Anyone that has a home, should have homeowners insurance, and we tend to assume that our insurance will protect us from any incidents that occur. Unfortunately, there are things that homeowners insurance just doesn’t cover. We’ve all heard about, and maybe experienced first hand, situations where damage occurs and insurance won’t cover. It’s important to be informed about your insurance policy so that you don’t have to discover these things when you go to file a claim. Assuming that you already know about the big two, flooding and earth movement, we’ve compiled a short list of 5 other things that your homeowner’s insurance probably doesn’t cover.
Mold
Mold is a fairly common issue in the typical household. There are about 1,000 different species of mold, and though most of them are relatively harmless, if they go untreated they can contribute to allergy-like symptoms and sometimes even difficulty breathing.
While your policy will probably help you out with mold issues that result from a covered peril, such as a burst pipe, for the most part, mold is not covered in your standard homeowners insurance. A good rule of thumb to prevent mold from growing in your home is by ridding it of moisture.
If your basement floods or you have other water damage, it should be your top priority to make sure you get all of the water out as soon as possible. Most small scale mold issues can be taken care of relatively easily, but if it gets out of hand, more than 10 square feet, it’s best to call a professional.
Sewer Backup
Something often pushed to the back of our minds is our sewage. We try not to think about it, and you can’t see it, so the only time you’ll think about it is when something does go wrong. But if trouble does present itself, your standard homeowner’s insurance won’t cover it.
While the reasons for a sewer backup are various and unpredictable, the effects are unanimously devastating. It can cause water damage to your basement, walls, and floors, and the repair fees can be astronomical. Luckily, most insurance policies offer optional sewer backup coverage starting around $50 a year. A small price compared to the potential damages.
Termites
According to the National Pest Management Association, termites are responsible for an average of 5 billion dollars of property damage per year. Most of these damages are not covered by standard homeowners insurance policies, as insurance companies don’t consider termites a sudden or unexpected incident.
Termites tend to take over slowly, and once you notice them, it’s likely major damage has already been done to your house. The best way to avoid these pesky bugs, and the destruction they’re responsible for, is to have a pest inspection done before you move into your home, and then to keep up on regular pest inspections and prevention methods.
Nuclear Plant Accidents
There are four nuclear power plants in Michigan alone, understanding how a nuclear plant accident could affect you, your family, and your home is important. Nuclear plant accidents are another incident that homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover, if say, you have to evacuate your home, or it becomes unfit to live in because of the accident at the plant.
While there is a federal law (the Price-Anderson Act) that dictates that families affected by nuclear incidents will be reimbursed for living expenses, your insurance policy itself won’t cover anything in regards to your home.
Damage or Injury Due to Construction
If you’re planning a remodel, and you’d like to do it yourself, consider taking out a “course of construction” policy. Most standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover any damages that happen while your home is under construction. Say you’re halfway through a project and your remodel sustains heavy wind damage: since your house is under construction, your insurance won’t cover those damages. So, make sure you’re protected for that one, and be sure to hire a licensed contractor with an insurance certificate.
Insurance policies can be confusing and frustrating. Sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what’s covered and what’s not. Save yourself the worry and talk to one of our knowledgeable insurance agents today at 616-949-9000, or visit our website for a free, no obligation, insurance quote!
