10 Surprising Things that is Covered by Your Homeowners Insurance

To protect your house and assets, it is smart to have homeowners insurance. Because different insurance policies offer varied coverage limits, you need to know the full scope of what your policy covers. Typically, homeowners insurance will protect you from fires, lightning strikes, vandalism and tree falls. However, there are several surprising things covered by homeowners insurance.
Take a look at 10 things you might not know your homeowners insurance covers.
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1)    Patios, Gazebos, and Sheds
Many insurance companies usually cover the entire property and the structures within it. If you have structures in your property like patios, storage sheds, gazebos, and the likes, you may want to give your insurance company a heads up to properly document it for your coverage.

2) Gravestones
Most of the policies consider tombstones as personal property, thus it is covered under most homeowner’s policies. However, you need to make sure about the source of gravestone damage before making an insurance claim because some can be covered by the cemetery’s perpetual care fund.

3) Terrorist Attacks and Riots
Your homeowners insurance usually covers damages caused by terrorist attacks (such as fire, explosions and vandalism) in your home and personal property in the event of civil unrest or civil commotion. are usually covered. When a State of Emergency is declared in your area because of the riots, it can help your case when filing for a claim. However, you can get a police report to document the event and damage if a State of Emergency is not declared.

4) Volcanic Eruptions
In the event that your house gets torched by lava because it in the path of an erupting volcano, it is usually covered by homeowners insurance. However, ground movement or earthquake damage is not part of most standard policies.

5)    Identity Theft
Luckily, many policies will help out with expenses of fixing your credit reports and restoring your identity when your identity is stolen. This includes phone bills, lost wages, lawyer fees and fees charged for reapplying for loans But, this coverage may not be included in your basic policy and may be available as a low-cost add-on.

6) Flooding (In Some Specific Cases)
In most cases, homeowners policies do not cover flood damage. A separate insurance policy is needed to cover damage caused by flooding, torrential rainfall or an overflowing creek bed. Nevertheless, some policies cover water damage caused by things like a busted water heater, broken pipes or a faulty sump pump.

7) Spoiled Food
When a power outage during a big storm causes your freezer to thaw and your food to spoil, most policies will cover spoiled groceries up to $500. Make sure that you take photos of the food.

8. Anything You Travel With
Many homeowners policies have “off-premises” provision that cover your belongings wherever they go. For instance, if your laptop or luggage is stolen while you’re out travelling, you’re usually covered. It is smart to get an additional rider to ensure valuables like your engagement ring or your triathlon bike so you have enough coverage.

9) Dog Bites
Most policies provide $100,000 to $300,000 of liability coverage and some medical coverage when your dog bites someone and cause injury. However, additional insurance may be needed to cover serious damage caused by your pets, and certain breeds may have limited coverage or no coverage at all.

10) Mandatory Home Upgrades
When a new ordinance from our local government forces you to make some costly property improvements, the cost of that improvement is often covered by your homeowners insurance. There may be limits to this coverage so you may need to look for ordinance coverage in your policy and see if this coverage is included in your basic plan or available as a low-cost endorsement.


Jim Horne Insurance Agency, Inc. is in the industry to assist you with your insurance needs. Talk to us today by calling (334) 244-0600 or visit our office today. You may get a free quote from us by clicking here.