Storm & Ice Damage in Wainscott, NY

It is a separate, larger deductible that applies instead of your ordinary one when a loss is caused by a hurricane. In New York it is set at 1–5% of your dwelling coverage (most commonly 2–5%) and must be shown in dollars on your declarations page: a $150,000 dwelling limit at 5% is $7,500 before the insurer pays anything. Since February 2, 2026 one statewide rule applies: the deductible is triggered only by a storm with sustained winds of 74 mph or more, within a window from 12 hours before landfall to 12 hours after the last warning is cancelled, and only the higher of the two deductibles applies to a given loss.

Yes. Roofing contractors doing residential work in Suffolk County must hold a Home Improvement Contractor license from the Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing & Consumer Affairs, and some towns and villages on the East End layer their own registration on top. Ask for the Suffolk license number and a current certificate of insurance (liability and workers' compensation) before anyone goes on the roof, and check local references. Every roofer we send you to holds the county license and carries insurance.

Look for the pattern, not a single leak. Asphalt: curling, cracked or bald shingles and granules in the gutters, typically past 20 years. Cedar: widespread cupping, splitting, soft spots and shakes sliding out, past 25–30. Flat: ponding that lasts more than 48 hours and seams lifting. Any roof: daylight in the attic, staining on rafters, leaks at different spots in different storms, or a second layer already on. One failure on a young roof is a repair ($350–1,500 typical); several failures on an old roof is a replacement. A roof inspection, about $250 on average, settles it in writing.