverage Checker walks through where you stand, and the NFIP deadline page explains what a September 30 lapse would and would not stop.
Open the Flood Coverage Checker → -
Photograph and list what you own.
Walk each room with your phone. Video is fine. Open closets and drawers, capture serial numbers on electronics and appliances, and photograph the roof and exterior from the ground. Store the files somewhere off the property — cloud storage or a relative's phone.
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Put the policy documents where you can reach them.
The declarations page for each policy, the company's claims number, and your agent's number. Take a photo of the declarations page so it lives on your phone. The Houston Insurance Call Sheet builds a private checklist of documents and questions in either language.
Build a call sheet → -
Know the official forecast source.
The National Weather Service Houston/Galveston office issues the watches and warnings for Harris, Montgomery, and Fort Bend counties. Follow it directly rather than a screenshot of it.
NWS Houston/Galveston →
During the storm
Safety first. Insurance can wait.
Do not try to change coverage during an event.
Companies generally suspend new policies and changes once a storm is named or a watch is issued for the area. That is expected; it is why the "before" list exists.
If it is safe, note the time damage happens.
A voice memo with the date and time of a roof leak or water entering the house is useful later. Do not go outside or onto a roof to check.
After the storm
Document first, then report through the official channels.
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Make it safe, then photograph everything before cleaning up.
Wide shots of each room and the exterior, then close-ups of every damaged item. Keep damaged items until an adjuster has seen them or told you they can go. Keep every receipt for emergency repairs and temporary housing.
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Report the claim to the company's claims line.
Allstate claims can be started online or by phone 24 hours a day. The agency does not decide a claim, but it can help you understand the process and what the adjuster will ask for. Have the policy number and your photos ready.
Allstate claims (official) → -
Make only the temporary repairs needed to prevent more damage.
A tarp on a roof is expected and its receipt is usually reimbursable under most policies; a full replacement before the adjuster's inspection can complicate the claim. Ask the claims line if unsure.
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Be careful with door-to-door contractors after a storm.
The Texas Department of Insurance publishes what to watch for: pressure to sign an assignment of benefits, requests for the full payment up front, and unlicensed public adjusters. Get more than one written estimate when you can.
TDI storm and disaster resources → -
For ID cards, proof of insurance, or a payment question, use the customer-service page.
It routes existing customers to the official self-service and to the fastest way to reach the office.
Customer service →
Questions
What comes up every storm season.
Does my homeowners policy cover flooding from a hurricane?
Rising water — storm surge, bayou overflow, street flooding — is generally excluded from a standard Texas homeowners policy. Wind damage is generally a homeowners claim; rising water is a flood-policy claim. When both happen, two claims may be involved, each with its own deductible.
Is there a different deductible for a hurricane?
Often. Many Texas policies carry one wind and hail deductible; some add a separate named-storm or hurricane deductible, usually a higher percentage, that applies when the event is a named storm. The declarations page shows which applies to yours.
Can I buy flood insurance once a storm is in the Gulf?
You can apply, but a new NFIP policy generally has a 30-day waiting period before coverage starts, with limited exceptions such as a policy required for a loan closing. Coverage for a storm already forming will usually not be in force in time.
What if the NFIP is not reauthorized by September 30?
Policies already in force continue, and claims on them are paid while funds last. A lapse mainly stops new policies and renewals from being issued until the program is reauthorized. The deadline page on this site explains the details.
Who decides whether my claim is covered?
The insurance company's claims department and the terms of your policy. The agency can explain the process, help you understand the adjuster's questions, and follow up, but it does not approve or deny claims.
Sources
Where these facts come from.
Every point here can be checked at the original source. Links confirmed .
- Storms and disasters: consumer resources Texas Department of Insurance
TDI's consumer guidance before and after Texas storms: documenting damage, filing claims, and the state's rules on claim handling; also the definitions of wind/hail and named-storm deductibles used on Texas homeowners policies.
- National Weather Service — Houston/Galveston forecast office NOAA / National Weather Service
Official watches, warnings, and tropical forecasts for Harris, Montgomery, Fort Bend, and surrounding counties during storm season.
- Hurricanes: prepare, survive, be safe Ready.gov (FEMA)
The federal before / during / after checklist for hurricanes, including evacuation guidance, emergency supplies, and safe re-entry.
- Buy a Flood Insurance Policy FloodSmart (FEMA)
How NFIP policies are purchased, what building and contents coverage include, and the standard waiting period before coverage takes effect.
Next step
Want to go through your storm exposure before the season?
Bring the declarations pages for home and flood, and the conversation covers what you would pay first, where the gaps are, and what a claim would look like — in English or Spanish.