Thousands escaped the October 2003 Southern California wildfires alive only to see their homes burned to the ground. For the 3,600 families to suffer this way, one critical question leapt to mind immediately once the smoke cleared: Will my insurance cover my loss? Too often, sadly, the answer was "not entirely."

If a fire, flood, earthquake, or some other natural disaIf a fire, flood, earthquake, or some other natural disaster were to destroy or damage your home, would you have the right insurance coverage to rebuild your house?ster were to destroy or damage your home, would you have the right insurance coverage to rebuild your house?

Is your home insured against damage brought by flooding? In all likelihood, it isn’t… not unless you have purchased a separate flood insurance policy. Most homeowners’ policies will cover wind or rain damage but will not cover flood damage, whether caused by hurricanes, tropical storms, or what have you. If the wind rips off your room and the rain drenches your attic, you’re covered. But if the river overflows its banks and floods you out, you’re out of luck…

Winter's here, and with it comes inclement weather. Here are some questions and answers on how to make sure your property is insured against winter storm damage.