A lot of Home Owners today have no idea what exactly is covered under their Home Owners Insurance Policy. Most of the time this is a last minute item that they pay for prior to their loan closing. A major misconception about these policies is that almost every repair that is needed is covered. This could not be any further from the truth. It is extremely important for you to have a full understanding about what EXACTLY is covered under your policy so you will have an idea of if you need to purchase any extra insurance to cover you in case any of these life events happen to you and your home. Repairs can be extremely expensive and can set you and your family back financially if you don’t not have the proper insurance. Below I would like to high light some items that you may believe are covered under your existing policy. It would be a great idea to speak to your insurance agent about these items if you have some concern that these life events could happen to you:
- Personal Liability – if a guest or a stranger injures themselves anywhere within your property line you possibly will not have this covered under your blanket policy. This is generally something separate that will need to be added to your existing or new policy to insure that personal liability is covered.
- Basic Wear and Tear – This is very similar to your auto policy. Over time certain area of your home can wear down through nothing more than just time. A home warranty might help you if this is a cause of concern for you.
- Power Surges – There can be several different causes of a power surge in your home but the cause of the surge will determine if your electronic equipment that get damaged by the surge are protect under your existing policy. This is another situation that having a Home Warranty would help.
- Floods – If you live in a FEMA determined flood zone your lender will require you to purchase a Flood Insurance policy. Flood plains can and will change and if you have concern about this you should look in to obtaining a flood policy. Without exception your home owners insurance policy will not cover flood damage and this cost to repair can get VERY expensive
- Acts of Nature – (i.e. Hurricanes, Tornados and Earth Quakes) Acts of nature are not covered under your basic home owners insurance policy. If these are events are likely to happen where you live then it is highly recommended that you look into either other insurance products to protect you or warranties to better protect you and your home.
- Basic Water Damage – Most will assume that if a pipe bursts or a tub or toilet over floors that their home owners insurance will automatically cover the damage. This is not true under most policies. This is generally covered under a Home Warranty but additional coverage for this can be purchased. If no coverage is taken out for water damage, these repairs can get COSTLY.
- Pest Damage – it is not uncommon for pests and or rodents to cause some serious damage to your home. By simply gnawing on your electrical wiring or equipment these rodents can and will cause some serious problems which are costly to repair. This is NOT covered under your home owner’s insurance policy and most home warranties do not cover this. Please inquire about this!.
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