Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Theft
Homeowners insurance generally covers theft from your home and property, and there are several components of a typical home policy that youll want to understand to help ensure you get the coverage you need.
In general, a homeowners insurance policy offers four facets of home coverage:
- Dwelling: In case your home is damaged by a fire, hurricane, lightning or another disaster.
- Personal liability: In the event a visitor is injured or the visitors property is damaged while in your home due to your negligence.
- Additional living expenses: Covers the cost of temporary living expenses if your home is uninhabitable after a covered incident, like a fire.
- Personal belongings: Personal property coverage is designed to cover your belongings, such as furniture, clothing or electronics, in the event of a covered loss whether they are damaged at your house, apartment or anywhere in the world.
When Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Landscaping Damage
Like other types of personal property, your homeowners insurance provides coverage to your landscaping as long as its damaged is caused by a covered peril. However, the list of covered perils that apply to your landscaping is shorter than what generally relates to your other property.
Your lawn and landscaping will have to be damaged by one of the following perils to be eligible for coverage from your homeowners policy:
- Fire or lightning
- Aircraft
- Theft or vandalism
Your insurance won’t safeguard your landscaping for damage caused by hail or wind two commonly covered perils for your home’s structure. However, your insurer may still cover the removal of trees felled by wind. Additionally, your insurance excludes coverage to your landscaping if it’s damaged by pests and vermin.
Insurers also won’t pay claims due to floods under your homeowners policy, either. Instead you need a separate type of flood insurance policy to cover that.
While some insurance companies include reimbursement for damaged landscaping, while others may only cover the removal of dead plants, shrubs and trees. Additionally, if you use your garden or landscaping for a business purpose, your company will deny payment even if the cause of the damage is technically covered.
What To Do If Your Claim Is Denied
If you were denied coverage that you think should have applied to the damage caused by a leaky pipe, you might consider getting a second opinion by a licensed professional or consumer advocacy organization that is familiar with insurance in your region.
Your insurance company may also have an ombuds that can help review your file. You can also contact your state insurance commissioner for guidance or to file a complaint.
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Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Tree Removal
Answering the question, “Does homeowners insurance cover tree removal?” is complicated. That’s because tree removal insurance coverage may be available. However, it depends on why the tree needs to be removed.
Here’s what you need to know about homeowners insurance coverage for tree removal in different circumstances.
Does It Matter Who Owns The Tree
If a tree lands on your home, homeowners insurance generally covers its removal and repairs regardless of where it fell from.
For example, if a tree on your neighborâs property falls onto your fence or another covered structure on your property, youâd file a claim with your insurance to cover the damage. If the fallen tree was dead or rotting and you can prove that your neighbor knew about the dead tree and it fell because of their negligence, then your insurance company may reach out to their insurer to collect a claim reimbursement. Your insurer may also try to reach out to your neighborâs insurance company to collect the claim payout regardless of how the tree fell, in a process called subrogation. If the subrogation process is successful, you may be reimbursed for your policy deductible.
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Will My Insurance Go Up If I File A Tree Damage Claim
Maybe. A sad fact about insurance coverage is that it often costs a bit more every time you use it. Unlike car insurance, there is no accident forgiveness provision for home insurance claims. On the other hand, some losses are forgiven if a particular storm is deemed catastrophic, again though, depending on your prior loss history.
What Homeowners Insurance Covers
Homeowners insurance typically covers a broad range of possible damages. Your actual, physical dwelling should be covered, as well as some other structures on the property, like a garage, fence, driveway, or shed. However, if you run a business on your property in a separate structure, it is generally not covered by homeowners insurance.
Personal property is typically accounted for in your policy as well. The specific protection for it is sometimes known as contents insurance. Coverage may be limited on certain types of high-value items, such as jewelry or artwork often, additional coverage is purchased specifically for such assets. So when policy shopping, dont forget to ask your agent whether youll need to get additional coverage to cover your original Van Gogh or that flawless D diamond ring.
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Can I Require That My Tenants Hold Renters Insurance Policies
Renters insurance isn’t legally required in any states, but you can require renters to purchase coverage as part of their contract. A lot of properties do this because it’s in the best interest of the renters.
