Your home is your biggest asset and investment. So it’s extra important to make sure it receives the best coverage possible in the event of a major loss. Despite what we may all think as homeowners such as, “it will never happen to my home” or “that sounds like a waste of money”, it’s far better to be prepared than unprepared when it comes to the welfare of your home.
Though you may think homeowners coverage would apply to the exterior structure of your house if something were to occur, there are ways a loss could occur besides damage to your roof, siding or windows that could leave you liable.
1.You could be found liable for personal injuries or property
Most homeowners policies include liability, but it’s always good to make sure specific covered losses are included. Let’s say a guest in your home is walking down the stairs one day and a stair with a loose floorboard causes them to slip and fall and they break their leg. Since this occurred in your home, you would be liable!
Now lets think of how we could be liable under our homeowners policy for another persons property. Suppose during a heavy wind storm a piece of antenna from the satellite dish blows off and cracks the windshield of your neighbor’s brand new sports car. As the homeowner, for not properly securing the antenna you are liable for the damage to your neighbor’s automobile.
2. Loss of use coverage
Disasters happen in all shapes and forms. As homeowners we do everything we can to protect what we hold dear, however in some instances we are forced to relocate due to our family’s best interest. If a severe storm caused significant damage to your home and it wasn’t able to be resided in during the rebuilding, your family would be forced to relocate. Loss of use coverage would pay for your family’s living expenses during the period of inconvenience while your home is uninhabitable.
3. Other structures coverage
Though a homeowners policy covers property and contents there are certain fixtures that the homeowners policy can cover that are separate from the home. For instance if heavy winds knock down your fence during a storm, under the homeowners policy repairs and restoration would be included in fixing the fence. Another example would be a garage not directly attached to the structure of the house. If branches were to fall during the storm and damage the roof, the structure would be covered under the homeowners policy.
What can I do?
Now all this information may leave you concerned about the welfare of your home. Not to worry, most homeowners policies have extended coverage available to cover such losses. But there are some things you can do as a homeowner to protect yourself from a loss, aside from controlling the weather.
- Clear all loose debris from your property before a big storm
- Cut and maintain large branches from trees if high winds are anticipated
- Keep up on household repairs to avoid injuries and property damage
- If bad weather is imminent have a reserve power source available.
Most importantly make sure your policy includes the necessary coverage to avoid a significant loss to begin with! Contact our office at 631-224-1000 with any questions or concerns about your current homeowners policy! Our friendly staff would be happy to help you with better coverage options, an alternative price or any questions about your current policy.
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