Fort Scott has a story to tell. As the Bourbon County seat and home to the Fort Scott National Historic Site, this southeast Kansas city of about 7,500 people preserves an important piece of American history—from its role in Bleeding Kansas to its Victorian downtown and its legacy as the hometown of Gordon Parks, the legendary photographer and filmmaker. But while you're appreciating the restored tallgrass prairie and 20 historic structures at the national site, there's a modern consideration that deserves your attention: making sure you have the right insurance coverage for life in this corner of Kansas.
Whether you're a longtime resident or new to the area, understanding your insurance options can save you thousands of dollars and a whole lot of stress when something goes wrong. Let's walk through what you actually need to know.
Auto Insurance: What Kansas Law Requires
If you're driving in Fort Scott, you need to carry liability insurance—that's non-negotiable. Kansas requires 25/50/25 coverage, which breaks down to $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. But here's what catches people off guard: Kansas also mandates Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and uninsured motorist coverage.
PIP covers $4,500 in medical expenses per person, plus $900 monthly for up to a year if you can't work due to injuries, and $25 daily for in-home services. Think of it as a safety net that kicks in regardless of who caused the accident. Your uninsured motorist coverage matches your liability limits—$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident—protecting you when someone without insurance (or not enough insurance) hits you.
Now, those are the minimums. Should you carry more? Probably. If you cause a serious accident and someone's medical bills exceed $25,000 (which happens faster than you'd think), you're personally liable for the difference. Many Fort Scott residents bump their coverage to 100/300/100 or higher. It costs more, yes, but not as much as a lawsuit that wipes out your savings.
Homeowners Insurance: Protecting Your Investment
Kansas doesn't legally require homeowners insurance, but if you have a mortgage, your lender absolutely does. And even if you own your home outright, going without coverage is a massive financial gamble. The median household income in Fort Scott is around $60,799—could you afford to rebuild your house out of pocket if a fire or tornado leveled it? Most people can't.
Here's where Fort Scott's character matters for your coverage. If you own one of those beautiful Victorian homes in the historic downtown, you might need specialized coverage. Standard policies use replacement cost coverage, which pays to rebuild your home using modern materials and methods. But if you've got ornate woodwork, original hardwood floors, or other period features, replacing those with equivalent quality costs significantly more. Some insurers offer guaranteed replacement cost or extended replacement cost policies that give you extra breathing room.
One critical gap in standard policies: flood damage. Your homeowners policy won't cover it. Period. Bourbon County experienced this firsthand in April 2024 when nearly 10 inches of rain fell, causing rivers to overflow and significant flooding. Even though Bourbon County's overall flood risk is considered low, flash flooding from severe storms can happen. The National Flood Insurance Program offers coverage, but there's a 30-day waiting period after you buy it—so you can't wait until there's a storm approaching to add it.
Severe Weather: What You're Actually Up Against
Living in Kansas means living with weather. The good news is that Bourbon County's overall natural disaster risk is relatively low compared to other parts of the state—it scores 31.28 on a 100-point risk scale. The bad news is that "relatively low" doesn't mean zero. Southeast Kansas still sees tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, hail, and occasional ice storms.
A tornado touched down in Bourbon County in April 2024 near 85th and Poplar Roads, damaging homes and outbuildings. Kansas averages 86 tornadoes annually statewide, and while you can't predict if or when one will hit your property, you can make sure your insurance covers wind and hail damage. Most standard homeowners policies do, but verify that yours includes these perils and check your deductibles. Some insurers use percentage deductibles for wind and hail (like 1% or 2% of your home's insured value) rather than flat dollar amounts, which can mean higher out-of-pocket costs.
Comprehensive auto insurance covers hail damage to your vehicle, which is worth considering if you park outside. A severe hailstorm can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your car's body and windows in minutes.
Renters Insurance: More Important Than You Think
If you rent an apartment or house in Fort Scott, here's something crucial to understand: your landlord's insurance covers the building, not your belongings. If a fire destroys the property, their policy pays to repair the structure. Your furniture, clothes, electronics, and everything else you own? That's on you unless you have renters insurance.
The real value of renters insurance isn't just replacing your stuff—it's the liability protection. If your guest slips and falls in your apartment, or if you accidentally cause a kitchen fire that damages neighboring units, you could face a lawsuit. Renters insurance typically includes $100,000 in liability coverage (some policies offer more), which protects your assets and future earnings.
Renters insurance is remarkably affordable—often $15 to $30 per month for decent coverage. Given that Fort Scott's poverty rate is 10.9%, every dollar matters, but this is one expense that pays for itself the first time you need it.
Getting the Coverage You Need
Shopping for insurance isn't anyone's idea of fun, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Start by taking inventory of what you own and what you'd need to replace. For your home, estimate the cost to rebuild (not the market value—those are different numbers). For auto insurance, compare quotes from multiple carriers; rates can vary significantly between companies for the same coverage.
Ask about discounts. Many insurers offer lower rates if you bundle auto and home insurance, install security systems, have a good credit score, or haven't filed claims recently. Being in a smaller community like Fort Scott can work in your favor—insurance companies generally charge less in areas with lower crime rates and less traffic congestion than big cities.
Most importantly, read your policies. Actually read them. You need to know what's covered, what's excluded, what your deductibles are, and what your coverage limits are before you need to file a claim. The time to discover you don't have flood coverage is not when water is rising in your basement.
Fort Scott has weathered a lot throughout its history—from frontier conflicts to economic shifts to severe storms. The right insurance coverage helps ensure that whatever comes next, you and your family are protected. Take an hour this week to review your policies or get quotes if you don't have coverage yet. Future you will be grateful you did.
