Homeowner's accident liability is a very real thing. Every homeowner should be aware in the event of an accident that causes liability coverage to kick in. We recently talked about the liability coverage that comes with most homeowner’s and renter’s insurance policies. To recap, liability coverage protects you from financial responsibility for the harm or [...]
The first thing that might come to mind when thinking about homeowner’s insurance is protection for your physical, tangible property. It protects your house, attached structures, and your belongings. And it does do all of that. Depending on the kind of homeowner's insurance policy purchased, though, it does a lot more. In fact, even if [...]
Leaving a home alone? No, I'm not talking about the 1990 movie, 'Home Alone.' This is about leaving your home alone, like empty and uninhabited. It might be voluntarily or involuntarily. Either way, there could be insurance implications. Let’s define some words to set the stage. You might think that “unoccupied” means the same as [...]
Friendly fires, hostile fires and insurance? Yes, it's a strange title, I know. But in the property insurance world, fires are moody: Friendly and Hostile. When thinking about insurance, it is hard to imagine anything good, much less friendly, about a fire. At its worst, fire can cause the destruction of a home and all [...]
Homeowner's insurance policies are in-depth documents and invariably there are exclusions and exemptions. The short answer is no. No insurance policy covers everything, regardless of its type. Here’s why. An insurance policy is a written agreement between you and an insurance company. In return for your payment of money (the insurance premium), the insurance company [...]
Husband giving a diamond bracelet to his wife for Valentines Day Valentine's Day and insurance? I know, I know. The subject may seem a little strange. Stay with me, it will make sense, and there’s a meaningful connection. History of Valentine's Day Valentine’s Day has a long tradition. There’s a darker side to [...]
Roofing insurance scams hurt three different parties -- YOU, the homeowner, the roof and your insurer. Clearly, a roof is a vital part of any house. Its purpose is primarily functional, but there are also aesthetic aspects. From both standpoints, it is important to preserve it, but it doesn’t last forever. The structure and the [...]
The storm aftermath may be worse than the storm itself. I’m writing this from Tallahassee, FL where we were under a hurricane warning as of September 1, 2016 with Hurricane Hermine. The predictions were right and the storm arrived on schedule. Power at my house went out around 10:30 p.m. and was not restored for [...]
Using homeowner's insurance after it's purchased is not something we often know how to do. You bought homeowner’s insurance for one of four main reasons: To make you feel secure that your property would be protected if something happened that could damage it. Related, it made you feel secure that your assets were safe(r). If [...]
Homeowners in Louisiana are at the mercy of receding floodwaters and mold abatement that destroyed Livingston Parish homes and surrounding areas. The Louisiana flooding has been labeled the worst flooding in the U.S. since Hurricane Sandy that wreaked havoc up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Homeowners who elect to live in flood plains need to [...]