Home Insurance
Whether you own or rent, insuring the place you call home can help protect you financially if you suffer a loss due to fire, theft, vandalism, or other covered events. Depending on where you live - a house, apartment, or condominium, the right home insurance policy can provide you peace of mind as well as the money you need to repair or replace your home and/or belongings. It will also cover you in the event someone is injured while on your property and wins a legal judgment against you.
A homeowner’s insurance policy usually covers four incidents on the insured property – interior damage, exterior damage, loss or damage of personal assets/belongings, and injury that arises while on the property. Homeowners policies differ by which losses are covered, which coverage you choose, and what type of residence you own. You choose which policy is best for you, whether it's a comprehensive policy that cover losses such as fire, hail, smoke, falling objects, vandalism and theft of personal property, or whether it's a policy that covers only specified losses.
Make an inventory of your home and personal belongings. If possible, make a list as well as take photos or video - using two inventory methods can help expedite the claim resolution process. Keep this list somewhere other than your home. Possibly make two copies of it and keep them in different places. Keep in mind that your policy doesn't cover damages caused by poor or deferred maintenance on your part.
The four types of homeowners coverage are:
Structural and Personal Belongings coverage are available on an actual cash value (ACV) basis or at full replacement cost. ACV coverage considers the current market value of an item based on its age and condition. So, if you purchased a television for $400 four years ago, the value today would be significantly less than it was when you purchased it. ACV coverage would depreciate the item's value to determine the current value. Full replacement cost coverage, however, considers the current cost to replace an item without applying depreciation to it..