It’s important to get the best insurance possible with 100% coverage.(DepositPhotos)
Just as there are different home styles, insurers offer a menu of different policies. For the majority of single-family homeowners, the most appropriate policy is the HO-3, sometimes called the Special Form. It insures all major perils, except flood, earthquake, war, and nuclear accident.
You’ll need deep coverage, up to and including 100% of your home’s replacement cost. By insuring at, say, 90%, you’re gambling that you won’t suffer a complete loss. To be safe, always insure at 100%. Research on some insurance companies and compare their insurance services and rates to choose the best deal. If you own a mobile home, there are companies that you can contact to find a great deal on a Mobile Home Insurance Plan.
Insurers generally cover a home’s contents between 50% and 75% of the home’s value. Make a list of your home’s contents for a more accurate estimate of your needs. That way, you’ll have a written record if you need to file a claim. The industry-sponsored Insurance Information Institute provides useful instructions on how to put together an inventory.
You’ll also have to pick a deductible, which is the amount you will pay before the insurance kicks in. Remember, the higher the deductible, the lower your premium will be.
Here are some tips to help you make the right choices about homeowners insurance.
If your home is damaged, insurance could pay to get it fixed, even if the cost is more than the home’s original value.
Buy the guarantees
Traditional guaranteed replacement cost coverage promises to pay whatever it takes to rebuild your home, even if it costs more than the original limits you purchased. That’s crucial in the event that labor and building costs balloon after a major disaster. In many states, large insurers may cap the guarantee at 120% to 125% of purchased limits. Several preferred carriers offer even higher coverage. Speak to your insurance agent for more information. Also, ask for replacement cost coverage for your home’s contents. Without it, you’ll end up with the depreciated value of any object that’s damaged or stolen.
Extra coverage can come in handy when you least expect it to.
Get these types of important coverage, too:
–Inflation guard: This option annually increases your coverage at the rate of local building-cost inflation.
–Ordinance-and-law coverage: This rider, which covers the costs of bringing your home into compliance with current building codes, is a must if your home is more than a few years old.
–Limit your liability: Your homeowners policy protects against lawsuits for accidents that happen on your property. It also covers you if your dog bites someone. You might also consider adding an umbrella policy, which provides additional coverage over and above your regular homeowners liability limits.
Good insurance policies will come in handy if your home is hit with a natural disaster such as a hurricane or tornado(DepositPhotos)
Consider these options:
–Displacement: Your homeowners policy also provides for living expenses if you need to secure other housing while your home is being repaired or rebuilt.
–Other structures: Replacement of structures such as garages, detached covered porches or patios, and sheds.
–Medical Coverage: Provides coverage for medical expenses if someone is injured on your property.
–Home business coverage: Business property worth more than $2,500 isn’t covered by a homeowners policy, so buy a separate policy — also known as a rider — to fill the gap. Business liability coverage must be purchased separately, too.
–Riders for valuables: A standard policy provides minimal coverage for antiques, collectibles, furs, silver, jewels, cameras, computers, musical instruments, and firearms. For these, you may need additional or separate coverage. Again, speak with your insurance agent about the proper coverage for your specific needs.
According to Webster’s Dictionary, insurance is defined as “coverage by contract whereby one party undertakes to indemnify or guarantee another against loss by a specified contingency or peril.” In Webster’s definition, the first party is usually an insurance company and the second party is you, your family or business.
In simple terms, insurance is designed to assist an individual, family or business in recovering from an unexpected loss. You can buy insurance for almost anything – medical, life, disability, automobile, business liability, fire and theft, worker’s compensation, homeowners (including condominium owners), and renters to name a few. For the purposes of this column, we will focus on insurance for your home.
As you will soon learn, simply having a homeowner’s insurance policy isn’t enough.
Contrary to what many believe, an insurance policy isn’t a “cure all.” Unfortunately, many people become aware of this when they are most in need of help – after a crisis such as a fire, flood, earthquake or tornado. Thus, there is no time like the present to review your insurance policy to determine if you have the proper coverage.
Wildfires can destroy homes fast, but there are ways to minimize the damage.
Coverage is the term that is used to determine to what extent you will be compensated in the event of a loss.
For example, if you are like most people and your home were to burn to the ground from a fire, you might expect your insurance company to pay for the construction of a new home and to replace all of the furniture and personal property that was lost in the fire. Not so fast! That’s not the way it works. Depending upon the type of policy, its coverage and dollar limits, you may find that you are, as they say, up a creek without a paddle.
