Buying a home in California comes with risks, but you can protect yourself with the right insurance plan. If you’re wondering, “What do California homeowners’ insurance policies cover?” you should learn more about them. Furthermore, you should figure out what you can afford before deciding to move. Finding homeowners’ insurance in Southern California that provides what you need is challenging. Use these tips to figure out what coverage is suitable for you.

What Is Homeowners’ Insurance?

A range of incidents can take place at your home. You should insure your property to protect yourself financially if an accident happens. Homeowners’ insurance covers natural and human-caused disasters, including:

• Theft
• Vandalism
• Fires
• Wind
• Hail
• Tornados
• Earthquakes
• Floods

Homeowners’ insurance describes a range of coverage types. As a California resident, you’ll need a plan that covers specific disasters that can occur in your area. Not all plans cover earthquakes and floods unless you pay extra. Moreover, the amount of coverage you purchase may depend on the quality of your home and what you keep inside.

Personal General Liability

Personal liability protection covers you if someone who doesn’t live with you comes to harm on your property. It also offers financial protection if someone sues for damage to their property that happens at your home. For instance, someone may trip over lawn equipment, or your pet might scratch their car. Personal general liability insurance can help cover their medical bills and legal fees.

Dwelling Protection

The most obvious type of homeowners’ insurance you’ll get is dwelling coverage, which protects your physical house. If a human-caused or natural disaster strikes your home, this coverage insures you financially. The amount of protection you’ll receive after an accident depends on how much you invest in your plan.

Other Structures

You may need to insure additional structures around your property as well. Since dwelling insurance only covers your house, you must purchase additional coverage for anything else you want to protect. Look around your yard for structures that might not fall under your typical insurance plan and talk to an agent about what’s worth covering. Common add-ons that people insure include:

• Barns
• Garages
• Sheds
• Carports
• Greenhouses
• Fences
• Pools

Personal Property

Separate coverage is necessary to insure items inside your home. Regardless of what happens to them, personal property insurance will finance your losses. Whether you’re a victim of theft or natural disasters, you can recover your losses with the right policy.

Additional Living Expenses

Also known as Loss of Use insurance, this coverage helps pay for hotel fees and other expenses you may incur if you can’t live in your home while it’s undergoing repairs. Excessive damage from fires or flooding may hinder you from living in it for some time. If you must relocate for a short period, this insurance will help you.

Optional Coverage

Basic homeowners’ insurance might not suffice for your needs if you live in California. Since not everyone experiences the same disasters, most insurance providers only cover the essentials. Further, if you want specific items covered, you must acquire extended protection.

Flood and Earthquake Coverage

Since earthquakes are more common in California, you should protect your property from damage caused by them. Floods and mudslides come with heavy rains if you live near mountains or bodies of water. You may pay 800 dollars more for your insurance when you add additional coverage.

Coverage for Valuables

General coverage for your property may not be enough for specialty items you keep in your home. The extent to which you want to insure your item will change the cost of your plan. Specific things you might consider insuring include:

• Musical instruments
• Firearms
• Antiques
• Fine art
• Expensive clothing and jewelry
• Rare collections

How Much Coverage Do You Need?

Homeowners’ insurance helps you recover your home if you must replace the entire house. You should purchase an amount that equals the total value of your home. Calculate how much coverage you’ll need by figuring out the value of your square footage, including the extra structures on your property.

The Cost of Homeowners’ Insurance

For an average 300,000-dollar home in California, homeowners’ insurance costs about 1,800 dollars per year, depending on how much coverage you decide to include in your policy. The more you spend, the more protection you’ll receive. Living on the West Coast is becoming riskier as fires, earthquakes, and floods become more frequent. Though insurance seems costly, it will protect you from paying substantial costs in the future if your home experiences destruction due to a disaster.

Reasons for Home Insurance

Homeowners’ insurance is one of the most important types of liability coverage you need. Your home protects you, and it’s a big investment whether you live in a million-dollar mansion or a modest ranch-style house. Regardless of your situation, you may be one disaster away from financial distress if you lose your home to wildfires or flooding. Plan well by purchasing the proper insurance.

Common Causes of Home Damage in California

Natural disasters are the most common cause of damage to houses in California. Fires currently cause the most problems. California wildfires lead to the costliest damages of any fires in the United States. They’re so big that they receive names like Camp Fire, Tubbs Fire, and Atlas Fire.

When to Get Homeowners’ Insurance

Think of insurance for your home as you do with insurance for your car. Don’t make the mistake of waiting to purchase it after you buy a home. Instead, get it as soon as you buy your house. If you have a home, you should insure it. Start looking for homeowners’ insurance as soon as you sign the deed to your home.

You can get the right coverage when you know what California homeowners’ insurance policies cover for you. You may need to extend your plan to include floods and earthquakes if your home is at risk. Further, you can protect specific items on your property if you’re worried about vandalization or storm damages. Protect yourself and everyone on your property when you invest in the right insurance policy. Contact Saferoad Insurance to talk to a professional agent today.