{"id":8286,"date":"2022-06-13T06:19:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-13T06:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/301webdemo.com\/oegema\/?p=8286"},"modified":"2026-02-06T04:54:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T04:54:28","slug":"what-are-the-most-common-homeowner-insurance-claims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/blog\/what-are-the-most-common-homeowner-insurance-claims\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are the Most Common Homeowner Insurance Claims?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"8286\" class=\"elementor elementor-8286\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-260ad659 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"260ad659\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-df196c8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"df196c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"excerpt\">While nobody wishes to file a home insurance claim, accidents do happen, and sometimes they are unavoidable. That\u2019s why\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/home-insurance\/\">home insurance<\/a>\u00a0is crucial if you want to protect your most significant investment, personal belongings, and financial well-being. When people consider homeowner insurance claims, they often think of major disasters such as wildfires or floods. However, the reality is that some of the most common reasons for claims can be prevented by proactive attention. According to data from the Insurance Information Institute, here are some of the most common types of homeowner insurance claims.<\/p><h2><b>Wind and Hail Damage<\/b><\/h2><p>This category includes damages caused by hurricanes, tornados, and strong winds from thunderstorms. Unfortunately, these natural perils are challenging to predict and cannot be prevented. While wind and hail damage claims are the most common (making up nearly 40% of all insurance claims), they are not the most costly claims on average.<\/p><h2><b>Fire and Lightning Damage<\/b><\/h2><p>Fire and lightning damage is the most costly homeowner insurance claims and the most common claims. Whether started by lightning, electrical faults, or another source, fires can cause extensive damage to any property quickly, hence the high cost of claims. While there\u2019s nothing much you can do to prevent a lightning fire, you may avoid other types of fires if you take the necessary preventative steps. For example, chimney and fireplace fires are often caused by a dirty or blocked chimney. To ensure that sitting in front of the family hearth is a relaxing rather than dangerous activity, implement all fire safety best practices and maintain a regular chimney cleaning schedule. Electrical fires are also a common yet preventable insurance claim. Here are some things you can do to help avoid an electrical fire:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8233c57 elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"8233c57\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"27\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 27 26\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M25.025 14.4289C24.064 19.2336 20.4413 23.7577 15.3579 24.7687C12.8786 25.2624 10.3068 24.9614 8.00858 23.9084C5.71037 22.8554 3.80294 21.1043 2.5579 18.9042C1.31285 16.7041 0.79365 14.1673 1.07423 11.655C1.35481 9.14267 2.42086 6.78291 4.12059 4.91171C7.6069 1.07178 13.4936 0.0147454 18.2984 1.93663\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><path d=\"M8.68945 12.5069L13.4942 17.3116L25.0255 4.81934\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Keep heat-producing appliances unplugged when unused. This includes kettles, curling wands, toasters, irons, etc.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"27\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 27 26\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M25.025 14.4289C24.064 19.2336 20.4413 23.7577 15.3579 24.7687C12.8786 25.2624 10.3068 24.9614 8.00858 23.9084C5.71037 22.8554 3.80294 21.1043 2.5579 18.9042C1.31285 16.7041 0.79365 14.1673 1.07423 11.655C1.35481 9.14267 2.42086 6.78291 4.12059 4.91171C7.6069 1.07178 13.4936 0.0147454 18.2984 1.93663\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><path d=\"M8.68945 12.5069L13.4942 17.3116L25.0255 4.81934\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Don\u2019t use devices with damaged power cords.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"27\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 27 26\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M25.025 14.4289C24.064 19.2336 20.4413 23.7577 15.3579 24.7687C12.8786 25.2624 10.3068 24.9614 8.00858 23.9084C5.71037 22.8554 3.80294 21.1043 2.5579 18.9042C1.31285 16.7041 0.79365 14.1673 1.07423 11.655C1.35481 9.14267 2.42086 6.78291 4.12059 4.91171C7.6069 1.07178 13.4936 0.0147454 18.2984 1.93663\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><path d=\"M8.68945 12.5069L13.4942 17.3116L25.0255 4.81934\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Don\u2019t ignore signs of trouble, such as a burning smell when an appliance is plugged in or if one of your breakers frequently trips.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef04b3a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ef04b3a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"content blog col-md-8\">\n<article class=\"blog_posts listing\">\n<div class=\"cnt-wrapper\">\n<h2><b>Water and Freezing Damage<\/b><\/h2>\n<p class=\"excerpt\">Besides electricity, water is the most-used commodity in any home, so it makes sense that water and freezing damage account for nearly 20% of all home insurance claims each year. Some common causes of water damage include:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/article>\n<aside class=\"sidebar col-md-4\">\n<section class=\"widget-odd widget-last widget-first widget-1 tab-box\"><\/section>\n<\/aside>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b2727e3 elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"b2727e3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"27\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 27 26\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M25.025 14.4289C24.064 19.2336 20.4413 23.7577 15.3579 24.7687C12.8786 25.2624 10.3068 24.9614 8.00858 23.9084C5.71037 22.8554 3.80294 21.1043 2.5579 18.9042C1.31285 16.7041 0.79365 14.1673 1.07423 11.655C1.35481 9.14267 2.42086 6.78291 4.12059 4.91171C7.6069 1.07178 13.4936 0.0147454 18.2984 1.93663\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><path d=\"M8.68945 12.5069L13.4942 17.3116L25.0255 4.81934\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Clogged gutters. Leaves, branches, and debris can block rainwater flow over time. Instead, the water will overflow the edges of the gutters and run down the side of the house, causing damage to ceilings, walls, and floors.