Act Of God

What Does Act Of God Mean?

An act of God refers to an uncontrollable natural event that causes significant damage, such as lightning, floods, or tornadoes. Many insurance policies exclude coverage for acts of God. Because of this, homeowners often want to know whether their policy covers natural disasters at all before they need to file a claim. However, the specific natural forces classified as acts of God can vary between policies.

Policyholders can purchase riders to extend their property insurance coverage to include certain acts of God.

An act of God is also sometimes called an act of nature.

Insuranceopedia Explains Act Of God

Acts of God are often excluded from standard property insurance policies because they exceed the scope of what is considered a “standard risk” for insurance companies. For instance, an earthquake could destroy an entire house in an instant, far surpassing the typical risks associated with normal wear and tear. Earthquake damage is one of the most common exclusions homeowners run into when they actually read their policy.

Since acts of God can and do occur, many people opt to purchase additional insurance coverage to protect against specific events. Flood damage is a good example, since standard homeowners policies almost never include it and buyers usually need a separate flood insurance policy to be covered.