You know the drill. When a hurricane is headed toward Hawaii, you get stocked up on supplies and get your home ready to withstand the storm. Then you wait – and hope.

Even if the storm doesn’t cause major damage, you’ll probably incur some costs for emergency supplies, missed work, cleanup or repairs.  

Traditionally, these costs might not have been covered by your insurance policies. Now that’s changing. FirstTrack is a new supplemental hurricane insurance policy designed for Hawaii residents. It closes insurance gaps left by other types of coverage while simplifying claims and speeding up recovery.

A Different Approach to Hurricane Coverage

Hurricanes pose a serious risk, so they require serious insurance coverage. For Hawaii residents, a standard homeowners or renters insurance policy won’t cut it. You also need flood insurance to cover damage from water flowing over the ground and hurricane insurance to cover wind and rain damage from hurricane-strength storms. But even with these policies, the deductibles and policy exclusions can leave you with high out-of-pocket costs.  

That’s where FirstTrack comes in.

FirstTrack provides coverage for expenses that fall below most standard hurricane policy deductibles, including pre-hurricane and immediate post-hurricane expenses, and it does so in a way that’s different from traditional policies.

Rather than paying claims based on losses incurred, your FirstTrack claim payment is based on two variables: storm category and proximity. Your claim payment amount is based on:

1. The strength of the storm (based on the storm category as defined by the National Hurricane Center).
2. The distance of the storm from your home (based on the storm track radius zone that your property falls in).

The FirstTrack team monitors hurricane activity using data from the National Weather Service and NOAA. Policyholders will receive an advisory email if a storm threatens Hawaii, and another email if the hurricane enters their storm track radius claim zone.

This payment method simplifies the claims process by eliminating the need to consider other issues, like preexisting damage or policy exclusions. You don’t have to prove that your home suffered damage. There’s no deductible, and because the claims process is simple, you can get your payment quickly.

Who Can Purchase FirstTrack Coverage?

FirstTrack is designed for Hawaii residents. It’s offered exclusively from First Insurance Company of Hawaii (FICOH), but you do not need to be an existing FICOH customer to purchase FirstTrack coverage.  

Whether you rent or own your home, you can purchase coverage. However, FirstTrack does not replace the need for other types of insurance coverage. Instead, it is intended to supplement standard hurricane insurance. FirstTrack policies have a maximum limit of $25,000, and the premium you pay will depend on your location and the coverage limit you choose.

To learn more about FirstTrack, contact First Insurance Company of Hawaii. They’ve provided Hawaii residents with comprehensive coverage for 100 years. Learn more about their offerings online, or call (808) 527-7777 to schedule a consultation.