Summer weather is as unpredictable as the day is long, are you fully insured for what the weather might bring?

With any season, there's bound to be some sort of adverse weather condition to appear, but it seems as though summertime is ripe for the most damaging types of weather. Hail, fires, tornadoes, and lightning, to name a few, are unwanted visitors this time of year and homeowners need to be aware of what they're actually covered for—and what they aren't.

Protecting Your Home

Homeowner's insurance protects against damages from events such as tornadoes, wind, lightning, hail, fires, and fallen trees, but there is a chance that you may not be fully insured should you lose everything. Your homeowner's insurance needs to be substantial enough to cover the reconstruction of your home, replace personal property, and reimburse you for any lodgings/hotel expenses needed after losing your home. 

The downside to homeowner's insurance is that it doesn't cover floods or sewage backup as a result of a flood. Even at elevation, flooding can still occur at any time—as many Colorado residents might recall from the devastating events that took place in September 2013. Adding on flood insurance to your policy can help provide an immense amount of relief in replacing carpeting, electronics, drapes, and other household items. According to FEMA, just an inch of water can inflict $25,000 worth of damage.

One Aurora resident recalls how her flooded basement became a frustrating and costly realization of the importance of flood insurance. 

"After our basement flooded in the September 2013 storm, I called our insurance agent. She said, 'You don't have flood insurance; that is separate coverage you should have purchased.' Before that, we'd never even heard of flood insurance. We don't live on a flood plain, so it had never been a concern before. I begged our agent to reconsider, and eventually she sent an adjuster out to assess the damage. FEMA came out, too. But in the end, our claim was denied, and we were left to deal with the damage out of pocket. We estimated that my husband had filled the ShopVac 20 times, sucking up over 100 gallons of water."

Insurance Tip

Take inventory and photograph all valuables, including electronics, jewelry, furniture, china, silverware, and other expensive items, just in case they need to be replaced after a storm or flood. Doing so can assist you in expediting the replacement process should these items become lost or damaged. 

For those who feel like their head is spinning when it comes to insuring a home, contact Howard Insurance today to see how they can help you get the most out of your insurance policies.