Homeowners in Nebraska are paying roughly 23% more on insurance premiums because of the shifting climate, which has necessitated costly repairs due to extreme weather.
What’s happening?
According to the Omaha World-Herald, Nebraska’s home insurance rates have climbed more than those of any other state, making it difficult for homeowners to keep up with bills. Kinga Carter, who lives in northwest Omaha, said she’s paying 30% more for homeowners insurance on her small townhome despite reducing her coverage.
“My Social Security has not gone up that much,” she told the newspaper. “Nobody has gotten that much of a raise in that time.”
Other homeowners have also noticed skyrocketing premiums in the Cornhusker State, where rates have more than doubled over the past 10 years. From 2015 to 2024, average premiums increased by 108%, marking the nation’s largest increase.
Devin Tejral, an Omaha resident, said his rates have nearly doubled since 2020, jumping from $2,100 annually to $4,100. “It’s just mind-boggling,” he told the World-Herald.
Experts say worsening storms bringing high winds, hail, and tornadoes have become much more common over the past century. During the 1980s and 1990s, Nebraska was slammed by four severe storm systems that caused around $1 billion in damages. In the last three years, the state has been hit by four mega-storms per year.
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Why are higher insurance rates in Nebraska concerning?
The costs have been adding up for both homeowners and insurers, with providers paying out $1.36 in claims per dollar collected in premiums in 2024. To make up for these losses, insurers have raised prices, reportedly “filing hundreds of rate increases with the Nebraska Department of Insurance.”
Insurance is essential to safeguard people’s properties, and it’s usually non-negotiable for homeowners if they have a mortgage. Along with rising home insurance premiums, home prices, interest rates, and property taxes have also increased, making it harder for people to afford homes.
As humans continue to burn dirty fuel sources, these extreme weather events will keep happening and cause more damage to homes or prompt insurance companies to exit high-risk states, as they’ve already done in Texas and Florida — two of the most weather-battered states in the country.
What’s being done about it?
Steven Shultz, a professor of real estate with the University of Nebraska Omaha, suggested that homeowners comparison shop to find the best rates. In addition, the Environmental Defense Fund highlighted the urgency of addressing climate pollution from dirty fuels to bring temperatures down and avoid further damage from severe storms.
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Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.