How much coverage is enough?
A better question would be how much are you willing to sacrifice? If the answer is nothing, as it should be, your coverage should provide you with full replacement of your loss. Pennywise consumers will often compromise coverage in an effort to save money. Unfortunately, the savings of a few hundred dollars a year can result in the loss of tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars when it comes time to pick up the pieces.
Tree branches can fall on your roof during a storm, and when that happens, it’s important to take fast action to prevent more damage. (DepositPhotos)
Not all homeowner’s insurance policies are created equal. Here’s how some of the most common types of policies shake out:
HO-1:Covers the dwelling and contents from 10 types of perils:
Fire and Lightning
Windstorm or Hail
Explosion
Riot or civil commotion
Aircraft
Vehicles (unless it is caused by the insured)
Smoke
Vandalism or malicious mischief
Theft (may have limits)
Volcanic Eruption
HO-8:This is especially for older homes. Covers the dwelling and contents from the same 11 types of perils listed in HO-1, but only for repairs, not for replacement cost. Usually written for homes with historical value that would be impossible to replace.
HO-2:Covers the dwelling and contents from 17 types of perils: the one covered in HO-1 and HO-8 plus
Falling Objects
Weight of Ice, Snow or Sleet
Accidental Discharge or Overflow of Water or Steam
Sudden and Accidental Tearing apart, Cracking, Burning or Bulging
Freezing
Sudden & Accidental damage from Artificially Generated Electric Current
(H01 Policy- Numbers 1 though 10)
HO-3: (Broad Form) Covers the dwelling and contents from the 17 perils listed in HO-2, plus any other peril not specifically excluded in the policy. Standard exclusions are flood, earthquake, war and nuclear accident.
HO-4This is a renters policy. It covers personal property (no dwelling coverage) form the 17 peril types listed in HO-2.
HO-6A condominium owner’s policy that, like the renter’s policy, covers personal property from the 17 peril types listed in HO-2. It is normally the responsibility of the owner’s association to insure the structure (walls, roof, etc.). Be sure to check the master policy for exclusions. You may need to cover the construction and improvements within the outer shell of your building.
Historic homes such as this often require HO-8 insurance policies. (Photo by Scott Evans)
Note that not one of the policy types listed will provide coverage for loss from a flood or earthquake.
This may not be particularly important to you if your home isn’t located in an area that is prone to either one of these disasters. If, on the other hand, your home is at risk to such an event, flood and/or earthquake insurance might be the smartest investment you’ll ever make.
Federal flood insurance, purchased through your insurance agent or company, is the only guaranteed flood insurance coverage available for your home.
Many people are reluctant to buy flood insurance because they believe that Federal disaster aid, available during and after a flood, will reimburse them for loss. WRONG! Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster aid is only available during Presidentially declared disasters. Moreover, Federal aid may often be in the form of a loan that you must pay back with interest. Flood insurance policies pay claims whether or not a disaster is declared.
When it comes to earthquakes, your best insurance is preparation.
Making sure the foundation is in good shape, the frame is bolted to the foundation, the water heater is strapped and the structure is in good condition is your best defense. Unfortunately, even the best-prepared homes can sustain significant damage. Consequently, if you live in an area where earthquakes are part of the way of life, you may want to look into earthquake insurance. By comparison, earthquake insurance is costly and often comes with a large deductible. Where a standard homeowners policy might have a $500 deductible, the deductible for earthquake insurance can range from 5 to 15%. Using 10% as an example, that would equate to a $20,000 deductible on a $200,000 house. The lower the deductible, the greater the cost of the insurance. Generous discounts are offered where earthquake retrofitting (bolting, strapping, etc.) has been performed.
Which policy best suits your needs?
Your best bet is to enlist the services of a reputable insurance agent who can discuss with you the coverage options available. For example, you can opt for a “replacement cost policy” which means the insurance company will pay the cost of replacing an item (less deductibles) rather than simply offering its depreciated current value.
Hurricane damage
Don’t forget a big part of being prepared for a disaster is ensuring that you have a full inventory of the construction elements of your home and its contents.
Take photos or videotape each room. Pay special attention to details such as appliances, doors, trim, cabinets, flooring, ceiling treatment and other decorative finishes. Also, be sure to open cabinet and closet doors to photograph contents such as dishes, clothing, hinting gear and even your video collection.
