Protect your home through insurance
MetroCreative
Zeke Ruelas
This photo provided by Brian Patrick Flynn shows a four-poster bed in a master bedroom designed by the interior designer Flynn.
You enjoy your home and make an effort to maintain it by keeping it clean, taking care of improvements to the structures and paying attention to your yard and landscaping.
An important part of any home, however, is something you can鈥檛 see but everyone needs: insurance.
If you鈥檙e confused, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department offers guidance on its website (www.insurance.pa.gov) for anyone who wants to learn about different types of insurance. Resources can be found on the home page in the Consumer Corner.
Information on homeowners insurance is just a click away:
鈥淎 homeowner鈥檚 insurance policy will cover your family鈥檚 personal belongings, your home and the contents of your home, such as furniture, appliances, rugs, clothing, etc. Even if you don鈥檛 own a home, but rather rent an apartment, you can purchase renters insurance to cover your personal belongings,鈥� the website explains. 鈥淭hough not mandatory under Pennsylvania law, a mortgage lender may require you to purchase homeowners insurance as a condition of your mortgage agreement.鈥�
The website also contains information on how to take a home inventory:
鈥淢ake a list of possessions, including 鈥榗elebration鈥� purchases, such as jewelry and fine art.
鈥淭hink about family heirlooms, collections and furniture. Also consider items related to everyday leisure time, from flat-screen televisions to custom guitars.
鈥淭ake note of commonplace items, such as toys, CDs and clothing. And do not forget items you may only use occasionally, such as holiday decorations, sports equipment, tools and high-ticket items kept outside your home, such as landscape and swing sets.
鈥淎ttach copies of original sales receipts and/or appraisal documents to your inventory. Be sure to note model and serial numbers.
鈥淕roup your possessions into logical categories, i.e., by hobby, by room in your home.
鈥淐arefully photograph or videotape each item and document a brief description, including age, purchase price and estimated current value.
鈥淩emember to open drawers and closets to document what鈥檚 inside.
鈥淪tore your home inventory and related documents in a safe, easily accessible place, such as a secured site/file online, a fire-proof box or in a safe deposit box. You may want to share a copy with your insurance provider so he or she can make necessary updates to your coverage.
鈥淩eview and update your inventory annually and whenever you make a significant purchase.鈥�
The insurance department notes you can print out a simple home inventory checklist by visiting www.insureuonline.org. This is part of Insure U, Get Smart About Insurance, a public education program provided by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) to assist consumers with information about insurance issues.
鈥淚nsure U is designed to help insurance consumers as their lives and needs change, and to educate them about how to avoid being scammed. The program also reminds consumers of the tools and resources provided them by state insurance regulators,鈥� according to its website.
Insure U also explains a homeowner鈥檚 responsibility: 鈥淎 homeowners policy isn鈥檛 a maintenance contract; it insures against things such as fire, wind, and hail. It doesn鈥檛 pay to repair items that simply wear out, like rotted porch railings. You鈥檙e responsible for the upkeep of your home such as repairing your roof when it begins to leak or cleaning your chimney flue so it doesn鈥檛 catch fire.鈥�
Insure U also has advice on how to make a claim:
鈥淐all the insurance company and speak to the claims person (adjuster). The adjuster will probably want to meet with you at your house to inspect the damage. Jot down notes and keep track of the dates of any conversations you have with your agent or adjuster.
鈥淵ou are required to protect your home from further damage. For example, you may need to board up your home or use tarps if there was damage to the building, or clean up water from a backed-up drain.
鈥淒on鈥檛 feel rushed or pushed to agree with something you aren鈥檛 comfortable with. It might help to have your contractor meet with you and the insurance adjuster.
鈥淵ou must document your loss; receipts and pictures will help.
鈥淚f you and the insurer disagree about the value of the claim, check your policy for an appraisal clause.
鈥淚f you have trouble with or questions about claims, contact your state insurance department for help.鈥�
The Pennsylvania Insurance Department also has advice regarding disaster recovery, including flood insurance and crop insurance.
More information can be found on these websites or by contacting a local insurance agent.