Disasters May Not Be Covered By Your Homeowners' Insurance
It seems prophetic that the movie Evan Almighty opened in theaters this summer. This appears to be the year of the flood. Right now portions of the Midwest would make great location shots for Steve Carell's new movie. This week's severe storms seem to be one in a string of flood-makers that have deluged the nation, including Maryland. And hurricane season is just beginning!
Before disaster strikes, you should inspect your homeowners' insurance policy. After a flood or other disaster, many homeowners are shocked to find out they are not covered. Many homeowners assume that everything is covered by their homeowners' policy when, in fact, quite a number of disastrous events are not covered by standard policies. Often an additional rider or specialized insurance must be purchased. This is true of flood insurance which is available only from FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program, not your local home insurer.
"No policy covers everything," said Joel Brown, a State Auto vice president. Exclusions fall into three categories:
- Catastrophic events that are too big and expensive to insure, such as flood; nuclear, biological or chemical contamination; war or riots.
- Items that should be insured under a more suitable policy, like cars or businesses.
- Custom insurance that not everyone needs but that can be covered by purchasing a rider, such as sewer and drain backup, computer replacement, home-based businesses, antiques or jewelry.
It can be tough on your wallet if you take your insurance policy for granted. In the case of a flood or earthquake, you could "find out after the fact that your entire home has been damaged and you aren't covered," warned Peter McMurtrie, chief claims officer for Grange Insurance.
Your best policy? Review your insurance policies annually and don't forget to scan the fine print. Give your insurance agent a call if there's anything you don't understand.
Labels: insurance, waterfront



