If you have a mortgage for your home, your lender will require you to carry homeowner’s insurance until the entire loan has been repaid. Even after you pay off your home, maintaining your insurance coverage is still a good idea.While you may need to add riders for certain types of additional protection, a standard policy will still cover you for most of the threats your home might face.
What Your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Will Cover
The standard policy you will get from an insurance company in Florida will protect your home and belongings from various threats. This coverage will protect you in ways you might not consider, making it important to understand the full range of protection provided.
Fire Coverage
House fires are common tragedies that affect families everywhere, which is why a standard homeowner’s policy will provide coverage for fires.If you do experience a house fire, your policy likely provides coverage for temporary living expenses in addition to covering the costs of repairing or rebuilding your home. You may also receive reimbursement for meals while you’re unable to inhibit your home.
Vandalism
The majority of policies do cover vandalism to a certain extent. As long as you can prove you’re still inhabiting the home, vandalism that’s committed while the house is vacant will typically be covered. However, if you have moved out of the home or left it unoccupied for a lengthy time, your policy will probably not cover the damages.
Personal Liability
Your policy will also provide liability coverage if someone gets injured on your property. This coverage usually includes medical care for a non-resident's injuries and legal expenses if the injured individual sues for damages.
What Your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy Won’t Cover
There are a few types of damages that your standard policy won’t cover. While this doesn’t mean you can’t get these types of protection, it may involve adding riders to your policy at additional costs.
Auto Coverage
While your homeowner’s policy covers your personal belongings and separate structures, such as a garage or carport, it typically won’t cover damages to your vehicle. Even if the car is damaged while parked in your garage, you will have to file a separate claim with your
auto insurance policy.
Natural Disaster Coverage
Obtaining natural disaster coverage can be tricky. Most policies will cover damages caused by thunderstorms, hurricanes, and similar catastrophes, but not in areas where these events are more commonplace. For example, if you live in a tropical region, you will likely add a rider for
hurricane protection.Flood Coverage
A standard policy will usually cover plumbing or sewage issues that generate flooding. However, flooding from natural disasters won’t be covered. Talk to your agent to learn more. You should also talk to your Florida home insurance broker about adding flood protection.Take the time to review your homeowner’s insurance coverage with your Florida home insurance broker every year. During this appointment, you can update your policy to cover anything that has been added or changed on your property. Consistently making changes to your policy will ensure you have optimal coverage at all times.
