What does a hurricane deductible mean for my roof claim in New York?

The basics

Most New York homeowner policies on Long Island carry two deductibles: the ordinary one (a flat dollar amount) and a hurricane or windstorm deductible written as a percentage of the dwelling coverage, 1–5%, most commonly 2–5%. The percentage must be translated into a dollar figure on your declarations page, so you can see it: $150,000 of dwelling coverage with a 5% hurricane deductible is $7,500. On a Hamptons house insured for far more than that, the number is proportionally larger.

What changed on February 2, 2026

New York's Department of Financial Services finalized a uniform statewide definition. A hurricane deductible can now apply only when:

• a storm produces sustained winds of 74 mph or more (one-minute average), and
• the loss occurs in the window from 12 hours before landfall to 12 hours after the last hurricane warning is cancelled.

Only the higher of the two deductibles applies to any one loss, never both. Insurers may now ask for hurricane deductibles anywhere in the state, not only in the historically listed downstate counties (New York City's boroughs, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester).

What it means for a roof claim

• A nor'easter, an ice storm or a thunderstorm that takes shingles off is an ordinary-deductible claim. Most Hamptons roof damage is.
• A named hurricane that makes landfall with 74+ mph sustained winds triggers the percentage deductible, and a $5,000–15,000 roof repair may fall entirely inside it.
• Either way, the policy requires you to take reasonable steps to limit further damage (tarping, emergency patching) and to document the loss. Timestamped photos before anything is moved, receipts for the temporary work, and a roofer's written scope are what the adjuster will want.

Roof age

There is no New York statute requiring roof-age disclosure, but as an industry pattern many carriers scrutinize roofs past 15–20 years, and some decline to renew or require an inspection or replacement. If your roof is near that age, a documented inspection before storm season is cheap insurance on your insurance.