Tornadoes, severe storms, and flooding are all natural disasters Nebraska residents have to contend with. While most homeowners insurance policies cover damage from more common occurrences like fires, you’ll need additional coverage to protect your home against other disasters.

Unfortunately, most homeowners have misconceptions about the insurance policy protecting their homes. For example, nearly 43% of homeowners believe water damage from a severe storm is covered under their regular homeowners policy - it’s not.

If you’re caught in a natural disaster, the last thing you need is to have your insurance claim denied for insufficient coverage.

If you’re currently living in Nebraska, it’s important to know which natural disasters are most common in your state, and what damages your home insurance will cover. Licensed brokerage app

Jerry

has put together this guide with everything you need to know about homeowners insurance and natural disasters in the Cornhusker State.

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What is homeowners insurance—and what does it cover?

A typical homeowners insurance policy covers your home and household items along with

liability coverage that will pay for anyone that gets injured on your property. However, different policies provide different levels of coverage and can vary greatly in what kinds of damages and perils are covered.

Levels of homeowners insurance coverage

HO-1: In insurance jargon, an HO-1 policy is the basic amount of coverage. It will protect your primary dwelling, but not your personal property. It also doesn’t include liability coverage, and only a limited number of named perils are covered. These are usually common damages, like fire, lightning, or hail damage.

HO-2: A step up from basic coverage, an HO-2 policy will cover your home and personal property against the perils that your policy names.

HO-3: An HO-3 policy is typically the most common insurance policy. These policies cover your primary dwelling along with any additional structures on the property (like a shed or detached garage). These policies also include coverage for personal property, loss of use, and liability.

HO-3 policies are open perils policies - meaning they cover any peril except those specifically listed as not covered. However, this open perils coverage does not extend to your personal property.

HO-5: If you want the maximum amount of coverage available, an HO-5 policy is your best bet. These policies give you open perils coverage on your home and personal property. However, the premiums for HO-5 policies are usually really high.

If you need a better breakdown of your options, take a look at this:

Policy type	What’s covered	Open perils?
HO-1	Main structure only	Named perils only
HO-2	Main structure, personal property, loss of use, liability, medical payments	Named perils only
HO-3	Main structure, personal property, loss of use, liability, medical payments	Main structure - open perils, personal property - listed perils only
HO-5	Main structure, personal property, loss of use, liability, medical payments	Yes

What perils are covered by homeowners insurance?

Regardless of which type of insurance policy you have, it’s crucial to read the fine print on your policy so you can know which perils are named and which aren’t covered.

Most policies cover the following perils:

Fire and lightning

Smoke

Volcanic eruption

Explosion

Riot or civil commotion

Hail and windstorms

Damage caused by vehicles

Damage caused by aircraft

Vandalism

Theft or malicious mischief

HO-1 policies generally do not cover the following perils:

Falling objects

Weight of snow, ice, or sleet

Water overflow or discharge from plumbing

Water heater cracking

Damage from electrical current

Frozen pipes

Knowing what your insurance policy doesn’t cover is just as important as what it does cover. Notice both of these lists don’t include floods or earthquakes, which are extremely common natural disasters in the US.

In a state like Nebraska which sees frequent tornadoes, checking your insurance policy now can save you from a giant headache if your house is damaged in the future.

Key Takeaway Check your homeowners insurance coverage to find out which perils are covered and which aren’t.

Does home insurance cover natural disasters in Nebraska?

In the last 50 years, Nebraska had 66 major natural disasters.

In fact, Nebraska is ranked ninth in the nation for the number of natural disasters per year, according to

FEMA

. Of those disasters, severe storms and flooding were the most common. With very few natural buffers like mountains or large forests, storms that hit Nebraska can rip through much of the state without slowing down.

Here are some of the most common natural disasters that occur in Nebraska, along with what’s covered under homeowners insurance and what isn’t.

Tornadoes

In 2020 alone, Nebraska saw 35 tornadoes. One of which was the deadly Omaha, Nebraska EF-5 tornado that caused over $20 billion in damages.

Although tornadoes aren’t usually listed as a named peril in policies, most of the damage caused by one should be covered. Hail, wind, and lightning damage that comes with tornadoes are all named perils.

