Hurricane Insurance - limiting the damage caused by inclement weather
Many home owners believe that hurricane damage is included in their insurance policy, and, unfortunately, this is not usually the case. It's worth checking your policy to double check exactly what is covered; sometimes, even if hurricane damage is, flood damage won't be, and sometimes it can be difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins. Some hurricane insurance policies will also cover debris removal, fire or vandalism resulting from a hurricane, repairs, and cash or replacement value of damaged property. If your home is damaged to the extent that it is completely unlivable, and you are forced to stay in a hotel, additional living expenses may also be provided.
Hurricane damaged will be assessed by an insurance adjuster, who will be specially trained to tell the difference between hurricane and flood damage. Qualifications can differ between insurance adjusters, though, and if you think a mistake has been made, it may be worth asking for an independent assessment.
If you do need to file a claim against your hurricane insurance, the first thing you should do is take photographs or videos of all the damage done. You should also have photographs and videos of your home as it was before the disaster in an easily accessible place; don't store them on a computer, as this could be damaged. Call your insurance company immediately to inform them of the amount and severity of the damage. To this end, you should keep the contact details of your insurance company and insurance agent in a safe place, somewhere to which you will have instant access to in the case of a storm.
Another risk you may wish to consider is that of earthquakes. Earthquake insurance can be expensive and difficult to purchase, for the simple reason that an earthquake will usually damage a large number of homes, something that can quickly wipe out an insurance company's entire resources. This became a huge problem in California, and since insurers who offer home insurance are forced to offer earthquake insurance as well, this almost meant that no insurance was offered in that area after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. A change in this legislature means that earthquake insurance is currently offered in California, although only structural damage is covered.
In 2005 the laws governing Florida hurricane insurance were changed, to offer more comprehensive cover. A number of changes were made to the legislation, including a requirement to fill in a checklist detailing the exact cover offered, and a requirement for the insurer to pay the cost of repairs upfront rather than paying only the lower cash value for repairs. The amount insurers were required to pay for a home which needed to be rebuilt to more expensive updated building codes was also raised by 50%, and more funding was provided to pay for more staff to review rate decisions from Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation. A public hearing is now required for any rate hikes which would exceed 15%, and insurance companies are now required to explain precisely how a hurricane deductible could cost the policy holder, and disclose all discounts which may be available.
Hurricane travel insurance is also available as travel insurance policies which include inclement weather clauses. These basic policies allow travelers to file a claim if flights are cancelled when traveling to or from areas affected by hurricanes or other inclement weather, if they choose to leave early or cancel their trip because of inclement weather, or if they are evacuated from a certain area due to hurricanes or inclement weather. Unfortunately, if insurance was purchased after a hurricane was already named; it will not be covered under your travel insurance policy.
Home Contents Insurance - Everything you've ever need to know about HOIs.
Since 1971, home content insurance policies have been standardized according to the Insurance Services Office, located in New Jersey, and home content insurance policies now come in seven different types, known as HO-1 through to HO-8, with HO-7 missing.
A basic HO-1 a insurance policy to cover your home and house contents will cover only the items specified within the policy, and may be useful if you have many valuable items within your home which would be difficult or expensive to replace. However, most people prefer to go for a more comprehensive insurance policy.
A HO-2 home insurance policy is, like the HO-1, limited. A HO-2 home insurance policy will only cover specific portions of your home against damage. Usually, the exact events that are covered are listed within the policy as 'named perils'.
The most common home insurance policy is the HO-3, which is designed to cover the structure and contents of the home as well as protect any visitors or encounter accident or injury on the premises, or any liability that may arise from daily use. This kind of home insurance policy is also known as an 'open perils' or 'all risk' policy, and the exact aspects of the home which are covered by the homeowners insurance policy as well as the exact limits of liability will be clearly spelled out within the insurance policy.
