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Home Owners Insurance, Additional Coverage

By
Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Legacy PARE # RS208307

6 Insurance Policies All Homeowners Should Consider

 

Your home is one of the biggest investments you will ever make, so you should do everything in your power to protect it. You spent time and money on making your home beautiful, and the last thing you'd want is for disaster to strike with no insurance to cover the cost of damages. Having the right insurance policies can help you avoid paying out of pocket for these big-time repairs. 

If you are a homeowner, you should look into these six insurance policies.
 
Flood insurance
Many homeowners assume that damage from flooding is covered by homeowners insurance, but this applies only when the flooding is caused by a busted pipe or other similar unnatural causes. If your home floods because of a flash flood, a rainstorm or a river overflowing, you will need flood insurance to cover the cost of the damage.
 
Homeowners/renters insurance
If a tornado or a fire damages your home and your belongings, homeowners insurance will cover both your home and your material possessions. Make sure to write down a list of all the items in your home and take photos of them in the event that you need to make a claim. If you have homeowners insurance, make sure that you have guaranteed replacement cost.
 
Earthquake insurance
This is location-specific risk coverage that you may or may not or cannot take. If you live in a place where there are multiple earthquakes, like California, then you will want to protect your home by having earthquake insurance, because standard homeowners insurance will not cover the damages.
 
Personal umbrella policy
This is an inexpensive and important form of insurance coverage for when your standard insurance policies have hit their maximums. You can protect your home from potential hazards for little money in premiums.
 
Sinkhole insurance
If you live in Florida, you may be very familiar with sinkholes. There are also occasionally sinkholes in Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee and Pennsylvania. Your basic homeowners insurance won't cover damages caused by sinkholes. You will need to purchase separate coverage to take care of these issues.
 
Fire insurance
Fire insurance will cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding structures that have been destroyed or damaged by fire. Your fire insurance will have four different components: dwelling, other structures, loss of use and personal property. Fire insurance may also protect you if a fire originating in your home causes damage to surrounding homes. If you live in an area that is at high risk for wildfires, you will want to have this coverage.

 

 

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Contact John Handschuh for "A HANDS ON APPROACH TO REAL ESTATE" john@johnhandschuh.com

Horsham Real Estate

Sheri Sperry - MCNE®
Coldwell Banker Realty - Sedona, AZ
(928) 274-7355 ~ YOUR Solutions REALTOR®

HI John Handschuh - I had earthquake coverage living in CA but did not know about sink hole coverage!  This is great info to know for home owners and renters alike. 

Jan 06, 2017 04:53 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning John. Insurance is necessary as a homeowner and should be seriously considered for a renter. Enjoy your day!

Jan 06, 2017 04:59 AM
Myrl Jeffcoat
Sacramento, CA
Greater Sacramento Realtor - Retired

This is important information to convey, John!  Home Owner policies don't cover earthquake, flood, sink holes, etc., unless added!

Jan 06, 2017 04:43 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

I've got flood and earthquake.  Didn't know there was such a thing as sink hole coverage.  

Jan 06, 2017 06:08 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Featured in the group:  BARTENDER, MAKE IT A DOUBLE.

Jan 06, 2017 06:10 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning John Handschuh ,

Excellent post. I caught it when Sheri Sperry - MCNE® re-blogged it. Everyone should check their insurance coverage and really know what they are paying for and the coverage they getting!

Jan 07, 2017 07:04 AM
Sheila Anderson
Referral Group Incorporated - East Brunswick, NJ
The Real Estate Whisperer Who Listens 732-715-1133

Good morning John. This is an excellent source of information. Well done and could be a handout.

Jan 07, 2017 09:06 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Hi John... people really don't understand what goes into their coverage on their home policies. I've found many don't think in terms of replacement cost insurance, either. So often I see people either under-insured or over-insured. A good insurance broker is worth his/her weight in gold. And as with Realtors, you don't pick a policy purely on price or you'll get what you pay for.

Jan 07, 2017 10:08 AM
Zachary Schneiderman
Schneiderman Insurance Agency, Inc - Granada Hills, CA
Insurance Agent in California

Obviously depending on what area of the county you live in certain policies would be more impotant than other or more available.  When purcasing earthquake insurance and part of an HOA like when related to a condo or a townhouse make sure you look into loss assessment coverage as it related to EQ losses.

Jun 28, 2017 12:16 AM