Even though insurance is well-known for being a confusing topic, homeowner’s insurance, in particular, can be quite tricky to figure out. There are many scenarios in which your home can get damaged and not be covered by your insurance. On top of that, coverage can vary from state to state, making it even more challenging to know what’s covered.
That’s why we’ve taken the time today to go over some of the most common homeowner’s insurance claims we see in California. That way, you’ll have a better idea of what to expect when it comes to your home.
Common Claims That Are Covered
First, we’ll review claims that insurance companies almost always cover. While some of them may vary here and there, most of these are completely covered in the state of California.
Water Damage
One of the most common insurance claims made by California homeowners is those from water damage. Many of these originate from interior plumbing leaks, but the source of the damage can vary. Depending on the severity and how long it went unnoticed, the damage can be quite severe. In some cases, it could result in the destruction of a home.
Luckily, you should always have coverage for this kind of damage. However, to avoid the hassle of needing to make a claim, there’s a lot you can do to ward this problem off. Regularly checking sinks, showers, washing machines, and anything else that uses water is an excellent place to start. There are even devices that can check these for you and shut off the main water line if they detect a problem.
Wind and Hail Damage
After water, wind and hail are the next most common types of home damage. Thunderstorms can be pretty intense throughout many parts of California, which means your house is likely to take a beating. Fortunately, whether a tree collapses on your roof or hail breaks a few windows, you can rest easy knowing you’re covered.
In many cases, this even extends to fences and other buildings like sheds and detached garages. However, this doesn’t include vehicles on your property. That means if you own a truck that doesn’t fit inside your tiny LA garage, you’ll need to find truck insurance in Los Angeles, CA, that covers wind and hail damage.
Break-Ins and Theft
Speaking of LA, we should talk about coverage as it pertains to break-ins and theft, another common claim in this state. Though this issue isn’t as bad as many outsiders make it out to be, it’s still something you’ll want to ensure you have protection for.
Even if you have the best security equipment on the market, some people still might try breaking into your home. In some cases, they might even get away with a few things. In either case, insurance will cover you for the items that were either broken or lost, so you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
Fire Damage
Something else that many California homeowners file claims for is fire damage. In many cases, this will be from an accidental mishap that causes a fire to break out. However, many Californian insurance companies also cover fires that start from natural sources.
Most notably, these companies cover people who’ve lost their homes to wildfires. This is a common problem in many parts of this state, so knowing that you’ll be safe from one of the worst natural disasters in this area can be quite reassuring.
Still, knowing that you’re not powerless in the fight against forest fires is essential. You can trim your trees and shrubs, remove dead plants from your yard, and properly maintain your siding to make it harder for the flames to reach your home.
Liability Cases
One type of claim that not everyone knows about regarding their homeowner’s insurance is liability claims. Whether it’s a case dealing with the destruction of property or bodily injury, your insurance will cover it.
A good example of property damage is if your neighbor accidentally runs through your fence. Your insurance will cover things like that. As for bodily harm, if someone comes over to visit and slips and falls, your homeowner’s insurance will cover that too. Liability cases can be a pain to deal with, but knowing you’re covered will help make things easier.
Common Claims That Aren’t Typically Covered
Unfortunately, not all common claims get made for things that standard insurance will cover. It’s reassuring to know of extended options that will cover these things, but you’ll need to know about them in advance, which is why we’re also going over them in this guide.
Natural Disaster Damage
After wildfires, the other type of natural disaster California is most known for is earthquakes. However, most insurance companies don’t cover these under their standard policies. To protect your home from this kind of damage, you need to purchase specific earthquake policies.
You can sometimes combine this coverage with others in a natural disaster package. These typically also cover floods and landslides, two other disasters that can occasionally happen in this state. Generally, it’s best to make sure your home is covered from all these threats.
Theft of Expensive Items
Even though standard coverage protects your home from theft, this doesn’t apply equally to everything. More expensive items like art pieces, furs, and jewelry will have limited coverage. That means that in order to protect your most valuable items, you might need to purchase a special insurance policy.
Fortunately, this isn’t something every homeowner will need to buy. A standard policy will cover many items. It’s only the piece of extreme value that won’t be. Either way, it never hurts to check to make sure your most valued items are protected.
How To Make Sure You’re Covered
Even though we’ve gone over the most common insurance claims and told you whether or not they’re covered, there are still plenty more possibilities we didn’t get to. As a homeowner, it’s your job to ensure your property is fully protected from the dangers of this world. The best way to make sure you’re covered is to talk directly with your homeowner’s insurance provider.
If you find out you’re not as protected as you’d like to be, it might be time to find a new insurance company. Fortunately, you’re already in the right place. Even though we specialize in car insurance, we also provide outstanding homeowner’s insurance in the Los Angeles area. Take the time to look through what we can offer you. We’re sure you won’t be disappointed.