What does a homeowners insurance policy cover?

Homeowners insurance typically offers a wide range of coverages to help protect your home. Plus, you’ll often find that these covers help protect more than just the physical structure of your home. A typical homeowners insurance policy helps cover damage to your belongings and other structures on your property and also offers liability protection to help protect you in certain cases.

In today’s world, homeowners insurance is a very important part of your home insurance coverage. If something were to happen to your home, people would rely on you to be responsible for it. If you truly loved your home, you would want it to be as worry-free as possible. At home insurance companies, they take this very seriously. They want you to have all the coverage that you need and that is why they provide homeowners insurance.

Most homeowners insurance policies cover damage to different types of property when the homeowner is absent. For example, if someone were to burn down your home, your homeowners insurance policy would cover damage to your home, as this is property damage. Coverage is also extended to items like jewelry, cameras, electronics and other items, but not to expensive items like cars, clothes or electronics.

TYPES OF COVERAGE

Generally, homeowners insurance policies include these types of coverage:

• Home protection. This coverage typically covers your home and attached structures, such as a deck or attached garage.
• Protection of personal assets. From furniture to electronics, this coverage can help pay to replace belongings that have been stolen or damaged by a covered loss.
• Protection of other structures. This coverage can help pay to repair or replace structures on your property that are not attached to your home, such as a detached fence, garage or shed, if they are damaged by a covered peril.
• Family civil liability protection. Accidents can happen. Liability coverage can help protect you if someone is injured on your property and you are found legally responsible for the damages.
• Medical expenses for guests. If a visitor is injured in your home, this coverage can help pay for medical expenses that result.
• Additional living or subsistence expenses. This coverage can help pay for temporary cost-of-living or subsistence increases, like hotel bills, if you can’t stay in your home after a fire or other covered loss.

Many insurers offer optional coverages that can help better protect you and your belongings. For example, you may be able to purchase extended coverage* for items like jewelry, watches, and furs that are worth more than your personal property coverage limits. You may also be able to increase your liability coverage limits by adding a comprehensive personal policy.

HAZARDS

Generally, homeowners insurance helps provide protection against various risks, often referred to as “perils”*. These may include damage caused by:

• fire and smoke
• Ray*
• Storms with strong winds
• Hail
• explosions
• Vandalism
• Stole
• The weight of snow, sleet, or ice
• falling objects

Not all policies are the same, be sure to read yours to find out what risks it may or may not cover.

LIMITS, PREMIUMS AND DEDUCTIBLES

In addition to understanding the coverages your homeowners insurance policy provides, you may also want to understand your deductibles, premium, and limits.

Your deductible is the amount you will pay out of pocket for a covered loss before insurance benefits begin. The different types of coverage within a policy are generally subject to limits, which are the maximum protection the policy will provide for a covered loss. You may be able to adjust your coverage limits and deductible to suit your needs. Generally, the amounts you choose affect the amount of your premium, which is what you pay your insurer on a regular basis to keep your policy in force.

A local agent can help answer questions you may have about your coverages and costs so you can build the policy that’s right for you.

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