Many people don't know about the wide range of items that homeowners insurance can cover outside of structure damage and liability. Often, you may not realize you're covered for these things unless you ask your agent or you do some research. You may never need to use some of that coverage, but it is good to know you have it just in case. Here are three things that may be included in your homeowner's insurance, without extra charge, that you may not know about. Be aware that these items may vary between policies and the state the policy was issued in.
Spoiled food:
Your insurance may cover spoiled food if it is caused by an already covered loss. That is, if a fire or other type of damage knocks out power to your home, then any resulting spoilage may be covered. You insurance may not cover for spoilage if you did something that caused the power outage such as overloading circuits or accidentally damaging the wiring in your home. There is also a limit to how much the insurance company will pay for spoiled food.
Riots and terrorist attacks:
Most homeowners insurance will cover your home for damage done during riots. This includes damage from fire, vandalism, looting, smoke and explosions. Your insurance may also cover damage done as a result of a terrorist attack, though this is likely to be carefully deliberated or disputed. Some insurers may consider acts of terrorism to be acts of war which probably wouldn't be covered.
Volcanoes:
This coverage may be part of your policy even if you don't live in an area where volcanoes are known to exist. Your home would be covered by any damage done directly or indirectly as a result of an exploding volcano including damage from ash and shock waves. Generally, the coverage is limited to damage done immediately after the volcanic explosion and may not cover cumulative damage from ash or debris. Coverage may also extend to your vehicle. However, other natural disasters, such as earthquakes and floods, would not be covered even if they were directly caused by a volcanic explosion. They may be covered if you purchase separate insurance for those items.
Homeowners insurance is a great tool if your home is damaged due to circumstances beyond your control. There are a wide range of provisions in each policy that you may not know about until you need them. If you want to know more about these lesser-known covered items, talk to your insurance agent, like those at Olympic Northwest Insurance, for more details.
Share18 April 2016
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