Swiftrate Insurance

Its difficult to consider how much personal property we actually have in our household.  When determining what your replacement cost on personal contents should be in your homeowners policy you must compile a list.  We suggest starting with your largest personal items like Appliances, Collectables and Furniture then move down to clothing etc.  It is also a good idea to use your smartphone; go around your home and shoot a video of your belongings.  This can be much more valuable after a loss that you might think.  A fire could damage most of your personal property in one event, having a record will make the claim process go more smoothly.

Many homeowners assume all their belongings will be covered but you must in fact have the proper limit and see that you carry necessary insurance options like “Replacement Cost of Personal Property” rider so your personal contents are not depreciated at the time of a claim.  Don’t wait for a loss to occur before you find out you didn’t carry enough coverage.

Homeowners Insurance policies cover you for potential loss resulting from risks such as vandalism or theft, wind hail, fire and also your personal liability.  Some natural disasters such as earthquake and flood are not covered under homeowners policies, you must purchased separate specialized policies for these risks.

While your home policy will not cover acts of violence or intentional damage the home liability coverage will cover you if someone is injured on your premises and you are found negligent.  Other typical liability situations would include dog bites or injuries caused to visitors of your home like an icy sidewalk.

If someone files a liability claim against you, your homeowners insurance can pay for property repairs, medical or funeral costs or even a lawsuit if the injured party chooses to launch a legal process under liability coverage.  Allow an independent agent to assess your possible risk and deductible option in order to make sure you have adequate coverage.  You may find you have been under insured for years or that by increasing your deductible you could have been saving money.  Often times liability is least expensive homeowners insurance coverage option.

Now that you know the many ins and outs of homeowners insurance coverages, you can see why it is so important to work with an insurance agent who can answer all of your questions.  A local indie-agent can compare policies and insurance options for you from several insurance companies, and arm you with all of the information you need to make an informed decision.  When it comes time to file a claim after a loss, your independent agent will assist you with the claims process so you can recover as quickly as possible.