Mold: The best cure for mold is to prevent it from growing in the first place. If the basement floods after a rainstorm or a pipe is leaking, eliminate the moisture promptly, even a spill on the carpet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.” The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says homeowners generally can clean up mold themselves if the affected area is less than about 10 square feet. Otherwise, it is best to call in an expert.
Flood Damage: water damage is covered by your homeowner’s insurance, but flood damage is not. Flood by definition is a rising body of water.
Sewer backup: America’s sewer lines are rapidly aging, with some more than 100 years old. As more homes have been connected to these out-of-date lines, sewage backups have followed. If you are worried about being unprotected, consider extra insurance that may be available as endorsements to your policy for risks such as sewer backups – sewer-backup damage often can be covered for an additional premium.
Wear & Tear and Maintenance: Your home insurance policy is there to get you back to where you were before a sudden, unexpected occurrence that does damage to your home. Wear and tear and regular maintenance issues do not fall under that category.
Sinkholes: Sinkholes are sudden gaps in the earth’s surface that occur after groundwater gradually dissolves rock such as limestone and carries bits of it away, creating large pores and cracks in bedrock
Termite infestation: If these unwanted guests cause wear and tear to your home, do not expect your insurer to bail you out because homeowners policies do not pay for termite damage
Intentional or criminal acts: (aka fraudulent claims)
Puppy antics: If your new puppy uses your leather sofa or carpet as a chew toy or potty, your home insurance won’t pick up the tab for the damage. There are no policies that cover damage caused by pets.
Squirrels in the attic: A squirrel is classified as a rodent, and damage by rodents is excluded under a standard homeowners policy
Earth Movement: If the earth moves and does damage to your home, your homeowner’s insurance won’t cover you. Earthquakes and landslides are just two types of earth movement that are specifically excluded on home insurance policies
Every insurance company is a little different and what is included or excluded on your policy depends on their rules as well as the type of policy you have. It’s important to be aware of all exclusions on the policy and to prepare yourself by purchasing additional coverage to fill the gaps where needed. Read all of the fine print on your policy so that you aren’t surprised by an exclusion once it’s too late.
At Saks Insurance, LLC., we can work with you to make sure you’ve got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at 480-545-1144 or send an e-mail to service@saksinsurance.com. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what’s important to you is protected!
