Does home insurance in Lebanon cover war damage?

Also asked as: “Is war damage covered by home insurance in Lebanon?” · “War risk insurance in Lebanon” · “Does fire insurance cover airstrike damage in Lebanon?” · “Can I add war cover to my home policy in Lebanon?”

What a standard policy says about war#

In March 2026, An-Nahar quoted a Lebanese policy clause that excludes any loss, damage or liability arising "directly or indirectly" from war, invasion, military operations, rebellion, armed uprising or warlike acts^[1,2]. That clause came from a car policy, and wording varies by insurer, so read the exclusions in your own home policy line by line.

The law points the same way. According to Kallas Law Firm, Article 969 of the Code of Obligations and Contracts excludes war risks from non-marine insurance unless the contract says otherwise. The firm adds that the insurer must prove the damage came from war, and any clause putting that proof on you is void^[3]. If an insurer refuses a claim on war grounds, ask it to explain in writing how it shows the damage was caused by war.

If your home policy is a fire policy (BDH, for example, requires a home (fire) policy^[4,5]), the fire-insurance rules apply. Kallas Law Firm says fire insurance covers only material damage caused directly by fire, and counts damage from rescue and salvage as direct^[3]. It does not cover fire caused by volcanoes, earthquakes or storms, but it does cover fire caused by lightning. Your policy's own terms can widen or narrow this.

Policies that do include war cover#

War cover exists, but it is rare: about 5% of policies in the market, according to the insurers' association head in March 2026^[1,2]. He said people holding war-inclusive policies bought before the war were being compensated normally for damage to homes, factories and cars. That is the industry's own statement, and nobody has checked it independently.

New war cover was hard to get in March 2026. According to the association head:

• High-risk areas. Insurers were not writing war-inclusive cover there, only standard policies^[1,2]. The source does not say which areas count as high-risk, so ask the insurer how it classes your property's location.
• Elsewhere. War-inclusive policies came with a clause letting the insurer cancel the cover one or two weeks after war breaks out, with notice. Damage during that period is still compensated^[1,2].
• Renewals. Many reinsurers had halted cover in Lebanon, so adding war cover to a renewed or expired policy could be difficult or impossible^[1,2].
• Price. War cover cost at least five to six times its earlier price, and customers often turned it down as unaffordable^[1,2]. We found no published price list or absolute premium as of October 2026, so get a written quote. More in where to buy war cover and what it costs.

If you have a Banque de l'Habitat (BDH) loan, you already pay for home insurance. BDH requires a home (fire) policy paid yearly in fresh US dollars, from an insurer the bank accredits^[4,5]. The bank's published terms do not say whether that policy includes war cover. Ask the insurer, and see BDH loan conditions.

If your home is damaged#

According to Kallas Law Firm, you must tell the insurer about an event that makes it liable within three days of learning of it^[3]. Claims under non-marine insurance are time-barred 2 years from the incident. The 2026 law suspending deadlines from 1 March to 31 July 2026 may change how that period is counted. We have not checked this, so ask a lawyer. See the 2026 deadline-suspension law.

Property insurance is a contract of indemnity. Kallas Law Firm says it may not leave you better off after the loss than before it^[3]. We found no published source on what proof insurers want after war damage, how they assess it, or whether a policy paid in fresh dollars pays out in dollars. Put these questions to your insurer in writing before you need to claim.

If you have no war cover, do not count on the state either. In July 2026 the head of the Council for the South said the state had paid no war compensation at all because it lacked the means^[6]. See who pays compensation for war-damaged homes and how to register war damage.