Friday, January 9, 2009

Home Owners' Insurance

The purpose of homeowners' insurance is to protect you against damage to your home and property from natural disasters.

Insurance companies offer different ratings of insurance and assign these ratings with codes starting with the letters "HO". While these ratings are fairly standard, they do vary a little with companies, so check with the company to see what policies cover.

When comparing policies, consider differences among deductible, coverage of property other than the house (sheds, garages, etc.), and percent of loss covered. Consider also whether the policy covers resale cost or rebuilding cost. Rebuilding usually provides better coverage, but is more expensive.

Basic homeowner's insurance does not cover the contents, though you can often add it for an additional fee or buy it separately. When buying contents insurance, consider whether it covers replacement value or fair market value. Replacement value is a better buy because it pays to buy a new piece of furniture or appliance, not what your old one is worth.

Consider also buying liability insurance which covers you if someone sustains an injury or other loss on your property.

Renters and condominium owners need only contents and possibly liability insurance. Many companies have policies tailored to these purposes.

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