Many homeowners are overwhelmed by all the parts of a homeowner’s insurance policy. There are so many options and it can be confusing to ultimately decide what is best for your family. The most critical factor of home insurance is having enough insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding your home. Oftentimes, there is a big difference in what your mortgage lender mandates and what you would truly need to rebuild it from the ground up. It is also important to know that building codes could change during the lifetime of your home and rebuilding would have to include these new guidelines. New building codes could drive up the cost of rebuilding too.
Currently, building material costs are up, so you want to make sure that the replacement coverage would account for rebuilding your home, detached structures like sheds, custom kitchens or bathrooms, fireplaces, and other special improvements. Standard policies cover damage from fires, theft, and lightning, but do not cover for flood damage or lack of maintenance.
The next part of your homeowner’s insurance policy to review is personal possessions. If a disaster were to occur, are you currently insuring for the true amount it would take to replace your possessions? Start by doing a home inventory and list out all the items you would need to replace. Many people find it helpful to go room by room and take photos along the way too. You can insure your items for their replacement cost or actual cash value. Replacement cost covers the cost it would take to buy the item and does not subtract for depreciation. Actual cash value only takes care of what the item’s value is on the actual day of replacement, subtracting for depreciation.
Expensive possessions such as jewelry, art, and electronics merit their own policies as the standard homeowner’s coverage can limit the amount paid out in the event of theft or a disaster. Floater or endorsement policies can help you insure these items to cover what they are actually worth.
The third facet to your homeowner’s policy is the compensation for living expenses should you not be able to live in your home after a catastrophe. Hotel bills, meals, and other expenses can be covered up to a policy’s limits while your home is undergoing repairs or rebuilding. This is also known as loss of use coverage.
It is also important to consider the liability part of your policy. This will cover you and your family in the event that another person is harmed on your property and sues you. This covers court costs and damages you would be ordered to pay up to the policy limits.
In Orlando, the Florida Insurance Group assists homeowners to fully understand their home insurance policy and have peace of mind that it will be there for them should a disaster occur. They are experts at finding the Orlando home insurance company that is the perfect fit for your budget and needs. On the phone and online, they have assisted clients for more than 20 years to get the highest quality insurance at the best value.
For more information:
1-888-525-2210
www.floridainsurance.com
Milla Tawnie writes for Orlando auto insurance and Orlando home insurance agency, the Florida Insurance Group. To learn more or to get auto and home insurance quotes, visit FloridaInsurance.com.