After all, a landlord policy protects the primary residence and structures on the property from damage, but it doesn’t cover personal property or liability. If renters want that covered, they have to pay extra. This is the beauty of required renters insurance it’s for the benefit of your tenants.
If you’re trying to decide whether you should require that tenants hold renters insurance, your independent insurance agent is the best resource for the job.
TrustedChoice.com Article | Reviewed byPaul Martin
How Does Homeowners Insurance Work
Fire, theft, accidents. . . these are the kinds of threats that might cause you to lose sleep, if you didn’t have the protection of homeowners insurance coverage. Fortunately, a homeowners policy will cover damage to your home and personal property due to a variety of causes . The personal liability portion of a homeowners policy provides coverage, for example if your litigious brother-in-law slips down your steps on a rainy day and injures himself.
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Blow Clippings Away From The Road
Its no secret that the road is full of cars. Blowing grass on the road can be a risky action. If you happen to catch a rock or a metal object, you may send it straight into a moving car.
Even worse, in some places there are laws against grass on the road. These clippings can be a hazard for motorcyclists. Additionally, the nitrogen-rich content of grass clippings may make them a hazard to your local waterways.
Whether it is illegal in your area or not, its best to avoid blowing grass clippings into the road as much as possible.
There’s A Difference Between A Slow Leak And A Burst Pipe
Cold weather has caused a pipe to burst in your home, and water has ruined your wood floors. Will homeowners insurance cover pipe replacement? It depends on your policy.
Water damage may be covered under homeowners’ insurance, but it depends largely on the nature of the aquatic mishap. If the damage occurs as a result of something sudden or unforeseenlike a broken pipe, a leaking air conditioning unit, or a malfunctioning washing machinethe policy typically covers it.
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How To File A Theft Claim
Claims processes vary from insurer to insurer, but there are a few things youll need to do. Start by:
- Providing your insurer with your police report number.
- Asking your insurer what evidence and information theyll need from you. Immediately after you get off the phone, gather those pieces so you dont forget anything.
- Inquiring if theyll send an insurance adjuster to your home. If they are, ask what you need to do to prepare.
- Asking about the steps of the claim process so you know what to expect.
Preventing Water Damage From Air Conditioners
Once your air conditioner is at the point where it is leaking water, its only a matter of hours before it can cause permanent damage. You might leave your A/C on before leaving for work in the morning during the summer months, expecting to come home to a cool paradise after a long days work. Instead, you might come back to a home that needs extensive repairs due to A/C water damages that happened while you were away, all because you didnt maintain it. Why not take precaution now to prevent things like that from happening, while saving hundreds of dollars in potential repairs in the process.
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What Is Homeowners Insurance
Homeowners insurance will compensate you if an event covered under your policy damages or destroys your home or personal items. It will also cover you in certain instances if you injure someone else or cause property damage. Homeowners insurance has three main functions:
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Repair your house, yard and other structures.
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Repair or replace your personal belongings.
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Cover personal liability if youre held legally responsible for damage or injury to someone else.
Squirrels Damage To Your Home
Squirrels enter your attic by eating openings from the exterior via eaves, soffits, rain gutters, trim, ridge caps etc. and have straight accessibility thru building spaces behind your gutter or various other powerlessness that enable them easy access into your residence or company. These holes as well as construction voids might also cause severe water damage to your building. Squirrels can additionally harm attic room insulation, boosting your cooling and heating expenses. Squirrels also pee and also defecate in the insulation triggering severe smells as well as potential health results to your family. A a lot more harmful scenario is when squirrels begin gnawing on exposed electric wires in your attic room. Squirrels are to blame for regarding 30,000 house fires each year! If you believe you have squirrels in your house, you may locate yourself initially asking, Will my insurance cover their elimination and also clean-up?
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Getting Additional Coverage For Your Lawn And Garden
If you have extensive and expensive landscaping you can actually purchase additional coverage or an endorsement, that will grant more protection to your plants, shrubs and trees. Typically each plant would get up to $1,000 in coverage rather than $500. You can likely increase that amount as well in some cases.
The endorsement would even extend coverage to any expensive gardening and landscaping tools and machinery you own. Endorsements usually cost around $50 to $100 extra per year, but it will depend on how much coverage you ask for. To get more information about the endorsement you should contact your homeowners insurance agent to hear more about your company’s policy.
