Insurance

This isn't insurance advice. It's what standard policies usually do and don't cover in Utah, so you know what to ask your agent. The biggest gaps are earthquake and flood, which standard homeowners and renters policies don't cover. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)

Earthquake

• Typical homeowners and renters policies don't cover earthquake damage. Coverage is almost always an add-on endorsement, though standalone policies exist. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• Earthquake deductibles are a percentage of your dwelling coverage, not of the loss, usually 10% to 20%. On a home insured for $200,000, a 10% deductible is $20,000. NAIC (opens source in a new tab)
• Fire that follows an earthquake is generally covered by standard policies. Triple-I (opens source in a new tab)
• New coverage takes 10 to 30 days to start, and insurers often stop selling it right after a nearby quake. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)

Flood and groundwater

• Most homeowners and renters policies don't cover flooding; you need a separate flood policy. FloodSmart (opens source in a new tab)
• More than 70% of recent Utah flooding happened outside mapped high-risk flood zones. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies usually start 30 days after you buy them and cap coverage at $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for contents. They don't cover belongings in basements, living expenses, cars, landscaping, decks, or fences. FloodSmart (opens source in a new tab)
• The NFIP doesn't cover groundwater flooding, though some private policies may. In January 2023, more than 30 Draper homes flooded from groundwater. UGS (opens source in a new tab) UPR (opens source in a new tab)
• Utah has the second-lowest share of homes with NFIP flood insurance in the country, despite the lowest average premium. Salt Lake Tribune (opens source in a new tab)

Wildfire

• Homeowners policies cover fire, but how much varies. Many cap how many hotel nights they'll pay for after a fire. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• Loss-of-use coverage may apply during a mandatory evacuation; voluntary evacuations are usually paid out of pocket. Rebuilding to current code needs Ordinance and Law coverage. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• If your limits haven't changed since you bought your home, you're probably underinsured; extended replacement cost coverage helps. Triple-I (opens source in a new tab)
• Insurers are pulling back: about 4.5% of Utah homeowners policies weren't renewed in 2025, the highest rate in the nation. KUNC (opens source in a new tab)
• A 2026 Utah law (HB 48) creates a wildland-urban interface risk map that insurers must use, and requires notice when premiums rise more than 20% or coverage ends. Utah FFSL (opens source in a new tab)

Renters

• Renters insurance covers your belongings, liability, and extra living costs, but not the building, and not floods or earthquakes. Your landlord's policy usually covers only the building. Triple-I (opens source in a new tab) Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)

Sewer backup

• Typical homeowners policies exclude sewer backup; an endorsement adds it. Water backing up from overloaded drains generally isn't covered either. Triple-I (opens source in a new tab) Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)

Before a disaster

• Make a home inventory: use the NAIC's free app or film a narrated walk through every room, and back it up online with your policy papers. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• Review your coverage with your agent every year. Actual cash value pays what your things were worth after depreciation; replacement cost pays to repair or replace them with like kind. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)

After a disaster

• Contact your insurer promptly, photograph the damage, make temporary repairs to prevent more damage, and save every receipt. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• Don't make permanent repairs or throw out damaged items until the adjuster has inspected. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• Most policies require you to file within a year; keep records of temporary housing costs. Triple-I (opens source in a new tab)
• Your insurance company's adjusters cost you nothing; public adjusters charge a fee. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• A contractor who offers to waive or pay your deductible is acting unlawfully; report insurance fraud to the Utah Insurance Department at 801-468-0233. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)
• File with insurance first. FEMA aid isn't a substitute for insurance and can't pay for the same losses, but it may help if your claim is delayed 30 days or more. FEMA (opens source in a new tab) FEMA (opens source in a new tab)
• Stuck in a dispute? File a complaint with the Utah Insurance Department; it usually takes three to four weeks, and the department can't force an insurer to pay. Its property and casualty line is 801-957-9305. Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab) Utah Insurance Department (opens source in a new tab)