CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA -- Even if hurricane Florence or Michael missed your house, the storms could hit your bottom line.

• Experts say providers will likely look to raise rates to cover payouts from the storms
• Regulators already approved a 4.8 percent homeowners insurance rate increase
• Experts also believe North Carolina could move towards a percentage-based home insurance rate

Insurance experts say despite North Carolina’s customer-friendly regulations over insurance rate increases, providers will likely look to raise rates to cover payouts from the storms.

Even if regulators don’t approve massive rate increases, some companies may send cost-consent forms to customers to OK major price increases.

“The person has to sign the consent form that they are consenting to the higher rate due to claims, or maybe the deductible size, or where they live,” Mark McDuffie of Mark McDuffie Insurance said. “And it’s a legal way to get a 20 or 25 percent rate increase instead of a 10 percent rate increase.”

If major weather incidents become more frequent, McDuffie believes North Carolina could move towards a percentage-based home insurance rate.

“So if I have a $400,000 house, I have a 1 percent deductible,” McDuffie said. “So I’m going to have a $4,000 wind and hail deductible for my roof.”

North Carolina regulators already approved a 4.8 percent homeowners insurance rate increase earlier this year.