Home owners Insurance

The largest investment most people make is in their home.  This makes home insurance particularly important as a single catastrophe can wipe out a 30+ year investment.  There are many parts of a home insurance policy we have included a few of the most common coverage definitions and what they cover at the bottom of this page.

 

Windstorm Mitigation Inspection Information!

Click the link above for more information on how a simple inspection can lower your premium by up to 60%.  Homes build prior to 2002 absolutely must obtain an inspection or your premiums will be astronomical.  Even homes built after 2002 can obtain larger credits depending on construction features.

 

Get a Home Insurance Quote!

 

Common Coverage Definitions

• Dwelling
  The dwelling, otherwise known as a building or house, is covered under this section of your policy. Normally any permanent structure attached to the dwelling is also covered under this section of the policy
  
  
• Other Structures
  Any other structure on the property that are not permanently attached to the dwelling.  Sheds, car ports and detached garages are some of the more common items covered under this section.  Normally 10% of whatever your dwelling is insured for is included on the standard policy.  This amount can be increased should a client need more coverage for a specific structure.
  
  
• Personal Property
  Personal property or contents inside the home are covered under this section. If you could take your home and turn it upside down and shake it, anything that would fall out is generally covered under this section. This coverage amount is determined by a percentage of what your dwelling is insured for. Generally this starts at 50% of the Dwelling coverage and can be increased. It is important to select the "Replacement Cost" endorsement for your contents or your loss will be paid on an actual cash value (depreciated) basis.
  
  
• Loss of Use
  This coverage pays for any extra expenses you encounter as a result of being displaced from your home due to a covered loss. The most common types of items covered are alternate living accommodations while your home is fixed, meals and extra mileage. Normally 10-20% of your dwelling coverage is included for this coverage.
  
  
• Liability
  This coverage protects you and relatives in your household from damages you are legally liable which were caused to another person.  There are limitations to this coverage including, but not limited to, accidents in a motor vehicle. 
  


• Medical Payments
  This coverage pays for reasonable medical expenses of any non resident that becomes injured by the insured or on the property of the insured.  This coverage shares similar limitations as Liability coverage and will not follow an insured in an automobile accident.
  
  
• Law & Ordinance
  Very Important coverage.  Normally included as 10% or 25% of the dwelling coverage.  This pays for any changes in local building codes and should your home need to be rebuilt the extra costs associated with bringing the home up to the new code would be covered here.  Another part of this coverage includes a provision should the home be significantly, but partially damaged, this coverage would pay for the value of the remaining structure which would need to be torn down and rebuilt. 
  

Deductibles

• AOP - All Other Perils
  This deductible is normally anywhere from $500 - $5,000 and is the amount a client is responsible for paying out of any loss settlement from the company.  Typically the AOP deductible covers anything other than Hurricane or Windstorm damage. 
  
  
• Hurricane Deductibles
  This deductible is typically 2% of the insured value of the dwelling.  Some older policies can be as low as $500 but they are very rare and generally not sold anymore.  Other policies in higher risk areas can require a 5% deductible but for the most part those are also rare.  We generally sell a 2% deductibles on almost all of our policies.  The deductible works the same way as the AOP except this one only pertains to a loss due to hurricane or windstorm.  
  
  

Are you properly covered?

1. Do you have a Special form policy and its far greater covered perils?
   
   
2. Do you have enough coverage to rebuild your home?
   
   
3. Do you know the consequences of not having the proper amount of coverage on your home?  Even if your loss is small you may find out too late that the insurance company has the right to only pay whatever % you are insured too.
   
   
4. What does that mean?  A $12,000 roof loss.  Your house's replacement cost is 200k but you only insured it to 100k.  Your loss payment would be 6k, since you insured for half of value you get paid for half of your loss.  This is called Co-insurance and you want to avoid it at all costs.
   
   
5. Make sure you talk with a true insurance professional: One with several options for coverage with many different companies. Why settle for less?