Acquiring a Louisiana Home Owners Policy could be a little more difficult then before due to the major damages caused recently by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. A homeowner must take into consideration all aspects of their current or new coverage and make sure they are aware of all the coverages offered as well as any problems that may be excluded. In cities like New Orleans or Baton Rouge you would need to make sure that you have hurricane damage coverage. This has been set aside in many Louisiana Home Owners policies as different then wind damages in their regular policies. Many of the policies will include hurricane damage but has a different deductible then your normal policy would. For example if you have a thousand dollar deductible on your regular policy you may have a three percent deductible if your damage is caused by a hurricane. So if your home is worth two hundred thousand your deductible would then be six thousand dollars. Most home owners policies do not include water damage from flooding if the flood waters come from an outside source. It would be a great idea if you live in the costal communities of Louisiana to purchase extra flood insurance. Cities like New Orleans are actually below sea level and excessive rain from a tropical storm or hurricane could produce instant flooding. Protecting your home is important; it is your most valuable asset. You must verify that your policy covers hurricane damage. Many policies in Louisiana no longer offer that type of protection and a separate policy must be purchased either through the FAIR or Costal plan. When selecting a home owners policy be sure to check for the different plans available. Many companies offer two or three types of policies with each policy offering many different benefits. There is a variety of ways to obtain discounts on your policy. Purchasing a policy from a company that you already have another type of insurance through is one way. Many companies offer discounts to senior citizens or homes with monitored alarm systems. Be sure to pay close attention to the policies that you wish to purchase and make sure the deductible is not so high that if a problem should arise you could not cover your share of the payments. With all this in mind be sure to take your time when purchasing a Louisiana Home Owners Policy.