Home insurance surprises

Freeland Insurance serving Oklahoma City, OK  works hard to make sure that you have all your insurance needs.  But you need to make sure with your insurance agent that everything you need is covered.

Things your homeowner’s insurance might not cover

It’s always best to ask your insurance agent what you might need.

Sewer backup: If a sewer backs up into a home, it can do some serious damage to floors, walls, furniture and electrical systems — and it’s typically not covered by a standard policy.

Floods: Frankly, flood insurance is a different insurance.   Make sure, if this is an issue, that you include it in your policy.

Sinkholes: Most home insurance policies will not cover damage associated with ‘earth movement,’ such as an earthquake or sinkhole.

Mold: Depending on your insurance this may or may not be covered.  Sometimes, it’s pricey, but depending on where you live this is something you might want to add. With a leak or flooding, get rid of the water asap, so mold doesn’t grow.

Construction work damage: If you are renovating your home it probably isn’t covered by your policy, a rider might be added.   If you have a contractor, it would fall under their liability insurance.   Make sure they are covered.

Jewelry, antiques, and fine art: Most standard policies have limits for other expensive collectibles. The best way to protect these items is to get a separate insurance rider that specifies exactly what these items are.

Earthquakes: Earthquake damage is not included in standard policies.

Stolen/destroyed cash: It’s difficult to convince the insurance company that you had thousands of dollars stashed away in your home when it was destroyed. So keep it in a safe place or keep minimal cash on hand.