'Act of God' insurance

You’ve probably heard the term "Act of God" before, but what does it mean when it comes to your home insurance? Here we take a look at exactly how it can affect you and your property. 

Key points:

• An ‘Act of God’ is an event that happens that is outside our control

• It is an old fashioned term for an event that was used to describe natural catastrophes and examples include floods, earthquakes or hurricanes

• Most modern insurance policy documents have a specific section that explains exactly what you’re covered for in relation to each individual type of claim for greater clarity

• If you’re in a flood risk area you could be eligible to qualify for Flood Re - an initiative that brings down the cost of premiums for properties that are in a high risk flood area, or suffered previous flood damage.

What is an "Act of God"?

Although you're likely familiar with the term "Act of God", it’s not actually part of modern-day insurance industry language.

Traditionally, when people talk about an ‘Act of God', they are referring to a natural hazard or event that’s outside of human control. This includes natural events such as floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis.

Cover for "Acts of God"

You’ll typically find a section in your insurance policy documents explaining what level of cover, if any, you can expect for claims related to these types of events. Sometimes, Acts of God are referred to as ‘force majeure clauses’, however John Lewis Money Home Insurance doesn’t use this term in our policy documents. We describe the event, for example, lightning, flood and earthquakes, and what you are and aren’t covered for when these events occur. 

Insurance premiums are calculated based on risk. The risk of things such as fire, leaking roofs, or a tree falling on your property can all be calculated based on previous claims data. They are therefore considered by insurance providers to be “standard risks”.

Other natural disasters can be far less predictable due to the frequency and severity of these events. Their risk is often calculated in a slightly different way. If you're unsure whether you're covered for an event, check your policy documents.

Are you eligible for Flood Re?

Flood Re is a joint initiative between the insurance industry and the government to make covering floods more affordable and bring down premiums for many people living in high risk areas.

If your home is in an area that is prone to flooding or has previously suffered flood damage, the cost of insuring it can be very high. But the Flood Re scheme benefits households that would otherwise struggle to get insurance against flooding.

You can use the Flood Re tool to find out whether your property could qualify for support from the scheme.

What does John Lewis Money Home Insurance cover?

Living in the UK, natural disasters such as hurricanes or tsunamis generally aren’t things we’re directly affected by. 

At John Lewis Money, our insurance options for both buildings and contents include cover for a number of events including fire, lightning, explosions, earthquakes and smoke damage. We also provide cover for storms and floods (exclusions apply) – this is included for all levels of home insurance cover.

If you have John Lewis Specialist Home Insurance, bought to you by Covea Insurance, and you have to claim over £20,000 for loss or damage caused by flooding, then in certain circumstances the policy will pay up to £2,500 towards the cost of installing a flood prevention system if you didn't already have one, subject to approval.

How can I get a home insurance quote with John Lewis Money?

You can get a quote for home insurance with John Lewis Money to cover your home and your belongings.

Not only are our Gold, Silver and Specialist home insurance policies five-star rated by Defaqto, but our different levels of cover can be tailored to suit your property.

Plus, our Specialist Home Insurance, brought to you by Covea Insurance, is specifically designed for high-value contents & homes, or unique homes.

This article is for promotional or information purposes only. You must not rely on it as advice.