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"27\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 27 26\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M25.025 14.4289C24.064 19.2336 20.4413 23.7577 15.3579 24.7687C12.8786 25.2624 10.3068 24.9614 8.00858 23.9084C5.71037 22.8554 3.80294 21.1043 2.5579 18.9042C1.31285 16.7041 0.79365 14.1673 1.07423 11.655C1.35481 9.14267 2.42086 6.78291 4.12059 4.91171C7.6069 1.07178 13.4936 0.0147454 18.2984 1.93663\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><path d=\"M8.68945 12.5069L13.4942 17.3116L25.0255 4.81934\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Washing machine water leak. Rubber or PVC supply lines can easily wear out and burst compared to braided stainless steel.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"27\" height=\"26\" viewBox=\"0 0 27 26\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M25.025 14.4289C24.064 19.2336 20.4413 23.7577 15.3579 24.7687C12.8786 25.2624 10.3068 24.9614 8.00858 23.9084C5.71037 22.8554 3.80294 21.1043 2.5579 18.9042C1.31285 16.7041 0.79365 14.1673 1.07423 11.655C1.35481 9.14267 2.42086 6.78291 4.12059 4.91171C7.6069 1.07178 13.4936 0.0147454 18.2984 1.93663\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><path d=\"M8.68945 12.5069L13.4942 17.3116L25.0255 4.81934\" stroke=\"#E8792A\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Air-conditioning condensation. Moisture from the AC unit\u2019s evaporator coil will leak into your home if the drain pan is damaged or the condensate drain line is clogged, causing damage to the floor and walls.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-27a4ee1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"27a4ee1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"content blog col-md-8\">\n<article class=\"blog_posts listing\">\n<div class=\"cnt-wrapper\">\n<p>Any small leakage can lead to significant damage over time. Thus, it\u2019s important to inspect, and repair seals frequently and never ignore any first signs of water damage in the house.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/article>\n<aside class=\"sidebar col-md-4\">\n<section class=\"widget-odd widget-last widget-first widget-1 tab-box\"><\/section>\n<\/aside>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1e83ac3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1e83ac3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"content blog col-md-8\">\n<article class=\"blog_posts listing\">\n<div class=\"cnt-wrapper\">\n<h2><b>Other Property Damage<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Sometimes, property damage is unexpected and unavoidable. A tree can fall on your fence, or a baseball can go through your window. Whatever the case may be, miscellaneous property damage can happen even when you\u2019re extremely cautious. Luckily,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/blog\/6-things-to-consider-when-purchasing-home-insurance\/\">having the proper homeowner\u2019s insurance policy<\/a>\u00a0can make taking care of these incidents much easier.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Liability<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Liability refers to your responsibility for other people while they\u2019re on your property. Both bodily injury and property damage liability fall into this category. For example, if someone accidentally falls down your stairs, you could be held responsible for their medical expenses if you were found legally liable for the accident. Liability claims can be very expensive, as many of them can also result in lawsuits. So, with the added court costs and lawyer fees, the cost of a liability claim can get pricey quite quickly.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Theft and Vandalism\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Theft and vandalism claims account for only 1% of homeowners\u2019 insurance claims and are also one of the least costly on the list. However, investing in a security system can reduce your risk of theft even further. Not everything you own is completely replaceable, and having a security system will give you peace of mind and added security. Some insurance companies even offer premium discounts for this.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Flood Damage<\/b><\/h2>\n<p>Flood damage is unfortunately not covered by most insurance policies. However, you would be surprised by the number of homeowners who try to file a flooding claim with their insurance provider. If you have a property in an area prone to flooding, make sure to secure a separate flood insurance policy to protect yourself from the cost of that damage. Your home is one of the most significant purchases you\u2019ll make in your lifetime. That\u2019s why it\u2019s essential to have insurance to protect it. At\u00a0Oegema, Nicholson &amp; Associates, we understand that the insurance world can be complex and challenging to navigate. Don\u2019t worry, though. Our professional insurance brokers are here to help you build the right home insurance policy in Ottawa. To request a quote today or learn more about your options, call us at 613-704-7766 or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/contact-us\/\">contact us here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/article>\n<aside class=\"sidebar col-md-4\">\n<section class=\"widget-odd widget-last widget-first widget-1 tab-box\"><\/section>\n<\/aside>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While nobody wishes to file a home insurance claim, accidents do happen, and sometimes they are unavoidable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":8288,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8286","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-category"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8286","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8286"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8286\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12678,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8286\/revisions\/12678"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8288"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8286"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8286"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ona.ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8286"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}