The 4 Essential Protections of Home Insurance Plans
Whether you’re a first-time homeowner or you’re well-established in your existing home, four essential protections comprise a solid home insurance plan. Nsure wants you to know what they are and how to ensure you’re getting the best rates possible to fit your budget.
- Structural Protection (aka Dwelling)
If your home is damaged or made completely uninhabitable due to a hurricane, fire, lightning, or other possible disasters this portion of your homeowner’s policy should cover the costs of repairing or rebuilding your home. Floods and earthquakes are typically not covered, so be very cautious when exploring policies that you may be considering. Repairs required due to normal wear and tear of the home aren’t covered by insurance.
- Other Structures
Buildings such as free-standing garages, she-sheds, tool sheds, and other structures are typically not covered by homeowners’ policies; however, some carriers do provide this type of coverage. If you have these structures on your property, it’s wise to have them covered, to help you avoid paying the total cost of repairs.
- Personal Property
Personal belongings, items like clothing, jewelry, furniture, appliances, and sports equipment, fall under the category of personal liability which is sometimes called content coverage. This is a vital part of your homeowner’s policy as it protects each item you own. Very often homeowners underestimate the cost of replacing their possessions. Things such as silver, jewelry, and furs may require additional coverage based on the policy you choose. Some insurers suggest calculating 70% of the replacement cost of your home structure to determine the amount of coverage needed for your personal property. It’s a decent rule of thumb, however, as indicated previously, additional coverage may be required based on high-value possessions.
- Liability
Under this category of coverage, both medical liability costs and damage to personal property costs are covered. If a visitor is hurt on your property, liability will help to cover the medical costs of the injured party. In some instances, coverage may be paid for lost wages and even funeral costs should the party injured at your home die. This coverage does not include injuries to those who live in the home.
Personal belonging to visitors may also be covered against damages incurred in your home. The insurance carriers are responsible for determining if either medical or personal property damages are considered qualifying events.
There are other types of coverage that you may choose to include in your homeowner’s policy. Riders for additional living expenses, should you have to relocate to a hotel for covered repairs to be completed. Flood insurance and earthquake insurance may also be offered through certain carriers.
It is critical to make sure you have adequate amounts of coverage built into each component of your policy. This will help offset actual replacement costs, cover extensive medical bills, etc. At Nsure, we provide you with the ability to compare policies and premiums from the top 50 insurance carriers in the country. We encourage you to compare carefully before deciding on what homeowner’s insurance policy is best for you.
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