Make Sure You Have Adequate Insurance

By Carmen Sanmerino


Your home is probably the biggest purchase you'll ever make. From protection for your home and personal belongings to coverage against liability claims, homeowners insurance protects you in a number of ways. You should be proactive and review your current homeowner's coverage at least annually to make sure that your insurance is sufficient to rebuild or repair your home after a disaster.

Home Replacement Costs

Most people have an idea what their home is worth on the real estate market. But concerning the costs of construction, contractors and building, and the current market and contractor availability, most homeowners understand little of this. The 'reinstatement value' is the amount it would cost to rebuild your home, and this is how much your home should be insured for. This is different to the market value of your home, which is what you would get if you sold it. If your home is insured for too little, your policy might not pay out enough for the full cost of repairing or rebuilding if it is damaged or destroyed.

Issues to Consider

Every home insurance policy has restrictions and exclusions. Your insurance policy does not cover these events or situations. Check with your provider before you sign up because although standard exclusions are contained in every policy, specific exclusions and restrictions will vary across insurers.

The amount that you will have to pay for any claim, before your insurer pays the balance, is called the deductible. Any claim settlement will be reduced by your insurer by the amount of the excess that your policy states. Losses that are less than the excess are not claimable.

Based on your comfort level for maintaining your premiums and for actually paying it out, the amount of the deductible can depend on the insurer and you can often choose this. If you agree to a higher deductible, you can often get a discount on your premium.

Each year, when your policy is renewed, many insurance companies increase the amount of coverage automatically. This is known as 'indexation'. It helps you to avoid being under-insured as it increases the amount of your cover in line with inflation. Make sure you are not insured for too much or too little though, by regularly checking the amount of coverage you have. People are often over-insured for building insurance, but under-insured for the contents.

The amount you pay for your home insurance depends on several factors, including the amount you insure your home for and whether you also insure your contents. The greater the insured value of your buildings and contents, the higher your premium will be.

The location of your home also impacts your premiums. Insurers may charge more for homes in areas where there is a high rate of burglary or areas prone to flooding. Rural home owners usually pay less than city home owners because urban areas have more burglary claims. Security features might help you get a discount, however.




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