War Exclusion

A “War Exclusion” in Your Insurance Renewal: What It Means and What to Review

An insurance renewal notice mentioning a “war exclusion” can be unsettling. Why is it appearing now? Is the company warning about an approaching conflict? Will the policy still protect your home, vehicle, or business?

The notice deserves attention, but it should not be treated as a prediction. A war exclusion describes limits on insurance coverage. The practical question is what the new wording changes in your particular policy.

War exclusions have existed for many years. The Insurance Information Institute identifies war among the exclusions in standard homeowners coverage. Receiving a new notice does not necessarily mean your previous policy covered war-related damage. It may announce a new exclusion, revise an existing one, or explain a limitation more explicitly. Comparing the documents is essential.

What a war exclusion generally means

An exclusion identifies losses the policy will not cover. Depending on its wording, a war exclusion may address declared or undeclared war, invasion, military action, civil war, rebellion, revolution, or insurrection. Some provisions also address actions taken to defend against those events. A formal declaration of war is not necessarily required for an exclusion to apply.

The exact language matters. A homeowners policy, commercial property policy, liability policy, travel policy, and life insurance policy should not be assumed to have identical exclusions or exceptions.

Why might this language be changing now?

There is documented activity involving war exclusions, particularly in commercial and cyber insurance.

Verisk’s 2025 insurance industry conference summary described a revision to an existing commercial property war exclusion. In July 2026, the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America reported evolving war and armed-conflict language, including provisions addressing cyber means, with many of the reviewed filings appearing in umbrella and excess coverage. These findings support careful review of renewals; they do not establish that every insurer is making the same change or that households nationwide are receiving identical letters.

Cyberattacks help explain the attention. An attack can disrupt many organizations simultaneously, creating losses far beyond one damaged building. Lloyd’s established requirements effective in 2023 for certain standalone cyber policies to address qualifying state-backed cyberattacks, including attacks occurring outside a conventional war. That is a specific market requirement, not a rule governing every U.S. insurance policy.

What about cyber warfare?

Some insurance exclusions can apply to certain state-backed cyberattacks even when no conventional war is underway. This makes cyber-related wording particularly important for businesses and anyone purchasing separate cyber coverage.

Policies may address cyberattacks conducted as part of a war, as well as certain attacks supported by a government outside an armed conflict. For example, Lloyd’s requirements address state-backed attacks that significantly impair a state’s ability to function or its security capabilities. They also require clarity about how an attack is attributed to a state and how systems outside the affected state are treated. Other insurers and policies may use different language.

This does not mean every ransomware incident, attack originating overseas, or suspected government-linked intrusion is automatically excluded. The attack must fall within the applicable exclusion’s wording. A news report calling an incident “cyber warfare” does not, by itself, settle an insurance claim.

Policyholders should ask:

• Does the exclusion address only war-related cyberattacks, or also state-backed attacks outside a war?

• What evidence is required to attribute an attack to a government?

• How does the policy treat damage that spreads to organizations that were not the intended targets?

• Could separate exclusions for cyber incidents or infrastructure failures also affect coverage?

A separate cyber policy should be reviewed just as carefully as a property policy. Its existence alone does not establish coverage for every cyber-related loss.

What the notice does not mean

It is not evidence that the insurer knows war is imminent. A renewal notice is a statement about contractual coverage. By itself, it provides no basis for drawing conclusions about a coming attack or conflict.

It does not automatically eliminate coverage for unrelated losses. For example, an ordinary kitchen fire does not become war-related merely because a conflict is occurring elsewhere. The cause of the loss and the applicable policy provisions still matter.

War and terrorism are not interchangeable insurance terms. Standard homeowners and renters policies generally cover damage from terrorist acts involving otherwise covered causes such as fire or explosion, subject to policy exclusions. Commercial terrorism coverage is handled differently: the federal Terrorism Risk Insurance Act requires insurers to make coverage available for eligible commercial policies, but policyholders generally choose whether to purchase it. Terrorism coverage should not be assumed to cover war.

A protest or riot is not automatically an act of war. Standard property policies commonly cover riot, civil commotion, and vandalism. Some war exclusions separately identify insurrection or rebellion. The facts and policy wording matter more than a label used in a headline or social media post.

What policyholders should do before renewing

Start with the actual documents. Keep the notice, current policy, renewal policy, and endorsements—the documents that amend coverage. The declarations page summarizes the policy but will not answer every coverage question.

Ask your agent or insurer these questions, preferably in writing:

• What changed? Request the old and new wording, including the form numbers and edition dates.

• Is this a new exclusion or a revision? Ask for an example of a loss that could have been covered before but would be excluded after renewal.

• When does it take effect, and which coverage does it affect? Confirm whether it applies to property, liability, cyber coverage, or another part of the policy.

• How are terrorism, riot, insurrection, and cyberattacks treated? Ask the insurer to identify the relevant provisions rather than provide only a general reassurance.

• Are alternatives available? Ask whether another policy or endorsement addresses a meaningful gap, and what limitations remain.

If the explanation is “nothing really changed,” request a written explanation of why the new form is being added and whether it changes the insurer’s interpretation of coverage.

Business owners should also ask about business interruption, utility outages, supplier disruptions, and cyber losses. Have the agent explain how the policies would respond to a specific scenario, such as a cyberattack that shuts down a critical service provider.

If shopping for replacement coverage, compare exclusions and endorsements alongside premiums, deductibles, and limits. Confirm the replacement policy’s effective date before canceling existing insurance.

Where Ohio policyholders can get help

If your insurer or agent cannot resolve your questions, contact the Ohio Department of Insurance Consumer Services Division at 800-686-1526. The department answers consumer questions and investigates complaints involving policy terms and compliance with Ohio insurance requirements. Keep copies of the notice and your correspondence available.

A renewal notice is a useful prompt to understand what you are buying. Read the change, get a specific explanation, and make coverage decisions before the renewal deadline.