Homeowners Insurance Guide: A Beginner's Overview

Home insurance (also called home insurance) is not a luxury; It's a necessity, and not just because it protects your home and belongings from damage or theft. Almost all mortgage lenders require borrowers to insure the full or fair value of a property (usually the purchase price) and will not make a loan or finance a residential real estate transaction without proof.

You don't even have to own your home to need insurance; Many landlords require their tenants to take out contents insurance. But whether it's required or not, it's smart to have that kind of protection. We explain the basics of household insurance.

Although endlessly customizable, a homeowners' insurance policy has certain standard elements that specify the costs that the insurer will cover.

In the event of damage from fire, hurricanes, lightning, vandalism or other covered disasters, your insurer will compensate you, so your home can be repaired or even rebuilt from scratch. Destruction or mutilation from floods, earthquakes, and poor home maintenance is generally not covered, and you may need additional tabs if you want this type of protection. Garages, sheds or other freestanding structures on the property may also need to be covered separately, using the same guidelines as the main house.

Clothing, furniture, appliances and most other items in your home are insured if destroyed in an insured disaster. You can even get “outside” coverage, so you can make a claim for lost jewelry no matter where in the world it was lost. However, there may be a limit to the amount your insurer reimburses you. According to the Insurance Information Institute, most insurance companies offer coverage for 50% to 70% of the amount insured you have on your home's

structure. For example, if your home is insured for $200,000, your property is insured for up to $140,000.

If you own a lot of high-priced possessions (art or antiques, fine jewelry, designer clothing) you may want to pay more to include them in a detailed plan, buy a tab to cover them, or even get a separate policy.

Liability insurance protects you from third-party lawsuits. This clause even includes your pets! So if your dog bites your neighbor Doris, your insurer will pay her medical bills, regardless of whether the bite happens to you or her. Or if your child breaks your Ming vase, you can make a claim for a refund. And if Doris slips on the shards of the vase and successfully sues for damages or lost wages, you are also covered as if someone had been injured on your

property.

While policies can offer coverage for as little as $100,000, experts recommend coverage for at least $300,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute. For added protection, a few hundred dollars more in premiums can buy an additional million dollars or more through an umbrella policy.

Unlikely, but if you are forced to leave your home for a while, this is surely the best coverage you have ever bought. This part of coverage, known as additional living expenses, would reimburse you for rent, hotel rooms, restaurant meals, and other incidental expenses you incur while waiting for your home to be livable again. Before you book a suite at the Ritz-Carlton and order room service caviar, however, be aware that policies impose strict daily and total limits of . Of course, you can expand these daily limits if you're willing to pay more for coverage.

Not all insurance is created equal. The cheapest home insurance is likely to give you the least coverage and vice versa. In the US There are different forms of home insurance that have become standardized in the industry; They are designated HO-1 through HO-8 and offer different levels of protection depending on the needs of the owner and the type of dwelling covered. There are basically three levels of coverage.

Actual cash value includes the cost of the home plus the value of your property after depreciation (i.e. how many items are currently worth, not how much you paid for them).

replacement value policies cover the actual cash value of your home and possessions without deduction for depreciation, so you may be able to repair or rebuild your home to its original value.

This inflation compensation policy is the most comprehensive and will pay for any cost of repairing or rebuilding your home, even if it's over your policy limit. Certain insurers offer extended replacement, which means they offer more coverage than you bought, but there's a limit. Typically it is 20% to 25% above the limit.

Some advisors believe that all homeowners should purchase guaranteed replacement value policies because not only do you need adequate insurance to cover the value of your home, you also need adequate insurance to rebuild your home, preferably to current on of pricesces (which will probably be the case since they have increased You you bought or built). "Buyers often make the mistake of insuring [a home] enough to cover the mortgage, but that's typically 90% of the value of their home," says Adam Johnson, Home Insurance Product Manager for policy comparison site QuoteWizard.com. “Due to a volatile market, it's always a good idea to get coverage for more than your home is worth." Policies with replacement value guarantees absorb increased replacement costs and offer the homeowner protection against rising construction costs.