The HO-4 insurance policy might also be known as renters insurance or renters coverage, and usually apply to those who rent apartments. The HO-4 policy will usually specifically cover those aspects and contents of the apartment rented that are not specifically covered in the policy written for the building as awhile, and may also cover liabilities which arise from intentional injuries or accidents suffered by guests or passers-by within a certain distance of the apartment covered by the insurance policy.
The HO-5 policy is similar to the HO-3, and covers a home, homeowner, and their possessions, as well as any liability which might arise from passers-by or visitors. The main difference between a Ho-5 and a HO-3 insurance policy is in that the HO-5 policy only applies to a home, rather than an apartment, and offers wide coverage over incidents and losses.
Also known as 'condominium coverage', the HO-6 policy, designed specifically for the owners of condos, and includes coverage for the specific part of the building and the property within it owned by the holder of the insurance policy. The HO6 is a supplementary insurance policy, and has evolved to fill the gap between a blanket policy written for an entire neighborhood and the specific items owned by the holder of the insurance policy. A HO-6 insurance policy will usually cover residents and guest of the insured and, depending upon the individual policy, can cover incidents up to 150 meters from the insured property, as well as protect valuables against such events as theft, fire or water damage. The amount of coverage needed varies depending upon circumstances, so you should always check this before purchasing a HO-6 policy.
Finally, a HO-8 policy sometimes known as an "older homes" policy allows home owners to protect their home and items with a higher market cost at the lower market value rate of a normal insurance policy.
When choosing home contents insurance policies, it's important to shop around and compare prices in order to get the home contents insurance that's right for you, and offers the cheapest deal for your specific needs. Whether in the UK or Texas, choosing the right home care and home health insurance cover, and getting the best home and contents insurance for your needs isn't something that should be rushed.
Home Security Systems - The benefits of choosing an effective home security system
Installing a decent home security system can lower your insurance premiums regarding theft and damage to your belongings. A saving on your home contents insurance can add up over the years, and making your home less of a target is something that may help you feel more secure than any amount of insurance can.
The first step in creating a home security system is to make sure your doors and windows are secure. A solid door is something very simple that can make your home far more secure. Having strong locks on the door and windows will deter thieves; remember that thieves want to get in and out as quickly as possible. If a thief sees that they will have to wrestle with a number of obstacles and risks, they will choose someone else's home to steal from.
A strong burglar alarm system is something else that will help defend your home. Just the sight of it will deter most thieves, while its presence will allow the police to be alerted as quickly as possible, and minimize the amount of items that are taken and the damage down.
Creating a home security camera system is something else that may help. Having a home security camera system in place will allow you to remotely monitor your home from work or another location, and will also allow you to provide the police with images of the culprits in the unfortunate event that your home is vandalized or broken into. With luck, this will enable your own property to be recovered, rather than replaced by your insurance company, making you and your home a lower insurance risk. A wide variety of different kinds of cameras are available. For instance, infra-red cameras which are able to see in the dark may be something you wish to consider. Although these cameras only display images in a simple monochrome, they may be invaluable in the event of a break in. Some home security cameras can be set with motion sensors, so they only begin filming when they sense movement in the immediate area. This is something many people find helpful, as it can prevent hours of empty footage.
Before buying and installing security cameras, you should make a plan of your home, which shows exactly how you want your home security camera system to work. It's best to make sure that your security cameras are so arranged that they show the best possible view of your home. Different lens attachments and types of security camera will display different kinds of views, and the difference between a wide angle view and smaller, more detailed cover should be something that you consider. Imagine the route someone would take through your home and base your home video security system around that. You can research different kinds of cameras online, to make sure that you choose the right one for every single inch of your home.
You can connect your home video security system and your alarm system together. Some security companies even allow audio and video monitoring cover, allowing them to see what your cameras see when your alarm is triggered.
Another aspect of home security also includes fire alarms. If the local fire station can be alerted quickly in the case of a fire, then damage to your home and belongings will be minimized. Since this will lower the amount your insurance company will need to pay out in the event of an emergency, it will also lower your insurance premiums. Fireproofing your home in others way can also effect the cost of your fire or home contents insurance, and this might also be something you wish to consider.
