Time for a Home Insurance Checkup

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Winter can pose a threat to your home if there's too much snow on your roof or if ice dams form. Spring, on the other hand brings a whole new set of threats like hail, wind, tornadoes and flooding. Think you're covered for all of these situations? Don't wait until the damage has been done to find out. Check with your agent now.

What to Ask
Before you meet with your agent, make a list of any scenarios you think might result in a claim. For instance, if a tornado or a fire destroys your house, how much money will your policy pay after your deductible? With construction costs always going up, will that be enough to rebuild? Will it be enough to remove debris so you can start rebuilding? And if you intend to buy a different house, will your coverage be enough to buy a comparable house in today's market? To make sure you have adequate coverage in these situations, be sure you ask about replacement cost. You'll be glad you have it if a disaster strikes.

What's Covered? What's Not?
When you meet with your agent to review your coverage, ask about what's covered and what's not. Here's a short list of situations you may think you have coverage for, but actually might not:

• Flooding
• Sewer Backups
• Sinkholes or Earthquakes
• Rodents
• Mold

Be sure to ask your agent what exclusions apply to every situation. In many cases, separate coverage is available for what your homeowners policy doesn't cover.

Other Reasons for a Home Insurance Checkup
In the past year, have you added on to or remodeled your house? Installed a pool? Finished your basement? All of these things should be discussed with your agent to be sure you have coverage if a disaster occurs. What if there's a fire in your newly finished basement? If your homeowners policy shows that your basement is unfinished, you may not be covered.

When you talk with your agent, be sure to ask about discounts that may be available to you. We have a variety of ways you can save.

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