Although homeowners insurance does cover most scenarios where damage might occur, some events are normal such as Natural disasters or other "acts of God" and acts of war are excluded.

What if you live in a flood plain or hurricane area or in an area with a history of earthquakes? You will need tabs for these or an additional policy for earthquake or flood insurance. There's also backup sewer and drain coverage that you can add, and even identity recovery coverage that reimburses you for the costs you incur if you're a victim of identity theft.

So what is the driving force behind rates? According to Noah J.Bank, Vice President and Insurance Advisor at HUB International, is the likelihood of an owner making a claim: the insurer's perceived "risk". And when determining risk, home insurance companies consider previous home insurance claims filed by the owner, as well as claims related to that property and the owner's creditworthiness. “Claim frequency and severity plays a big part in determining rates, especially when there is more than one claim related to the same problem, such as water damage, wind storms, etc.,” says Bank.

While insurers are there to pay claims, they are also there to make money. Insuring a home that has had multiple claims in the last three to seven years can put your home insurance premium at a higher price point, even if a previous owner made the claim. You may not even be eligible for home insurance based on the number of recently filed claims and bills.

Neighborhoods, crime rates, and the availability of building materials also play a role in determining rates. And of course, coverage options such as deductibles or additional clauses for art, wine, jewelry, etc.—and the desired sum insured—are also included in the amount of the annual premium.

"The price and eligibility for home insurance may also vary depending on the insurer's interest in a particular building construction, type of roof, condition or age of the home, type of heating system (if the oil tank is underground or undeundergroundd proximity to shoreline, pool, trampoline, security systems, and more," says Bank.

What else influences your tariffs? "The condition of your home could also reduce a home insurance company's interest in coverage," says Bill Van Jura, anJuryurance planning consultant in Poughkeepsie, N.Y."An uncar An unhearde increases the likelihood that the insurer will pay out in the event of a claim." Even the presence of a puppy living in your home can increase your home insurance rates. Some dogs, depending on their breed, can do a lot of damage.

While it's never worth playing cheap with coverage, there are ways to lower insurance premiums.

A burglar alarm monitored from a central station or linked directly to a local police station helps reduce a homeowner's annual premiums, perhaps by 5% or more.In order Ino receive the rebate, the homeowner must usually provide the insurance company with proof of centralized monitoring in the form of an invoice or contract.

Smoke detectors are another problem. While they are standard in most modern homes, installing them in older homes can save a homeowner 10% or more in annual premiums. CO detectors, bolt locks, sprinkler systems, and sometimes even weather protection can also help.

As with health insurance or car insurance, the higher the deductible you choose, the lower the annual premiums.However, Howeveroblem with choosing a high deductible is that claims/issues that typically only cost a few hundred dollars to repair, such as B. Broken windows or damaged drywall from a leaking pipe arepipe,ely to be borne by the homeowner. And these can add up.

Many insurance companies give a discount of 10% or more to customers who have other policies under the same umbrella (e.g., auto or health insurance). Consider getting a quote for other types of insurance from the same company that offers your home insurance. You might end up saving two premiums.

When planning to build a structure next to or next to your home, consider the materials that will be used. Timber frame structures generally cost more to insure because they are highly flammable. In contrast, concrete or steel frame structures cost less because they are less exposed to fire or adverse weather conditions.

Another thing that most homeowners should consider, but often don't, is the insurance costs associated with building a pool. In fact, items like swimming pools and/or other potentially harmful devices (like trampolines) can increase your annual insurance costs by 10% or more. 

Obviously, this is easier said than done, but homeowners who own their residences will likely see their premiums drop. Why? The insurance company expects you to take better care of it if a place is 100% yours.

Regardless of what starting price you're offered, do some price shopping, including reviewing group coverage options through credit or union, employer, or association memberships. And even after taking out a policy, investors should compare the costs of other insurance policies with their own at least once a year. In addition, they should review your existing policy and take note of any changes that may have occurred that could lower your premiums.

