The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) reports that three out of four homeowners are at risk of becoming the victims of a severe weather event, but more than half of homeowners fail to take simple steps to mitigate such risks. Many consumers also don't realize that a standard homeowners' insurance policy will not cover the type of flood damage that's often the result of a climate-change related event. "No matter where you live, your home is at risk for a climate-related loss," the NAIC said in a December 2021 alert. "To protect the life you've built, learn what the risks are and how to reduce them." Among the statistics cited by the NAIC:

• 5 million homes in the United States were at high or extreme risk of wildfire, according to Verisk.
• About a quarter of all flood losses happen in homes outside of high-risk areas.
• In high-risk areas, there is a 25% chance of flooding during a 30-year mortgage.
• There were more than 4,600 major hailstorms reported in the U.S. in 2020, which caused about $8 to $14 million in insurance losses, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The slideshow above illustrates eight steps that homeowners can take to mitigate their risk of experiencing a climate change-related loss. See also:

• Climate change is measurable – and manageable
• How insurance must adapt to catastrophic weather trends
• Climate crisis demands a new insurance industry