Homeowners Insurance Coverage Protects You
Everett, WA home insurance used to be called fire insurance. But that name doesn’t give this insurance policy full credit. A homeowners insurance policy covers so much more than just losses resulting from fires.
Our Homeowner’s Insurance Policies Cover:
- Your Residence
- Detached Structures (Garages workshops, fences, dog kennels, garden sheds etc…
- Your Belongings (Including when you’re away from home.)
- Living Expenses
- Personal Liability
- Medical Expenses
*Except for dwelling and structures, a Renter’s Policy has very similar benefits and starts as low as $120 per year!
2 Types of Coverage for Home Insurance
There are two types of coverage for your possessions under your Homeowners Insurance Policy: Actual Cash Value and Replacement Cost Coverage.
- Under Actual Cash Value, the insurance will cover the cost of replacing the property minus an allowance for depreciation. If you have, say, older furniture, that allowance could be quite significant. Unless your policy specifically says it provides replacement cost coverage, the coverage is for actual cash value.
- Under Replacement Cost Coverage, the insurance company will cover the cost of replacing property that is damaged or stolen, up to a maximum dollar amount. Replacement cost is better for you, the homeowner.
To insure your home appropriately, you want to make sure that you have enough coverage to rebuild your home in case it gets completely destroyed. That means the limit on your should be equal to the cost to replace your home.
The replacement value is calculated on a “cost per square foot” basis: take the square footage of your house and multiply it by the average square foot building rate in your area. Your insurance agent will be able to help you calculate the replacement value.
Unfortunately, there are certain exceptions to the coverage on your homeowner insurance in Washington. These exceptions generally include loss due to flooding, earthquake, landslide and certain other perils. If you live in a flood or earthquake prone area, or on a hillside, you might wish to consider buying additional protection for these perils.
There are other limitations in a homeowners insurance policy: Although there is coverage for the contents in your home, this coverage is limited for certain valuables, including jewelry, art, and computer equipment.
As a rule of thumb, if you have a collection or an individual item worth at least $500, you should consider additional coverage options by buying a personal property endorsement or “floater”.
A “floater” is attached to your homeowner’s policy and provides the additional coverage you need. The higher the value of the items you’d like to insure, the more the added-on coverage will cost.
We’re Homeowners Insurance experts. Because we represent a wide variety of insurance companies, you’ll have many options choose from. You can also get the process started online right here on our website.
* Please Note: Insurance policies vary from company to company and from State to State. Not every Washington State insurance policy will include every coverage described above. Be sure to read your policy and check with your insurance agent for personalized information.