For example, maybe you took down the trampoline, paid off the mortgage, or installed a fancy sprinkler system. If this is the case, simply notifying the insurance company of the changes and providing evidence in the form of photos and/or receipts can significantly reduce insurance premiums. "Some companies have loans for complete plumbing, electrical, heating and roof renovations," says Van Jury.

To find out if you have enough coverage to replace your belongings, also conduct regular checks on your most valuable items. According to John Bodrozic, co-founder of Homemade. A home maintenance application, "Many consumers are under insured in the contents portion of their policy because they didn't take a home inventory and added the full value to compare it to what the policy covers."

Look for neighborhood changes that could also lower rates. For example, installing a fire hydrant within 100 feet of the home or building a substation very close to the property can lower premiums. 

When looking for an insurance company, here is a checklist of search and shopping tips.

When it comes to insurance, you want to make sure you choose a reputable and credible provider. Your first step should be to visit your state's Department of Insurance website to learn about the ratings of each homeowner's insurance company licensed in your state and any consumer complaints that have been filed against the insurance company. The website should also provide typical average home insurance costs in different counties and cities.

Research the homeowners' insurance companies you are considering by checking their results on the websites of the major credit bureaus (such as A.M. Best, Moody's, J.D. Power, Standard and Poor's) and those of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and Weiss Research. These sites track consumer complaints against companies, as well as general customer feedback, complaint handling, and other data. In some cases, these websites also evaluate the financial health of a homeowners' insurance company to determine if the company is able to pay claims.

After a major loss, the burden of paying out of pocket to repair your home and waiting for reimbursement from your insurer could leave your family in a difficult financial position. Several insurers outsource basic functions, including claims management.

Before purchasing a policy, find out if any Approved Adjusters or third-party call centers will take and handle your claims calls. "Your agent should be able to provide feedback on their experience with an insurance company as well as their reputation in the marketplace," said Mark Galante, President of Field Operations for the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. "Look for an insurer that has a proven track record of providing fair and timely billing, and make sure you understand your insurer's stance on

hold provisions, where an insurance company withholds a portion of your payment until the homeowner can prove it." for starting the repairs ."

All companies will say they have a good claims service. However, reduce the clutter by asking your agent or a company representative about the insurer's retention rate — that is, what percentage of policyholders renew each year. Many companies report retention rates between 80% and 90%. You can also find satisfaction information in annual reports, online reviews, and good old-fashioned testimonials from people you trust.

“Getting multiple quotes is important when you're looking for some type of insurance; However, it is particularly important for home insurance, as coverage needs can vary widely,” says Eric Stauffer, past president of ExpertInsuranceReviews.com. "Comparing multiple companies will give you the best overall results."

How many bids should you get? Five or more will give you a good idea of ​​what people are offering and will leverage the negotiations. But before you get quotes from other companies, ask for a price from insurers you already have a relationship with. As mentioned above, in many cases a carrier you already do business with (for your car, boat, etc.) can offer better rates because you are already a customer.

Some companies offer a special discount for seniors or for people who work from home. The reason for this is that both groups tend to be on the premises more often, making the home less vulnerable to burglaries.

The annual premium is often a key factor in the decision to buy home insurance, but don't just look at the price. "No two insurers use the same policy forms and supplements, and policy wording can vary widely," Bank says. "Even if you think you're comparing apples to apples, there's usually more, so you need to compare covers and limits.”

Stauffer believes the best way to get quotes is to go directly to insurance companies or speak to an independent representative who deals with multiple companies, on the contrary to your “own” insurance agent. traditional or financial planner working for a single home insurance company. However, keep in mind that “a broker licensed to sell for multiple businesses will often add their own fees to policies and policy renewals. This could cost hundreds more per year,” she notes, giving an accurate idea of ​​her options: “You want to look at different deductible scenarios to better assess whether it makes sense to go higher and insure yourself,” he says.