Homeowner's insurance can be complicated to understand. A basic policy may not cover everything you think it does, so you may need to add other types of coverage to your policy such as flood insurance. It's important to discuss your coverage options with an insurance agent so you know how your home is protected and what's covered and what isn't. Here are some things you'll want to talk to your agent about.
Coverage For Natural Disasters
Hail can do a lot of damage to your home's siding and roof. Your home could also be damaged by wind or lightning. Storm damage is often covered by homeowner's insurance, but other types of damage might not be unless you add additional protection for things like earthquakes, floods, or sinkholes. These more severe types of natural disasters can destroy your home, so you want to know if your home will be covered if you live in an area that's at risk. Some insurance policies specifically exclude certain types of natural disasters, so you should take time to read through your policy and talk to your agent in order to understand your coverage.
Protection For Your Land
Another thing you'll want to know is if your shed, fence, and other structures on your land are covered under your home insurance policy. These might be protected against storm damage as well, but you'll also need to factor in your deductible. If you carry a large deductible to keep your insurance rates low, then you might have to pay out of pocket for repairs to a fence or your landscaping even if it's covered. In some cases, landscaping and tree damage might be included in your homeowner's insurance policy. However, you might see exclusions here as well. The insurance might pay for fire damage or vandalism but not damage due to insects or diseases.
Liability Coverage
Liability coverage is important to have in case someone is injured on your property. You'll want to talk to your insurance agent if you have specific situations that might increase the risk of someone being injured, such as owning a dog, so you carry enough liability insurance to protect you. If you have to pay medical bills, the costs could mount up quickly when emergency room visits or surgery are involved, so liability insurance is one type of coverage you want to understand and have enough of.
A home insurance policy covers many other things too, such as your belongings inside the house. There may be limits imposed depending on the amount of coverage you buy, so if you have a valuable collection or expensive jewelry, you should talk to your insurance agent to make sure you have the right amount of insurance to protect your belongings against damage and theft.
For more information, contact local homeowners insurance agents.
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