Who pays compensation for homes damaged or destroyed in the war in Lebanon?

Also asked as: “Is the Lebanese state paying compensation for war damage in 2026?” · “Hezbollah compensation for destroyed homes 2026” · “Does insurance pay for war damage to my house in Lebanon?” · “Who rebuilds homes destroyed in the 2026 war?”

Is the Lebanese state paying?#

No state compensation had been paid as of July 2026. Hashem Haidar, head of the Council for the South (مجلس الجنوب), said those affected had received no money because the state lacks the financial means^[1]. Asharq Al-Awsat reported the same month that neither the state nor Hezbollah had put forward a mechanism to start payments, and we found no official state page with a claim procedure as of October 2026.

Some groundwork exists. The Council for the South said in July 2026 that it had begun surveying damage after the ceasefire, only in areas that had become safe, starting with completely destroyed homes^[1]. Its teams had not entered some areas, especially the so-called "yellow zone", because access was impossible. In Beirut, the Cabinet tasked the Higher Relief Commission (الهيئة العليا للإغاثة) with surveying structurally damaged buildings, so that residents of buildings classed as dangerous can receive temporary housing allowances^[6]. What little is published on getting onto either survey is in how to register or claim for war damage.

Money for repairs is still missing. In July 2026 Beirut Governorate sources told LBCI that the municipality cannot bear the cost of reinforcing war-damaged buildings, and that the question is tied to a reconstruction plan whose funding was still awaiting approval^[6]. Al Jazeera reported in October 2026 that the government has promised prefabricated homes in some areas^[7]. We found no published locations or eligibility rules for these. Banque de l'Habitat (BDH) was negotiating a separate Qatari USD 100 million facility for war-damaged homes as of September 2026, with no terms or dates published^[8].

What Hezbollah announced#

On 13 October 2026, Reuters reported that Hezbollah's Executive Council chairman Ali Damoush announced aid for families whose primary homes were destroyed or made uninhabitable. Families in Beirut and its southern suburbs would get USD 8,000 for furniture and USD 6,000 for rent; families elsewhere USD 8,000 and USD 4,000, the same rates as in 2024^[2]. This is aid from a political party, separate from any state compensation, and it pays for furniture and rent only.

According to the same report, the aid is paid in four instalments over one year. The first instalment is USD 3,500 in Beirut and its southern suburbs and USD 3,000 elsewhere^[2]. Only families who lived in the property as their primary residence and own no second home qualify, and summer homes and abandoned properties are excluded. It covers homes that were destroyed, judged uninhabitable after a technical assessment or severely damaged, and families displaced from occupied or nearby areas.

Much is still unknown. The criteria for the extent of damage are not published, and the report says nothing about landlords or about people who bought a damaged home^[2]. It also does not say how to apply. In July 2026, Asharq Al-Awsat had reported that Hezbollah had paid nothing and that claims were being examined and verified, with no decision to start payments^[1].

Does insurance pay?#

Usually not. In March 2026, An-Nahar quoted a standard policy clause excluding loss from war, acts of war and military operations; wording varies by insurer^[3,4]. Kallas Law Firm says the Code of Obligations and Contracts (Art. 969) excludes war risks from property insurance unless the policy says otherwise, and that the insurer must prove the damage came from war^[9]. In March 2026 the head of the insurers' association said that people whose policies included war cover and were bought before the war were being compensated normally for damage to homes, factories and cars. That is the industry's own statement.

If you hold such a policy, act quickly. Kallas Law Firm says you must tell the insurer within 3 days^[9] of learning of the event (Art. 974). It also says claims are time-barred 2 years from the incident (Art. 985). Nobody has checked whether the 2026 law suspending deadlines from 1 March to 31 July 2026 changes that count, so ask a lawyer. More in does home insurance cover war damage.

How large the damage is#

The official estimates are far apart. In July 2026, Information Minister Paul Marcos put direct material damage at USD 3-4 billion. In May 2026, Finance Minister Yassine Jaber said direct and indirect damage may reach USD 20 billion^[5]. A UNDP assessment of June 2026, as reported by Al-Monitor, estimated more than USD 1.38 billion in building damage across southern Lebanon, with more than 11,000 buildings destroyed in the surveyed areas south of the Litani. Earlier, Annahar reported in April 2026 that a National Council for Scientific Research report counted 37,836 housing units significantly damaged or destroyed from 2 March to 7 April 2026 (the article elsewhere says about 40,000)^[10].