These are the top homeowners insurance claims from recent years in terms of cost and frequency.
In early April, the truth came out. Travelers Companies, Inc. (you probably know them as Travelers Insurance) released information they had gathered by reviewing all of their homeowners insurance claims between 2009 and 2015. In their press release, they noted that weather-related claims make up over 50 percent! They then named the top homeowners insurance claims.
As far as the most common reasons behind claims, here’s how the numbers broke down.
- Exterior wind damage accounted for 25 percent of losses
- Water damage that wasn’t related to the weather (e.g. a pipe bursting or washer overflowing) made up 19 percent of losses.
- Hail followed closely behind, at 15 percent.
- Rain, snow, melting ice, and other weather-related water damage made up 11 percent of claims.
- Theft rounded out the top 5 at 6 percent.
Routine maintenance and security can help you avoid some of these types of claims, but it’s impossible to predict exactly what Mother Nature and other humans will bring your way. Fortunately for the homeowners who filed these claims, they had insurance in place to help them avoid financial burden.
If you want to avoid the most expensive claims, make sure your home has working smoke detectors, keep your appliances in good working order, and learn to operate a fire extinguisher. Fire made up almost one-quarter of total claim costs between 2009 and 2015.
What can you do to defend against these top homeowners insurance claims? Have great home insurance in place, of course! To get the coverage you need to have a defense against these risks and more, contact Mike Leonard Insurance Agency in North Texas. We’ll use our carriers Kemper, MetLife, Travelers, The Hartford, Safeco Insurance, Progressive, and American Strategic Insurance to find you the right protection.