However, any flooding that results from heavy rain isn’t covered by homeowners insurance. You’ll have to buy a separate flood insurance policy to make sure your home is completely covered.

MORE:

Does car insurance cover tornado damage?

Flooding

Flooding is one of the most common natural disasters in Nebraska. In 2019 the Missouri River flooded, causing $10.7 billion in damage.

Snowmelt from the mountains can also cause the Platte River to flood, causing additional damage to homes.

Does homeowners insurance cover flood damage? No. Not even an expensive HO-5 policy covers flood damage. To be covered, you’ll need to purchase an additional flood policy.

Inland Hurricanes

In 2020 an inland hurricane (also known as a derecho storm) amassed over Nebraska and tore through much of the Midwest. Derechos produce tornado-force winds (or actual tornadoes), heavy rains, severe lightning, and flash flooding.

Although Derechos aren’t incredibly common, the damage from them can be catastrophic.

Fortunately, most of the damage brought on by an inland hurricane falls under named perils in most insurance policies. Damage from high winds, lightning, and hail are all covered. However, damage from flash flooding is not.

Winter storms

Nebraska is no stranger to severe winter storms, with most of the state seeing an average of over two feet of snow every winter. While snow might turn the Cornhusker State into a winter wonderland, it can also bring a host of problems with it.

Heavy amounts of snow accumulating on your roof could cause it to collapse. Trees weighed down by ice can snap and hit your house or other buildings on your property. And freezing temperatures can cause your pipes to burst.

Fortunately, damages caused by ice and snow are covered under most policies.

MORE:

Everything you need in a winter emergency car kit to keep you safe

Heatwaves

Living in Nebraska means that often have to deal with both ends of temperature extremes. Not only do you have to make sure your house is protected against severe winter storms, but you also have to safeguard it against blistering summer heatwaves.

Extremely high temperatures can cause quite a bit of damage to your home. Roofing tiles may crack and become brittle, causing water leaks. Overworked air conditioners can break down and stop working, and intense solar rays can even melt vinyl siding.

None of these damages are covered by insurance. To be protected, you’d need to purchase additional coverage.

MORE:

How to keep your car cool in scorching heat

Drought

With summer heatwaves usually comes drought, a fairly common problem in parts of Nebraska. Along with problems caused by high temperatures, droughts can cause the soil under your home to harden or even move - this could be disastrous for your foundation.

Unfortunately, most foundation issues are considered “normal wear and tear” and aren’t covered under insurance policies. Since Nebraska is prone to drought conditions, keeping an eye on your foundation is your best bet to heading off any problems before they get serious.

Key Takeaway Most homeowners policies will cover damage from tornadoes, inland hurricanes, and winter storms, but additional coverage for flooding should be considered.

How to file a home insurance claim

To protect your home, make sure your homeowners insurance policy covers as many of the common Nebraska natural disasters as possible. If your home or property happens to be damaged during one of these disasters, here’s what you need to do to file a claim:

Document your losses. Make a complete list of all property and possessions that were damaged and include photographs.

Notify your insurance carrier that you intend to file a claim. A claims adjuster will be assigned to your case.

Figure out how much you paid for every item. (It’s a good idea to keep receipts - especially for big-ticket item purchases like appliances or furniture!)

Fill out the claim paperwork your insurer provides.

Discuss the damage with the adjuster. Show your adjuster everything that was damaged, even if you’re not sure if your policy will cover it.

Get repair quotes from contractors to help you negotiate a settlement with your insurer.

Collect your funds and you can start repairing your home.

Knowing the terms of your homeowners insurance policy is crucial if you want to make the process of filing a claim easier. Knowing what your insurance covers will help you when you’re filling out paperwork and negotiating a settlement.

How to save money on homeowners and car insurance

Just because you want top homeowners insurance coverage, doesn’t mean you have to pay top dollar. If you want great coverage that protects your home (but doesn’t require you to take out a second mortgage), let licensed brokerage app

Jerry

do the work for you.

In under a minute, Jerry can compare quotes from 50+ top companies, letting you compare rates and find the best deal. And when you’re ready to switch, Jerry will even cancel your old policy and handle all the paperwork, saving you time and money.

Want even more savings? Try bundling your home and auto insurance policies for discounts on both premiums.