In the world of insurance, it's vital for property owners to know whether their policies cover damage caused by war, civil unrest, or other similar events. As an attorney specializing in insurance coverage, I’ve seen many cases where policyholders are caught off guard when disaster strikes. Let’s take a closer look at how these unfortunate situations are handled under most insurance policies.
Standard Insurance Policies and War Exclusions
Most standard homeowners and property insurance policies typically include a war exclusion clause. This exclusion means that if your property is damaged or destroyed due to an act of war, such as an invasion, military action, or armed conflict, your insurer likely won’t cover the loss.
These exclusions are common in the insurance industry due to the unpredictable and large-scale destruction war can cause. Insurers cannot financially cover such catastrophic losses without charging exorbitant premiums, making war exclusions standard practice.
Civil Unrest, Riots, and Vandalism
But events like civil unrest, riots, and vandalism are often treated differently from war. Damage from these types of events is usually covered under a standard homeowners or property insurance policy. For example, if your property is damaged during a protest or a riot, your policy may cover your damages.
Specialized War Risk Insurance
If you're a homeowner or property owner in high-risk zones, or even near military bases, you might need to consider buying war risk insurance. This specialized insurance covers property damaged or destroyed due to war or other similar events but is generally reserved for high-risk scenarios and international operations. It is also usually very expensive.
If your insurance company has denied, delayed, or underpaid your insurance claim, contact Law Office of Rabih Hamawi for a case evaluation at (248) 905-1133 or www.hamawilaw.com.
Who is Rabih Hamawi?
Attorney & Counselor
Rabih Hamawi is a principal at the Law Office of Rabih Hamawi, P.C. and focuses his practice on representing policyholders in fire, property damage, and insurance-coverage disputes against insurance companies and in errors-and-omissions cases against insurance agents. He may be reached at (248) 905-1133.