What is an Act of God?
The phrase ‘Act of God’ refers to an event, such as a natural disaster, that’s considered no one’s fault and couldn’t have been avoided. We’re talking about events like:
Floods
Storms
Lightning strikes
Hurricanes
Tsunamis
Earthquakes
Volcanic eruptions.
Act of God is the kind of action-movie phrase that sticks in the mind and people often search for it in the small print of their insurance policy. But you probably won’t find it as it’s not a term insurance providers normally use these days. Instead, your policy will set out what it does and doesn’t cover.
What isn’t an Act of God?
Things not considered Acts of God are when damage is caused by a person or could reasonably have been foreseen, protected against or prevented.
For example, if someone tossing away a lit cigarette causes a fire at your home, it won’t be classed as an Act of God. This is because it was started by a person and could have been avoided.
Does home insurance cover Acts of God?
There’s a common misconception that insurance providers include an Act of God clause in their policies to avoid paying claims. And while this was once common practice, times have changed. These days, insurance providers tend to be a lot clearer with their policy terms and will outline exactly what is and isn’t included.
If a natural disaster, like a fire, flood or storm damages your home, you may find you're covered by your home insurance. That said, your policy is likely to have exclusions and isn’t going to cover all unforeseen circumstances.
What your insurance provider will and won’t cover will be clearly outlined in the policy. As always, you’ll have to read the small print to be sure. Keep an eye out for sections relating to natural disasters in particular.
How can I protect my home against natural disasters?
We know that climate change makes severe weather and natural disasters more likely to happen. So it’s probably time to get clued up.
Although your insurance may cover some natural disasters, it’s still a good idea to protect your home as much as possible so you won’t have to make a claim. Steps you can take include:
Securing or locking away loose objects like bikes, garden furniture and children’s toys so they don’t damage your property during a storm
Inspecting your roof for loose tiles or damaged chimney pots, and fixing any issues
Trimming back bushes or trees that could damage your windows in high winds
Securing weak fencing or gates.
It’s also important to protect your home from flooding, which is becoming more common in the UK.
Over five million properties in England are at risk from flooding. If your home is in a high-risk flood area, you might struggle to get cover, but the government-backed Flood Re scheme is designed to help you access affordable home insurance.
FAQs
Can I get Act of God home insurance?
That might sound pretty cool (as far as home insurance goes) but it doesn’t actually exist and, crucially, you shouldn’t need it. Your home insurance should protect you against fire, flood and storms.
Will my insurance provider pay out for natural disasters?
It depends on what your policy says. If lightning or some other freak weather occurrence damages your property, your insurance provider could cover your losses. But always check your policy to be sure.
Is my home covered for flooding?
Standard home insurance policies usually cover damage caused by floodwater. But if you live in a high-risk flood area, or your home has flooded in the past, you might have to pay a high excess (the amount you'll need to contribute towards any claim) or look for Flood Re cover.
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Helen’s our resident home insurance expert, as the former Head of Home Insurance at Compare the Market. She's also experienced with car insurance and pet insurance from her previous roles across commercial, partnerships and as a freelance consultant, working with more than 100 insurers across a variety of insurance products.
Stephen Maunder is an experienced personal finance editor, having spent more than a decade working for consumer print and online titles. He won several industry awards for his personal finance features at Which?, before becoming Deputy Editor at Compare the Market.
As an award-winning journalist, author and broadcast commentator, Kate has been writing about personal finance for more than 20 years. She’s the former Money Editor for The Independent.
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