Tag: insurance

Vacant and Unoccupied Homes – Homeowners and Dwelling Insurance

Chris

Vacant HomeDo own a vacant home?  Do you own any unoccupied homes?  Do you renovate dwellings and then subsequently rent them out?  Any of these situations may have unintended consequences on your insurance policies.

Insurance companies are very clever in the wording of their policy forms (which is why its important to read your policy forms!).  They sneak exclusions into the policy that only apply if the dwelling is unoccupied or vacant.  For example, if you buy a rental dwelling with the intent to renovate prior to renting it to tenants, several coverages are excluded until the home is occupied.  For example, theft and vandalism is excluded if the home is vacant for more than 30 days.  Damage caused by freezing pipes is another common exclusion among vacant or unoccupied homes.  Please note that each insurance company will treat their vacancy exclusions differently, so it is important to read your insurance forms for exact coverage.  More importantly, it is essential that precautions are taken to prevent any of the above losses from happening.  Many common precautions are:

  1. Keeping the heat level high enough to prevent freezing pipes

  2. Installing a security system to prevent any break-ins.  Other simpler measures are to lock all door and windows and have a neighbor or relative check the house daily.

  3. Have motion detecting lights installed outside

  4. Install lights inside on a timer system to give the appearance that the home is occupied

  5. Shut off the water in the home while unoccupied to prevent any catastrophic water damage

Furthermore, many of the same exclusions apply if you own a home with no intention of renting it out, but rather plan on occupying it yourself.  However, as many homeowners can attest to, many owners don’t move into their homes right away.  Many existing homeowners or renters insurance policies will extend coverage for personal property to their new location for a temporary time period (i.e. 30 days); however, no coverage is extended to the dwelling, structure, or detached structures.  So a new home that is bought but unoccupied may be susceptible to the exclusions listed above.

It is important to be upfront and honest with your insurance professional on the expected timeline of occupancy so that they can determine what coverage may be best for you.  Also, keep them up to date on any changes to your timeline for occupancy so any needed action may be taken.  Some companies do offer specialized, short-term (one, three, or six month) policies specifically designed to cover vacant or unoccupied homes.  If you plan on buying a new home – whether it be for yourself or for a tenant – it is very important to consult with your insurance professional to determine if any of these exclusions may apply to you.

Insurance changes for those saying “I Do” (or will be soon)!

Chris

Before you say “Yes to the Dress” – you may want to give your insurance representative a call.  It may be the last thing on your mind while you pick out colors, dresses, and flowers – but it may be the most important call you make.  Marriage changes many things – including your insurance contract – so it’s important to figure out what you need to do.  We’ll share the six most common tips for those who are planning on getting married.

  1. Schedule your engagement ring!  – The average cost of an engagement ring (according to theknot.com) is $5431!  What if the ring is stolen?  What if the ring is lost while washing dishes or doing lawn work?  Standard renter’s and homeowner’s insurance policies only provide coverage up to a certain amount and only for certain causes of loss.  Protect the jewelry by ‘scheduling’ the ring on your home or renters policy to provide cost-effective comprehensive coverage.

  2. Add your spouse! – Add your spouse to your policies after you are married – you may be eligible for certain discounts.  Statistics show that married people have fewer accidents than those flying solo.  Also, if you each are insured with different companies (or different policies) – you’ll most likely save money by combining your policies.

  3. Ask about a multi-vehicle discount!  – If you each own a car, you will be eligible with most companies to receive a multi-policy discount.  In some cases, it may cost the same amount to insure two vehicles as it does one!  When are insurance companies ever logical!?

  4. Ask about a multi-policy discount! – When combining insurance policies, always first check to see if it is cheaper to put all of your insurance policies with one company.  Many insurance companies offer substantial multi-policy discounts – which may save you bundles of money.

  5. Ask about an umbrella policy!  – After marriage, life tends to start moving quite quickly.  Home purchases, baby showers,  and babies all happen before you know it!  An umbrella policy is a cost effective way (around $10/month) to protect your assets from the increasing liability exposures that usually accompany marriage.

  6. Buy life insurance! – You no longer just care for yourself – you have a spouse (and possibly children) to care for and protect.  Life insurance can provide protection for a spouse in the event the unthinkable does happen.  Life insurance proceeds can be used to pay off mortgages and debts, used as replacement income, for children’s tuition, final expenses, and a myriad of other uses.  Protect those you love by purchasing life insurance.

Insurance is the last thing anyone thinks about while planning their special day; however, it is an important topic to bring up.  It’s also a great way of saving money and offsetting some of those wedding day expenditures!