The Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled that insurance companies must cover damage from a hurricane's wind even if the home is later inundated by storm surge.

In Thursday's ruling, the high court said storm damage can be excluded from coverage by language in insurer's homeowner policies when it is caused by a combination of wind and water acting together.

But the court said that exclusion wouldn't apply in the case that a Long Beach couple, Margaret and Magruder Corban, filed against United Services Automobile Association if wind and water damage to their home could be distinguished.

The Supreme Court said a jury must decide whether damage to the Corbans' home was caused by wind or water.