Winter Is Coming: Can Homeowners Withstand Another Polar Vortex This Year?

It’s that time of year again. The days get shorter, nights get longer, and the air gets chilly. For homeowners, this means it’s time to prep your property for the winter. From strong winds that loosen your shingles to frozen pipes that burst, the cold season can wreak havoc on your property — especially if you live in one of the states with the highest winter weather risk.

To find the states with the most expected winter weather risk this season, MoneyGeek analyzed expected property damage from winter weather overall and per capita using FEMA’s National Risk Index. We also broke down the percentage of expected damage from ice storms, cold waves and winter weather to help property owners identify the best homeowners insurance policy for their needs.

Preparing your home for winter weather can keep you safe in case of a storm and save you thousands of dollars, too. Considering how high winter weather insured losses were in 2021 compared to previous years, it’s more important now than ever to buy a quality home insurance policy, as well as take steps to protect your property.

To prepare the inside and outside of your home for winter weather, Consumer Reports recommends:

• Protecting your indoor pipes
• Insulating your attic
• Servicing your heating equipment
• Installing glass storm windows
• Hiring a licensed roofing contractor to inspect and repair your roof
• Cleaning your gutters
• Repairing your outdoor flooring
• Removing tree limbs
• Preparing outdoor water sources
• Marking pathways before heavy snowfall

Damages related to the list above reflect many of the top winter home insurance claims. After the 2021 polar vortex became the most costly weather disaster in the history of Texas, it prompted many homeowners — not just in Texas but across the country — to question how much insurance coverage they might need to prepare for this winter season.

Knowing your local weather prediction for this year can help you identify how much home insurance coverage you need to protect your property; looking for cheap homeowners insurance in your area that meets these coverage needs is crucial to financially securing your home in the event of winter damage.

In some cases, you may also want to consider secondary coverage to cover the cost of repairing structures beyond your dwelling (such as fences or a detached garage), as well as medical payments for visitors who may become injured while at your home.

We analyzed FEMA’s National Risk Index data to determine expected annualized property damage losses from winter weather events across the country. Our analysis included property losses from snowstorms, sleet, freezing rain, ice storms and cold waves. We analyzed total property damage and ranked states by per capita losses to determine which states are the most burdened by property damage due to winter storms.

If you have any questions about our findings or methodology, please reach out to Melody Kasulis via email at melody@moneygeek.com.

The data points presented are defined as follows:

• Total Expected Annual Winter Property Damage Losses: Total property losses from snowstorms, sleet, freezing rain, ice storms and cold waves.
• Total Winter Expected Property Losses per Capita: Total losses divided by the population of each state.
• % of Property Damage From Ice Storms: Percent of total property losses attributed to ice storms. Here, ice storms are defined as instances of freezing rain with significant ice accumulation.
• % of Property Damage From Cold Waves: Percent of total property losses attributed to cold waves. Here, cold waves are defined as instances of rapid drops in temperatures within 24 hours to extremely low temperatures for an extended period of time.
• % of Property Damage From Winter Weather: Percent of total property losses attributed to winter weather. Here, winter weather is defined as snow, sleet or freezing rain.