How to Protect Your Property from Natural Disasters

Rural land across the United States faces a wide variety of natural threats. Understanding these risks helps property owners better prepare and mitigate damage. Below are some of the most common and dangerous natural disasters to consider:

• Blizzards: Severe winter storms in northern and northwestern states can lead to significant property damage, animal losses, and even fatalities—up to 400 deaths per year on average.
• Ice Storms: Affecting tens of millions annually, ice storms can knock out power for days, cause treacherous road conditions, and lead to freezing-related deaths.
• Diseases Impacting Land and Wildlife: Outbreaks that affect local flora and fauna can have devastating ripple effects. Infected plants, livestock, and wildlife can lead to long-term ecological damage and costly recovery efforts.
• Drought: Particularly in arid regions, drought can lead to dry soil, failed crops, tree die-off, and stress on livestock. It’s also a contributing factor to increased wildfire risk.
• Earthquakes: Although less frequent than other disasters, the U.S. experiences 15 to 20 major earthquakes annually, with thousands of smaller tremors. Damage to infrastructure and property can be severe, especially in vulnerable zones.
• Hailstorms: Becoming increasingly common in recent years, hailstorms can damage roofs, vehicles, crops, and fencing. Storm reports have jumped by thousands in a single year.
• Lightning: With up to 40 million cloud-to-ground strikes yearly, lightning presents a real fire hazard to rural structures and forests, in addition to posing life-threatening risks.
• Straight-Line Winds: These damaging winds—often mistaken for tornadoes—cause billions in property losses annually. Some extreme weather years have exceeded $10 billion in related damage.
• Tornadoes: The U.S. sees an average of 1,200 tornadoes per year. Some seasons can produce double that amount, with total damage ranging from $1 billion to over $5 billion in severe years.
• Hurricanes: Each year, 15 to 20 named storms form, and a few make landfall. Even without a direct hit, hurricanes can bring extreme rain, wind, and flooding far inland.
• Sinkholes: Common in areas with soluble rock formations (like limestone), sinkholes can open suddenly and swallow land, roads, and structures—posing extreme localized risk.
• Flooding: The most widespread and frequent natural disaster, flooding places more than 40 million people at risk annually. It affects every state and can result from storms, river overflow, or infrastructure failure.
• Avalanches: Mountainous and snowy regions experience an estimated 100,000 avalanches each year. Around 30 deaths occur annually, with additional damage to homes, equipment, and roads.
• Landslides and Mudslides: Triggered by heavy rain, earthquakes, or erosion, these events cause billions in property damage each year and are responsible for dozens of deaths.
• Wildfires: Each year, the U.S. faces approximately 70,000 wildfires that burn millions of acres. While controlled burns can help prevent devastation, unmanaged wildfires remain a top threat to rural property.
• Volcanoes: Though rare, volcanic eruptions pose serious risks in certain parts of the country. The U.S. has over 160 active volcanoes, and their impact can extend hundreds of miles from the source.

Each region has its own set of natural threats. Understanding the local environment is the first step toward effective risk management.