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the authors opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
Are Greenhouses Covered By My Home Insurance
In addition to your home and surrounding greenery, structures like sheds, gazebos, and patios on your property are covered by homeowners insurance including greenhouses.
Your home insurance policy will help with costs of repairing damage to greenhouses and conservatories used for your own personal gardening, but youll need to take out a separate commercial policy if you want to insure your greenhouse used for business purposes.
Garden retaining walls and yard erosion usually arent covered in most policies.
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As Hurricane season comes upon us, there are many things to consider. One of your concerns may be whether or not your landscaping is covered under your home insurance policy.
Its no secret, designing an amazing landscape is not cheap. For most homes, its more than just a few shrubs and flowering plants. So if a hurricane damages your landscape, will your home insurance policy cover the cost of repairs?
Coverage of landscaping is something you should know about your home insurance policy before hurricane damage occurs. This is especially true if you plan on investing more into your landscape design.
What If I Dont Have Insurance
Well, its possible that your neighbors homeowners insurance would cover the incident if you didnt have your own policy, but you shouldnt bet on it. Really, you shouldnt ever be without homeowners or auto insurance, and certainly never missing both at the same time. So, hopefully you shouldnt even have to consider a situation like this.
If you were really upset about the incident and wanted to sue your neighbor, youd have to rely on your homeowners insurance again. Without liability coverage provided by a homeowners insurance policy, the out of pocket fees to hire a lawyer and go to court could be much too expensive.
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When Homeowners Insurance Doesnt Cover Theft
Generally, homeowners insurance is pretty reliable when it comes to theft. In most cases, the answer will be yes if you ask, Does home insurance cover theft? But there are certain instances in which your insurer could deny coverage, including:
- Negligence on your part: If you didnt lock your door or left your pricey golf clubs sitting on the front lawn, your insurer likely would say the theft was preventable and deny your claim.
- Failure to report the theft: When your home gets burglarized, your first call should be to the police. Most insurers will need a police report, and if you wait too long after the theft occurs to get it and submit your claim, they might cover the claim.
- Theft if youre not in residence: Your homeowners insurance policy only protects your stuff while youre living in the insured house. If you spend more than a couple of months somewhere else, your insurer can argue you need vacant and unoccupied home coverage to protect you. This is true even if your home is under construction.
Do I Need Separate Fire Insurance
Although standalone fire insurance is available for purchase as a separate insurance product, you probably donât need fire insurance for your primary home if it is already covered by standard homeowners insurance, since home insurance covers fire by default. Standalone fire coverage is usually more limited than the fire coverage already in a policy, but it could be worth buying if you live in a fire prone area, like certain parts of Texas, and fire is specicially excluded in your homeowners insurance policy.
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I Dont Have Mower Cover So What
You dont have to have insurance, but theres a real risk beyond the obvious risk of lawn equipment theft. Consider for a moment having to replace every small and large piece of garden equipment you own. I know I have collected lots of kit, Ive maintained them and upgraded them over the years, replacing them all at once would sting.
Lawn tractors are pretty expensive. Lots of people buy them on credit, finance companies will likely insist you have total loss cover. But the most important reason by far, for having insurance.. public liability. Imagine your mower causes serious injury to a person, animal, or property. Legal, medical, and repair bills could run into millions, certainly enough to bankrupt a homeowner.
How Can I Check My Sewer Pipes To See If They Are Okay
Different sewer specialists use different tests to check your sewer lines. The first method uses hydrostatic pressure tests, where the plumber inserts a ball into the sewer line to gauge how well your sewer line works.
A second test checks water flow and detects leaks. There is also a test in which a camera runs through a sewer line to see if there are problems. Whatever you do, don’t try to repair or replace a sewer pipe on your own. You can destroy your home and cause problems to nearby homes as well.
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Foundation Cracks And Sinkholes
Buildings usually develop cracks as they settle into the ground beneath them. If you have a sewage line problem, you’ll notice new cracks forming in your home’s foundation slab at an accelerated pace.
The liquid from a broken sewer line can wash away the soil beneath your home that supports the foundation. Sinkholes are another sign that you may have a problem with your sewage line. For instance, a sinkhole may develop on your lawn, if the mainline running under your foundation has a crack.
