Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Satellites Crashing into Your Home?

The chances of a satellite crashing into your home are slim, but not zero. Here's what would happen if your house is struck by space debris.
Written by Marisol Pereira
Reviewed by Carrie Adkins
When a satellite returns to earth, it's not a gentle landing. If your property is unlucky enough to take the hit, you might be looking at significant damage.
And while such an occurrence is exceedingly rare, it's not unheard of. So, if a satellite were to crash into your home, would your insurance help you cover the cost of the damage? Read on to learn about your coverage for satellite damage, presented by
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Is a satellite crash covered by homeowners insurance?

While insurance companies are known for covering
common perils
like fire, smoke, lightning, windstorms, and theft, among others, the truth is that they also cover some less conventional things—like a satellite crashing into the roof of your home.
Yes, most standard homeowners insurance policies have a section dedicated to "
falling objects
," and this is meant to protect your house against things crashing into it. And, while the vast majority of claims come from more mundane things like the branch of a tree hitting your home, or perhaps a utility pole, the policy would still apply for less standard things like satellites

Some conditions apply

While your insurance covering the crash of a satellite might be surprising, the fact that some conditions or exceptions can apply shouldn't surprise anyone.
For insurance companies to cover the damage caused by a falling object, it must be a direct hit to your home, which means that the satellite would need to land or hit the roof of your house, a wall, or maybe a window. 
If the satellite fell near your home and the landing's vibrations cause some indirect damage, your insurance company can refuse to cover these damages.

How much can my insurance cover?

While it all depends on the limits of your policy, if you suffered a direct hit by a satellite, your insurance company should cover damages caused to the outside and inside of your home—including your personal belongings
Now, if a guest happened to get injured during the crash, your insurance policy should be able to help cover these costs as well. The medical coverage would fall under the liability clause of your policy. 

What to do if a satellite crashes into your home 

Make sure everyone is okay

First things first, check on every person inside the house and make sure they are okay. If there is a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. 

Take pictures

While insurance companies are no strangers to claims filed under falling objects, they might not get to see a satellite claim too often. To make the process easier, take as many pictures as you can. These will help the insurance company process the claim. 

Contact your insurance company

Call a representative from your insurance company and explain the situation; they should be able to guide you through your coverage and the steps needed to file a claim. 

Repair the damages

While the insurance company might take some time to process the claim, some damages cannot wait. For example, damages that might have left a hole in your home's structure (like the roof) can expose your property to further damage caused by wind or rain.
So, instead of waiting for the insurance company, find a way to mend or fix the damages and save the receipts for you to show to the insurance company later.
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