TABLE OF CONTENTS: What is Life Insurance? Why Life Insurance Matters in Your 20s-40s Locking in Lower Rates Protecting Your Loved Ones Covering Final Expenses Tax-Free Payouts The Cost of Life Insura...
When you buy a home, your lender requires that you secure a homeowners insurance policy, and you’re likely aware of how important it is to protect your home and your possessions from potential damage. Things like a bathroom flooding or home burglaries, unfortunately, happen every day so it’s necessary to protect yourself. However, did you know your policy may also protect you and your home and belongings from things that you thought only happen in the movies? Here are five things that your homeowners policy may protect you from—in the event that you ever find yourself in a bizarre situation and need some assistance from your insurance provider.
1. It fell from the sky!
Meteors, old satellite parts, a crashed UFO, or any other debris falling from the sky might be covered under your homeowners insurance policy. Most standard homeowners insurance policies cover ‘space debris’ so in the (somewhat) unlikely event that you’re visited by an extra-terrestrial visitor with poor landing skills, or even a falling meteor damages your home, you should be covered.
2. Wild animals destroyed it!
If you live near a ranch, or in an area where there’s wildlife nearby, your homeowners insurance might just cover you in the rare instance that your property is damaged by a stampede of animals that don’t belong to you. Yep, that’s right. If your neighbor has hungry cows that get loose and wreak havoc on your land or a hungry bear breaks in your kitchen while you’re on holiday vacation (yes, this happens), you should be able to rest easy that your home and belongings are covered under your insurance policy.
3. My dog bit someone!
Even the friendliest Fido can act out of character in certain situations. Sometimes rowdy kids can startle a pet and cause them to act out and bite. Or, maybe a stranger stepped onto your property and your family dog acted out of fear and bit their leg. It’s unfortunate, but it happens. Most standard polices will cover liability and some will provide coverage to pay for doctors’ bills if the injury requires medical attention. Keep in mind, if a lawsuit takes place your standard policy may not be enough. However, you can always add on extra if you’re worried about not having enough liability coverage.
Related Reading: Umbrella Liability Insurance: Coverage You Can't Afford to Live Without
4. It was Mother Nature!
Most of us don’t have volcanoes in our backyard, so this is a somewhat strange one. However, it’s likely that your policy provides “open perils” coverage which will cover you in the case of volcanic action. In this instance, your property is likely just protected from the damage that is caused by volcanic ash or lava. There are other options that you can add onto your policy, such as earthquake coverage
5. My food spoiled!
Another somewhat strange coverage that your homeowners insurance will likely cover is if the food in your refrigerator or freezer is spoiled due to a power outage. If you had a dozen expensive steaks or some lobster tails sitting in your freezer and a major power outage leaves you with no electricity for days, you’re going to have to throw away that food! Many policies will cover around or up to $500 to replace those items.
Homeowners insurance is not an option if you're financing your home, and it's important to familiarize yourself with the ends and outs of your policy. While you may never (hopefully) experience a burglary or natural disaster that requires you to file a claim, you never know when something strange may happen! You can never predict accidents but securing a reliable homeowners insurance policy will give you the peace of mind you need when the unknown happens.
To get a quote for a homeowners insurance policy that fits your needs, and your budget, contact us today!
Related Categories
InsuranceTyreo Harrison
As Executive Vice President, Lending & Insurance Solutions, Ty Harrison leads teams of lending and insurance professionals that are dedicated to delivering value-added programs, services and technology tailored to address the needs of lenders, loan servicers, portfolio managers, mortgage brokers, insurance agents and insurance brokers.
Let Us Know What You Thought about this Post.
Put your Comment Below.