Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners Insurance Policy Information

The largest financial investment you are likely to make, your home, is vulnerable to damage and destruction by nature’s forces. Your personal belongings can also be lost. Homeowners insurance can help restore or replace what you have lost, and compensate those who have been injured as well. Don’t even think about being without it, for the risk is too great. A basic homeowners policy may not cover you for all disasters. Fire is always a risk, no matter where you live, and should be covered, even if it means buying a separate policy.

Get The Right Homeowners Coverage

California is earthquake country, but surprisingly, not all policies cover it. Always check your policy to make certain the risks associated with your geographical location are covered. Because there are policies that cover water damage from hurricanes but not from floods, make sure you understand the peculiar semantic differences that can disallow one type of damage while allowing for something similar.

Inventory Your Possessions

Over the years, families accumulate, collect, inherit, and acquire objects and artifacts that belong in their Homeowners insurance inventory. Memories fade, receipts get lost, and the value of things in our attics or garages can be difficult to estimate if we ever need to supply that information. To make a permanent record of all of ones household contents can be an overwhelming task to consider. One popular way to record what you own is to videotape the house. While one person videos, the other can describe objects and read off serial numbers. Store the tape or disc in a location outside of the home for safe keeping.

Keeping Your Home Safe

One of the most important parts of your homeowners policy is the liability coverage, in the event that a person is injured while on your property. In today’s litigious environment, taking every precaution to prevent injury around the home is more critical than ever.

Outside the home:

Keep all pruning tools, hoses, and gardening implements stored out of harms way
Make sure all walkways are properly lit and free of obstacles
Inspect your home after repairmen have been on the premises, assuring they have not left equipment out

Additional Ways to Keep Your Home Safe

Installing lighting, security alarms, and other equipment can help keep you free of litigious exposure and also lower your homeowners insurance expenses.

Get Comprehensive Homeowners Coverage

By adding a small amount to your homeowners insurance premium, you can buy a more comprehensive level of coverage that includes medical bills and accidents that occur at other’s homes. An umbrella level policy removes the uncertainty of just how well you will be protected in a world full of hidden hazards. Spending a little on prevention will be an investment well spent.

Insurance Company Overviews

State Farm is an insurance provider based out of Bloomington, Illinois. From its beginnings in auto insurance, it has become a conglomerate of companies that provide both insurance and financial services.
Government Employees Insurance Company, better known as GEICO, is the second largest auto insurer in the United States. It provides coverage “for more than 24 million motor vehicles owned by more than 15 million policyholders” in all states.
Allstate Corporation is America’s largest publicly held personal lines property and casualty insurer. The company also maintains personal lines operations in Canada and India.
Progressive Corporation is well-known for insuring a wide range of vehicles. Headquartered in Ohio, the company insures cars, motorcycles, boats, RVs and commercial vehicles.