What are ‘Acts of God’ and when are they covered?

We think “acts of God” is a term with an ominous tone, but despite how it sounds, it doesn’t really mean to attribute blame to an event on God.  So what does act of God insurance mean?

An “act of God” typically refers to any natural disaster that cannot be foreseen or prevented by humans, in this case, one that causes your vehicle to be damaged. Things we cannot prevent include any naturally-occurring catastrophe, such as earthquakes, tornados, erupting volcanos, hail, lightning, windstorms, and of course, hurricanes. This is why “acts of God” are also called acts of nature or natural disasters. An act of God clause in insurance, also known as a force majeure clause, usually limits or removes liability for injuries, damages, and losses caused by Acts of God.

Do I need act of God insurance?

Most insurance companies will cover natural disasters and other “acts of God” as covered by Act of God car insurance, or Comprehensive coverage. If they exclude something from your homeowners policy, you’ll get an exclusion credit on your insurance premiums. Depending on the area you live in, you may need to buy a separate hurricane or other similar policy.

Acts of God insurance typically also covers theft and vandalism, and may include allotments for stolen or damage property that is kept inside your vehicle, such as clothes, valuables, or custom stereo equipment. Unless events are specifically excluded, this is where payment comes for acts of God or nature.

What types of loss are covered by comprehensive coverage?

Most insurance companies offer specific definitions of what is and isn’t covered by Comprehensive coverage. This includes car insurance act of God coverage. Some examples include:

• Contact with an animal (including a bird).
• Explosion or earthquake.
• Fire.
• Malicious mischief or vandalism.
• Missiles or falling objects.
• Riot or civil commotion.
• Theft or larceny.
• Windstorm, hail, water, or flood.
• Breakage of glass not caused by collision.

How else can you cover act of God insurance?

Certain types of car insurance coverage besides Comprehensive may be activated in the event of a natural disaster. For example, your insurer may deny that a claim was “caused” by a natural disaster or other Comprehensive type of loss, and may tell you that the claim must be filed under another type of coverage. Additionally, if you don’t have Comprehensive coverage, these types of coverage may be used to cover your act of God insurance claim. 

• Liability: This covers injuries to others or damage to the property belonging to others in the event of an accident where you are at fault. Most states require basic liability coverage for an auto insurance policy. Liability car insurance includes two types of coverage: bodily injury liability insurance coverage and property damage liability coverage. Bodily injury liability coverage pays for the costs you are responsible for, while property damage liability coverage pays for the damage caused to another person’s property.
• Comprehensive: Comprehensive car insurance or homeowner’s insurance may come into play if a person’s tree falls on your car, or if you run into a deer or other animal. In events like these, you weren’t necessarily in a collision, but your car is damaged. Comprehensive coverage fills in the gaps in auto insurance. Some degree of comprehensive insurance is built into a homeowners policy for single family residences. Comprehensive claims are handled differently depending on your insurer. This can include car insurance act of God coverage.
• Collision: This will cover items including the repair of your car in both at fault collisions and crashes, as well as in accidents where you are not your fault. In some cases, this might cover damage to a house or other property if you collide with the house. If you don’t have Comprehensive coverage, you can use your Collision coverage instead, however doing this may affect your rates differently than if you have Comprehensive.

What are “proximate cause” rules, and why do they matter?

Some states have precedence set in the state law or jury instructions on how to interpret chains of events. In some states, the first event in a chain of events can be considered as the “cause” of damage. For example, if a volcano eruption is covered under your policy, and it causes a dam to break and subsequently flood your home, some states might consider the volcano to be the “cause” of the flood damage. If you have coverage for volcanic eruptions but not flood protection, you could still get your act of god insurance claim paid. Mortgage lenders typically require you to carry act of God insurance coverage that makes sense for where you live. So if you live in a high flood and volcano risk area, you would be expected to carry both.

Chances are, you may have to go to court and do battle with your insurance company if they try to deny this type of circumstance. So it’s best to consult with an attorney if your insurer is denying all or part of a claim for a natural disaster.

If your state does not recognize “proximate cause” as a contributing factor, then you would have to rely on flood insurance to cover your damage, even though it was initially started by a volcanic eruption. In these cases, your insurer may only cover the amount directly associated with the covered risk. Knowing what your comprehensive insurance covers before you have a claim is essential so you know if you have insurance for acts of God.

Some Exceptions
Some insurers have exceptions for floods, storms, or other factors depending on where you live. Drivers in coastal regions and high-risk storm areas may have to buy extra insurance for these types of disasters. Drivers in midwestern states may have to purchase extra coverage for tornadoes or hail damage, as well. As always, check with your insurance company about Acts of God insurance coverage and read your policy to make sure you’re fully covered.