Does Insurance Cover Volcano Damage?

by COUNTRY Financial

If you live in the shadow of a volcano and are caught in an eruption, the most important thing to do is protect the lives of yourself and your loved ones. (If you don’t have an escape plan, you should create one.)

But what about your property and assets? Does your homeowners insurance cover volcanic eruptions? What about car insurance? 

While there’s no specific volcano insurance, there are multiple policies that can protect your home, car or other assets from volcanic catastrophes.

Does homeowners insurance cover volcanic eruptions?

Home insurance policies can cover some damages from volcanic destruction and damage, but there are some exceptions. It's important to review your policy to understand specific coverages of damage caused by volcano eruptions, like the effects of shockwaves or lava.

If you live near an active volcano, check your home insurance policy’s coverage limits for both dwelling coverage and personal property coverage; dwelling coverage protects the structure of your home, and personal property protection covers valuable belongings you own.

Does auto insurance cover volcanic eruptions?

If you have comprehensive car insurance, you may be covered for sudden and direct volcanic damage to your car.

Comprehensive coverage provides protection for unexpected damages to your car arising from anything other than a collision. In the case of a volcano, there may be coverage under comprehensive for sudden and unexpected damages to your vehicle.

What volcano-related damages are not covered?

There are some damages that may result from a volcanic eruption that are not covered:

• Earthquakes, landslides and floods*: These earth movements are common following a volcanic eruption, but because they’re secondary effects, any damage they cause to your property will likely not be covered by insurance.
• Ash and dust damage: Ash and dust can plague an area for months after an eruption and wreak havoc on homes and automotive systems. Unfortunately, because this type of damage occurs gradually, it isn’t usually covered by insurance.
• Cleanup costs: Things like ash and debris can litter your property after an eruption and be expensive to remediate. But unless they caused direct damage to your property, insurance won’t cover those cleanup costs.

*Standard home policies rarely cover earthquakes or floods, whether initiated by a volcano or not. However, you can buy earthquake and flood coverage separately.

What to do in case of a volcanic eruption

There are several things you can do in preparation of an eruption, but the most important is to simply plan ahead. For more on this, see what the USGS says about volcano prep.

• Make sure you and your family have a clear, safe evacuation route. Make sure you’ve identified friends, families or hotels that are far enough away from the volcano in case of an eruption.
• If you and your loved ones live separately, plan a safe rendezvous point.
• Build a volcano eruption kit with emergency supplies. This kit should have emergency essentials, like gas masks for everyone in your home, spare medications and plastic tape to seal your car or home from dangerous volcanic gas and ash.

If you’re home during an active eruption:

• Pay attention to all information from both local and government officials. The USGS has excellent advice for dealing with an active eruption.
• Evacuate as soon as it’s safe to do so. 
• Limit your time outdoors as the air can quickly become toxic.
• If your home is in the affected zone but far enough away that you don’t need to evacuate, close all doors and windows and use strong tape to seal them off.

Finally, in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption:

• Once it’s safe to return home, do so and clear the ash dust from your home’s roof and car immediately. Volcanic ash can become very heavy and dangerous when it’s poured on.
• Change the air filters in your car and your home for clean air.

Final thoughts

Volcanic eruptions are one of the deadliest natural disasters on Earth. They can destroy lives in a matter of days or even hours.

If you’d like to know more about insurance coverage for volcanoes, talk to your insurance agent today—they can help you determine how much coverage you need and answer any questions.

Updated 4-3-25