Top 6 Most Common Homeowners Insurance Claims in the United States
Every day, thousands of homeowners across the United States make insurance claims.
Some claims are for ordinary things like burst pipes and house fires.
Others are for more unique situations – like when your pet peacock barricades itself in your bathroom and causes extensive damage after mistaking itself for an intruder upon seeing its own reflection in the mirror.
Today, we’re highlighting the most common homeowners insurance claims in the United States. For 99% of homeowners nationwide, these are the only claims they’ll ever file.
Wind & Hail Claims (40.7%)
According to the Insurance Information Institute, 40.7% of all homeowners insurance claims, in 2022, were related to wind and hail.
In some years, like 2020, nearly half (48.3%) of all homeowners insurance claims were for wind and hail incidents.
In other words, you’re more likely to make a wind and hail insurance claim than any other claim – especially in wind-prone or storm-prone regions.
In fact, homeowners in many parts of the United States must buy additional wind and hail insurance coverage because wind and hail isn’t covered by standard homeowners insurance. Wind and hail coverage is common in the Southeastern United States – particularly in coastal areas. It’s also found in inland areas.
Water Damage & Freezing (27.6%)
Roughly one in four homeowners insurance claims in the United States are linked to water damage and freezing.
According to the III, 27.6% of all homeowners insurance claims in 2022 were linked to water damage and freezing.
A standard homeowners insurance policy covers burst pipes and other sudden water damage. It also covers frozen pipes and damage resulting from frozen water systems in the home.
Of course, homeowners insurance doesn’t cover all water damage. It doesn’t cover flooding, for example. Instead, some homeowners buy extra flood insurance.
Fire & Lightning (21.2%)
Fire and lightning damage led to 21.2% of all homeowners insurance claims in the United States in 2022. Most of those claims were linked to fires – not lightning.
A standard homeowners insurance policy covers house fires. If you accidentally start a fire in your kitchen, for example, then insurance covers the cost of repairing damage to the pre-loss condition.
Insurance also covers lightning strikes. If lightning strikes your home and causes a fire or electrical surge, then insurance should cover associated costs.
Fire and lightning claims aren’t as common as the two causes above, but they’re the costliest average insurance claim: the average fire and lightning claim costs $83,991, according to the III, compared to the nationwide claim average of $15,747.
Insurance does not cover deliberate fires – like arson.
Bodily Injury & Property Damage Liability Claims (2%)
The vast majority of homeowners insurance claims (around 98% of all claims in a given year) involve property damage. The remaining 2% of claims involve liability claims.
Your homeowners insurance doesn’t just cover the cost of repairing your property after a loss; it also covers your liability.
If someone gets injured while on your property, for example, or if your tree falls onto a neighbor’s house, then you could be sued. Homeowners insurance covers your liability in these situations.
According to the III, 2.1% of all homeowners insurance claims in 2011 involved liability coverage – with 1.6% of claims involving bodily injury and property damage liability specifically.
Theft (1%)
Homeowners insurance compensates you when items are stolen.
If someone breaks into your house or car and steals your personal property, then insurance could cover the cost of replacing that property.
Insurance could cover theft at replacement value, compensating you based on the cost of actually replacing the items that were stolen. Or, it could cover actual cash value, which is the value of your items minus depreciation.
Theft may seem like an everyday occurrence. However, just 0.7% of all homeowners insurance claims in 2022 were related to theft.
Other Property Damage & Liability Claims (7.5%)
In 2022, 7.5% of all homeowners insurance claims did not fit into any of the categories listed above, according to the III.
Those other claims include:
- All other property damage claims (6.9%)
- Medical payments and other liability claims (0.5%)
- Credit card and other claims (0.1%)
Final Word
The average homeowners insurance claim in the United States is worth $15,747, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
In comparison, the average homeowner pays around $2,500 per year for homeowners insurance.
Whether dealing with a common insurance claim – or a rare one – ClaimsMate’s specialists can help. Contact us for a no-cost consultation to help navigate your insurance claim.
Stephanie is a property insurance claim expert with over 20 years of experience working as an insurance adjuster, expert witness, appraiser and umpire. She is passionate about sharing her expertise, knowledge, tips and training to help both property owners and Public Adjusters in their pursuit of effectively managing claims and recovering the claim settlement they deserve after a loss.
