Does Your Homeowners Insurance Really Cover Your Home?

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — If disaster hits will you be ready? or better yet, are you covered? You may think so…because you have homeowner’s insurance….but think again. “Basic insurance here and inland is going to cover, hail and wind from thunderstorms, fire, and any sort of liability you may have if someone is injured on your property,” says Russ Dubisky, Executive Director of the South Carolina Insurance News Service. That does not cover things inside the home, you have to include that in your policy. You can do so by including content coverage for your personal belongings inside the home, not just the walls. Also, insurance companies recommend you have a replacement cost listed to each item. Otherwise your insurance company will consider the depreciating value on the item, meaning you may not get top dollar. When looking at insurance for your home, one of the first things experts recommend is a home inventory. You can download a checklist online at https://www.insureuonline.org/home, or if you have an i-phone, there’s an app for it, just search for: myHOMEScr.APP.book There you can easily take pictures, add descriptions and even put bar cards and serial numbers on your belongings. And if a tree falls on your home, your homeowner’s insurance *will* cover that, but you have to pay your deductible. However, “if a there is no damage to the property, then the consumer or the property owner would have to cover the tree removal service,” says Dubisky. Finally, in the event of a flood, you need separate insurance for that. So, here’s the bottom line, know your insurance. “Make sure that you have regular insurance up to date conversations with your agent and insurance provider to make sure you are covered,” says Dubisky.