• Wildfires

• Lightning strikes

• Hail

• Damage caused by the weight of ice and snow

• Tornadoes

• Smoke

• Freezing of plumbing, air conditioning or heating systems

Homeowners insurance policy coverage differs according to the insurer, so discussing your specific concerns with your agent to ensure you have property coverage is crucial.  

Your insurance policy includes a list of excluded perils. To get coverage for these risks, you may need to purchase a stand-alone policy to provide coverage for excluded risks. A traditional home insurance policy may not provide coverage for the following: 

• Flood damage—Your agent can help you get flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) managed by FEMA to help cover your home and possessions.

• Hurricane damage—While you may not think of Ohio as an area prone to hurricane damage, hurricane Ike caused $1.255 billion in insured losses across the state in 2008, with 29 Ohio counties around the Dayton, Cincinnati and central Ohio areas in a state of emergency. You may need hurricane wind damage and flood insurance to help mitigate hurricane risks.

• Earthquake damage—Ohio has experienced 200 earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.0 or higher since 1776, with 15 earthquakes causing damage in western and northeastern Ohio. It may make sense to purchase earthquake insurance, depending on where you live.

• Sinkhole damage—Certain areas of Ohio may be at risk for karst landforms, which can cause sinkholes to form, resulting in property damage. If you have concerns about potential sinkholes near your home, talk with your agent about adding earth movement insurance coverage to your home insurance policy.