4 things your homeowners insurance won’t cover

4 things your homeowners insurance won’t cover

Homeowners insurance is designed to cover damage caused by disasters, such as wind, hail, fire, lightning, and cold weather that freezes plumbing or other major household systems. It also protects you from theft and vandalism, civil commotions or riots, and falling objects, as well as from liability for others who are injured on your property.

Here are 4 big things that a standard homeowners insurance policy won’t cover:

1.  Floods:  A Bankrate survey found that 81% of homeowners did not know their home was not protected from a flood by a regular homeowner insurance policy.

2.  Sewer backups:  If your sewer backs up, it can do some serious damage to your floors and furniture, and even walls and electrical systems. Only extra insurance will typically cover this incident.

3.  Jewelry/Fine Art:  The value of your diamond engagement ring or your family’s fine art heirloom may exceed a maximum limit found in most standard policies. You can add an insurance rider that specifically covers these items.

4.  Trampoline accidents:  The risk is great: More than 80,000 trampoline accidents are reported annually, and neck and head injuries account for 10-17% of all injuries. You’ll most likely need a separate rider, but beware that some insurance firms will refuse to insure a home if there’s a trampoline on the premises. It’s best to talk to your insurance provider first.

Be sure to contact your insurance company or agent to make sure you understand what is covered and what is not, as well as your options for additional protection.