A basic homeowners insurance quotes policy covers perils, which are specifically named risks such as lightning, theft, fire, smoke, wind, and explosion. With this type of homeowners insurance quotes policy, any risk that is not mentioned specifically in your homeowners insurance quotes policy is not covered. You can also purchase special policies that cover the house for all perils except those explicitly excluded by the homeowners insurance quotes policy, such as pet damage.
Homeowners insurance quotes policies vary by company more than by state. The chart below illustrates typical coverage under a standard homeowners insurance quotes policy.
Exclusions and Additional Coverage
Read your homeowners insurance quotes policy carefully to find out what is excluded from coverage. In addition to excluded perils, your coverage may exclude:
- Property/liability of tenants, roomers, or boarders. Tenants can purchase renters insurance.
- Business liability for damages, resulting from home business activities and professional services. Injuries or property damage as a result of business activities are not covered. Talk to your insurance agent about separate business-related coverage.
Additional coverages generally included in your homeowners insurance quotes policy include:
- Reasonable repairs to prevent a further loss, such as boarding up a hole in your roof damaged by fire to prevent rain from getting inside.
- Lightning damage to trees, plants, shrubs and lawns.
- Debris removal (for example, removal of the wind damaged trees that have fallen or are leaning on your house).
- Fire department service charges
You can also add to your package by purchasing coverage for:
- Higher valued jewelry (your policy provides limited coverage)
- Earthquake damage
Flood insurance must be purchased separately. Contact the National Flood Insurance Program or your insurance agent if you live in a coastal or low-lying area. Also, inquire if the holder of your mortgage requires you to have flood insurance.
What If Someone Gets Hurt on My Property?
If you or members of your household are hurt on your property, your expenses typically would be covered by your health insurance policy. They will not be covered by homeowners insurance.
Homeowners insurance does provide basic liability coverage, which protects you and family members who are part of your household if you are found legally responsible by someone for injuries or damages, either on or off your property. You may be held legally liable for such events even though you didn’t intend for them to happen. Liability coverage includes the following at no additional costs:
- Legal defense costs
- Payments for first aid to others at the scene of an accident
- Payments for damage to someone else’s property caused by you or your family (a child damages a neighbor’s new concrete sidewalk by walking on it before it dries.)
- Payments for loss assessments resulting from your membership in a property association
Bodily injury and property damage generally are not covered while you are operating a motor vehicle, airplane, or boat. You need separate policies for these activities.
