Estonian insurer adds war-risk cover to home policies without customer consent
Seesam Insurance in Estonia has automatically raised home insurance premiums by adding cover for war-related risks such as stray drones or missiles. Other insurers offer similar cover at no extra charge.
Estonian insurer Seesam Insurance has added coverage for war-related risks to home insurance policies, and for some customers this has meant a noticeably higher bill. The change was introduced by default, without asking customers for their consent.
One customer insuring a 200-square-meter property received an offer to pay €245 a year instead of the previous €190, an increase of nearly 30 percent. The rise was caused by the new charge for war-risk cover.
What the cover includes
Indrek Petter, head of the insurance department at Seesam, said the cover mainly protects homes against explosions caused by stray military drones, missiles, shells and mines. According to him, the monthly premium is around €1 for smaller apartments and around €3 for an average detached house, depending on the size of the home.
Customers must tell the company themselves if they want to opt out. Petter said the cover is added to the insurance offer, which the customer then usually reviews with an account manager or salesperson, and that conversation should include whether to opt out.
The company began offering the cover after events in the spring, when Ukrainian drones knocked off course started appearing in Estonian airspace. Debris from one drone was found in a field in Kastre Municipality, Tartu County, on March 31, 2026, after a night of alerts linked to Ukrainian attacks on Russia's Baltic ports.
Other insurers
Swedbank and Elama Insurance also compensate war-related damage, but do not charge customers an additional fee. Their new terms take effect this week. Hardi Saarniit, head of home insurance products at insurer If, said average premiums may eventually change, but the company does not charge extra for this cover. He said it is intended for the current situation, with Russia and Ukraine at war, and would no longer apply if a state of war were declared in Estonia.
Lauri Potsepp, a board member of the Estonian Insurance Association, hopes the new terms will not push prices up. He said the industry is moving toward packages tailored as closely as possible to customers' needs, which helps keep prices under control and insurers competitive. ERR previously reported that utility providers are also raising prices because of heightened security risks.
