Home Insurance Tips

Most people don't think much about their home insurance, but the 3 most common things people forget to include are...

• coverage for valuables, collections, etc. - every carrier has different limits on things and it's important to review to make sure all your stuff is covered! After a claim is too late to find out.
• backup of sewer/drain coverage - if you have a basement, particularly if it's a finished basement, you NEED this coverage! It's normally excluded if the sewer line backs up.
• building coverage if you own a condo. The interior fixtures, flooring, cabinets, counters, etc. are usually NOT covered by the condo association insurance! 

Flood Insurance 

Flood, for insurance purposes, is defined as a body of water rising. Period. This is often confused with a pipe bursting and "flooding" a basement or any other damage caused by a lot of water.

If you are in a potential flood zone you should secure flood insurance.

For the other issues some general tips....

- make sure all pipes are in good repair - have your sewer line routinely scoped
- leave heat on when traveling to prevent pipes freezing - insurance carriers won't cover pipes bursting because the heat was turned off
- have people check on your home when you are out of town - subsequent damage caused due to lengthy time before discovery is not covered by insurance and can be spendy!
- check draining, seals, slopes, gutters, etc. to make sure things are clean/maintained/adequate. Insurance won't cover damage
- check into backup of sewer/drain coverage. If you have appliances in the basement or a finished basement it is TOTALLY worth adding this coverage

Earthquake Insurance

Earthquake insurance is becoming more and more common as fears of "the big one" increase. A few notes on earthquake insurance...

• It's not often included in regular home insurance unless you are in a low-risk area or are grandfathered 
• It typically has a % deductible as it's for the "big one." If there is a tremor and the china hutch falls over the deductible will not be reached
• Pricing and carrier options are dependent on the age of the home, location, and if the home has been earthquake retrofit
  

We have carriers that will go down to 2.5% deductible at a reasonable cost.