Homeowners Insurance Covers: Protecting Your Home and Peace of Mind

As a homeowner, protecting your home and the possessions inside it is important. That’s why homeowners insurance is a must-have. Homeowners insurance covers financial losses due to damages or theft of your home and its contents. In this article, we will take a closer look at what homeowners insurance covers and how it can benefit you.

What is Covered by Homeowners Insurance?

Homeowners insurance typically covers the following:

Damage to Your Home
Personal Property
Liability
Fire
Electronics
Legal Fees
Windstorm or Hail
Furniture
Medical Bills
Tornado or Hurricane
Clothing
Property Damage
Lightning
Jewelry
Bodily Injury
Explosion
Appliances

Damage to Your Home

One of the primary reasons to have homeowners insurance is to protect your home from damages due to unforeseen events. Damage caused by events such as fire, windstorm, hail, tornado, hurricane or explosion can be covered under your insurance policy. It covers the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home to its original condition.

It is important to note that not all types of damage are covered under your policy, such as damages from flood or earthquake. You may need to purchase additional coverage to protect against these types of events.

Personal Property

Your homeowners insurance policy also covers your personal belongings such as electronics, furniture, clothing, and jewelry. If they are stolen or damaged due to a covered event, your insurer will cover the cost of replacing them. It’s important to keep an inventory of your personal belongings to ensure that you are properly insured.

Liability

Liability coverage is an important aspect of homeowners insurance. It protects you against legal fees and damages you may be liable for if someone is injured on your property. For example, if a delivery person slips and falls on your icy driveway, you may be held responsible for their medical bills and lost wages. Liability coverage can help pay for these costs and protect your assets.

What is Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance?

It’s important to know that not all damages are covered under your homeowners insurance policy. Some events and items are typically excluded, such as:

Event or Item
Excluded from Coverage
Flood
Requires separate flood insurance policy
Earthquake
Requires separate earthquake insurance policy
Mold
May not be covered, depends on policy
Termites
Not generally covered under a standard policy

FAQs

How much homeowners insurance do I need?

The amount of homeowners insurance you need depends on the value of your home and its contents. You should have enough coverage to rebuild your home and replace your personal belongings in the event of a total loss. Speak to an insurance agent to determine the right amount of coverage for your needs.

What is a deductible?

A deductible is the amount you agree to pay out of pocket before your insurance kicks in. For example, if you have a $1,000 deductible and a $10,000 claim, you will be responsible for paying the first $1,000 and your insurance will cover the remaining $9,000.

Can I change my deductible?

Yes, you can usually change your deductible amount. Raising your deductible may lower your premium, but it also means you are responsible for paying more out of pocket in the event of a claim. Lowering your deductible will increase your premium, but it also means you will pay less out of pocket in the event of a claim.

Having homeowners insurance is important to protect your home and the things you value most. By understanding what your policy covers, you can have peace of mind knowing that you are covered in the event of an unexpected loss.