How often do homeowners file insurance claims?

About one in 18 insured homes files a claim each year; 5.3% of homes had a claim in 2023, and the average claim paid was about $17,059 (ISO/Verisk data via Triple-I).

Industry loss data shows claims are common but not yearly events for most homes: about one in 18 insured homes has a claim in a given year, and 5.3 percent of insured homes experienced a claim in 2023, down from 6.4 percent in 2020. The 2019-2023 weighted average claim frequency is 5.64 claims per 100 house-years, with an average severity of $17,059 per claim. Wind and hail drive the most property-damage claims (about one in 35 homes has a wind/hail claim each year), followed by water damage and freezing (about one in 60). For a buyer deciding how much deductible to carry, the practical read: high-frequency/small-claim losses are common, but the average paid claim is large enough that dropping coverage to save premium is a different risk decision than raising a deductible.