Memphis sits in West Tennessee inside the New Madrid Seismic Zone, so earthquake risk sits alongside the more familiar storm, tornado, and Mississippi River flood exposure. Standard home policies exclude both earthquake and flood, which is the coverage gap Memphis owners most often miss.
Memphis, Tennessee insurance guide
Memphis Insurance
Why New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake risk and Mississippi River flood exposure are the coverage gaps Memphis homeowners most often miss.
Availability note: Olive Cover is the brand of Olive Insurance Services, LLC, an independent property and casualty insurance agency licensed in Georgia and Alabama. We are not licensed in all states. Nothing on this page is an offer to sell, or a solicitation to buy, insurance in any state where we are not licensed. It is general education only, not insurance advice.
The median owner-occupied home in Memphis is worth about $169,000 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024). Rebuild cost can differ from market value, which is one of the things a coverage review checks.
What does insurance risk look like in Memphis?
The same area, three different exposures. Find yours, then confirm your coverage with a free review.
Homeowners
- Wind and storm damage: severe weather can affect roofs and older homes especially hard; a licensed advisor can confirm how your policy handles wind and hail claims.
- Flood: standard home policies exclude flood damage nationwide; low-lying or waterfront properties often need a separate flood policy.
- Rebuild cost: a dwelling limit needs to match what a home costs to rebuild today, not its purchase price, and an older policy can fall short.
Auto owners
- Storm and hail: the same hail that damages roofs dents and totals vehicles, which comprehensive coverage handles rather than collision.
- Uninsured drivers: Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage responds when the at-fault driver has no insurance, or not enough, to cover the loss.
- Vehicle value: newer and higher-value vehicles carry more physical-damage exposure.
Business owners
- Liability: service and professional firms carry errors-and-omissions and management-liability exposure; storefront and contractor businesses carry general-liability exposure.
- Property and income: a storm that closes a business interrupts income, not just property, which business-interruption coverage addresses.
- Cyber and workers: data-heavy firms carry cyber exposure, and employers carry workers-compensation obligations.
Insurance coverage in Memphis
For individuals and families
Auto insurance
liability, collision, and UM/UIM coverage
Homeowners insurance
dwelling, contents, and liability coverage
Renters insurance
covers your belongings, not the building
Flood insurance
always a separate policy from homeowners
Condo insurance
fills the gap the HOA master policy leaves
Umbrella insurance
extra liability above your auto and home limits
Motorcycle insurance
liability and physical-damage coverage for bikes
RV insurance
coverage built for how an RV is actually used
Boat insurance
liability and physical-damage coverage on the water
For businesses
General liability
customer-injury and property-damage exposure
Business owners policy
liability, property, and lost income bundled
Commercial property
covers the building, equipment, and inventory
Commercial auto
covers vehicles owned or used by the business
Workers compensation
required in Georgia once a business reaches 3 employees
Professional liability
covers claims of an error in the advice or service given
Cyber liability
covers a data breach or ransomware event
What a standard policy does not cover
Flood
a standard homeowners or renters policy never covers flood, anywhere, regardless of whether the property sits inside a mapped high-risk zone -- flood is always a separate NFIP or private policy.
Wear and tear
gradual deterioration, mechanical breakdown, and deferred maintenance are not a covered "loss" -- a policy responds to sudden, accidental damage, not the ordinary aging of a roof, HVAC system, or plumbing.
Business use of a personal vehicle
a personal auto policy typically excludes rideshare driving, delivery work, and other business use -- that gap is what commercial auto or a rideshare endorsement is for.
Roof: actual cash value vs. replacement cost
many policies settle a roof claim at actual cash value (replacement cost minus depreciation for the roof's age), not full replacement cost, unless the policy specifically includes a roof replacement-cost endorsement.
Do you have a coverage gap in Memphis?
A quick self-check on some of the most commonly missed gaps.
- Does your dwelling limit reflect current rebuild cost, not the purchase price or tax value?
- Is your roof covered at replacement cost, or actual cash value?
- If your home faces local flood or storm risk, do you have the right separate coverage?
- Are valuables such as jewelry, art, or collections scheduled beyond standard policy sublimits?
- Do your liability limits fit the assets you are protecting?
What does business insurance look like in Memphis?
- Professional and management liability: service and professional firms carry errors-and-omissions and management-liability exposure.
- General liability, property, and income: storefront, office, and contractor businesses carry customer-injury and property exposure, plus lost income when a covered loss shuts them down.
- Workers compensation and cyber: employers carry workers-compensation obligations, and data-heavy firms carry cyber exposure.
- Home-based businesses: a standard home policy usually excludes business activity, so a home-based business often needs separate coverage.
Business insurance by industry in Memphis
Contractors
general liability plus tools and equipment coverage
Restaurants
property, liability, and liquor-liability exposure in one place
Retail
inventory, storefront, and customer-injury exposure
Salons & personal care
covers claims tied to a service performed
Professional services
for firms giving advice, design, or expertise
Real estate & property services
for brokerages, property managers, and landlords
Transportation & logistics
built around a metro that runs on trucking and delivery
Memphis by the numbers
$169,000
Median owner-occupied home value
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024
44.9%
Owner-occupied homes
U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024