The table below contains the those of homeowner insurance and a brief explanation of each of them. 

Areas Excluded Under Homeowners Insurance 

Specific events that cause damage to your property that the insurance policy won’t cover are typically split into two:

1. Events that are too wide in scope to determine the damage done 

2. And events caused by negligence or deterioration 

Below we listed several events that fall into either category mentioned:

Natural Disasters, Riots, Wars, Nuclear Activities 

Earthquakes, floods, sinkholes, and other land movements are usually excluded from most homeowners insurance policies. 

Earthquakes are covered in separate packages, which you can purchase in addition to your homeowner policy if this is a common phenomenon in your area.

You can also purchase flood insurance through a separate policy, and it is only available through the National Flood Insurance Program.

Other forms of water damage such as overflows or backup from your sewer system and drains are also excluded from your insurance policy. However, some insurance companies offer coverage for such items when you purchase an additional endorsement for them. 

Riots and wars are also not covered by most homeowner policies; the obvious reason for this is that the damage caused by these events is too wide for your insurance company to cover. 

Intentional Damage, Neglect, Wear And Tear

The concept of insurance is to indemnify the insured from probable unforeseen circumstances; based on this, it is common practice that the policy will not cover any deliberate damage done to an insured item it is under. 

The same thing goes for neglect; if you fail to maintain your property, it could lead to damage that is expensive to repair, and your insurance policy will not cover such damages because they could’ve been avoided. 

Events such as rodents, pests, and termites are not covered. In addition, rusting, rotting, molding, and other forms of deterioration are also excluded from most homeowner insurance policies. 

Your policy does not cover defective items that eventually break down. For example, in the case of power outages or power failures, food spoilages are not covered under a standard homeowner policy. 

Valuable Property 

Valuable properties such as jewelry, firearms, and furs have limited coverage under homeowner insurance. Under a standard policy, you will be limited to a possible amount of $1000, which many consider a relatively small amount since certain items can eclipse this amount. 

If you keep a lot of valuables on your property, it would be best to purchase a policy that covers them fully. You can either do this by purchasing a separate policy or including it as an add-on to your homeowner policy. 

Dog Breeds 

Dog breeds are another area not always covered by homeowner insurance liability. This factor is carrier-specific as every company will have a different list of dogs they exclude from their policies. 

Dog breeds usually excluded are those thought to be naturally aggressive or large such as pit bulls, Rottweilers, and German shepherds.

Depending on your company, this could either mean your company will not cover injuries and damages caused by your dog, or it could deny coverage altogether. 

If your dog must be covered, shop around for insurance providers that provide coverage for your dog breed or have no limitations on what your dog breed is. For example, State Farm does not consider a dog’s breed as a requirement for insuring it. 

Inherently Hazardous Items 

It is common practice for insurance companies to deny coverage for items they consider hazardous. However, guests or visitors are most liable to injuries within your property, so if your visitor trips into your home and injure themselves, your company will cover their medical bill. 

However, if hazardous items cause the injury, your insurance company will not cover the cost. Items are termed hazardous because of how frequently accidents are associated with them. 

Such items include diving boards, trampolines, tree houses, and certain dog breeds. The insurance company may not offer you a policy because of these items or ask you to sign exclusion on them. An exclusion states that the company will not cover injuries caused by these items. 

Types Of Homeowners Insurance 

Understanding your policy’s exclusions of certain items begins with knowing what type of coverage you have. HO-1, HO-2, and HO-3 are the types of homeowner insurance packages, and they have different levels of coverage. HO-1 and HO-2 cover basic damages on the property. HO-2 covers your property against 16 specifically named perils. Your insurance will not cover any damage outside of those named. However, HO-3, referred to as the standard homeowner’s policy covers a wider range of damage than the other two. In essence, it covers the 16 specifically named perils and goes beyond them too. 

What To Do If You Need These Areas Covered 

It may be important to you that the areas listed above are covered by insurance, so what do you do when your insurance provider has stated that these areas are excluded? 

The best thing you can do is to purchase an individual plan for these areas; events such as earthquakes, floods, and jewelry theft are often covered under policies specifically made for them. In addition, your insurance policy may also allow you to cover these events under your homeowner policy for extra costs. 

Conclusion 

Knowing what your homeowner insurance policy covers are vital for planning for the future. With the information, you can discuss the best way to cover these events with your insurance provider if it is likely that you will face such events. 

The usual case is that you may have to purchase a separate plan for these events, but some companies may also allow you to cover these events as an add-on to your homeowner policy. 

The post Which Area Is Not Protected By Most Homeowner Insurance? appeared first on Insurance BlogX.

The older your roof, the more reason why your insurance company will not want to cover its insurance. After all, such roofs are almost at the end of their lifecycle and will likely always have issues. And, insurance companies always have their interest at heart. So, they will not want to incur much expense. 

However, you can also see insurance companies that do not mind adding insurance coverage for a 15-year-old roof under their homeowners’ insurance coverage package. However, allow us to give you heads up and tell you that it would come with a clause. 

You will realize that there are some cases where no insurance company will bear the cost of repairs or replacement even if they cover your 15-year-old roof. Yes, they might have coverage of a 15-year-old roof amongst their package. But if damages happen under certain situations, they will not bear the cost. 

This article will discuss when the insurance company will bear the cost for the damages on a 15-year-old roof during its homeowners’ insurance package and situations where it would not. 

Cases When The Insurance Company Will Bear The Cost

Typically, we see that insurance companies usually bear the cost when natural disasters happen. In such a situation, they know that it was beyond your control. Also, there is the understanding that such natural disasters can affect any roof, irrespective of the roofs’ age. So, they do not mind bearing the cost of damage or repairs in such cases.

It could be that the natural disaster affected the roof by taking it off. In such a case, the insurance company would bear the repair cost. Or, it could be that the natural disaster has put a hole in the middle of the roof, and it cannot be repaired. Therefore, you need to replace the roof, and the insurance company will bear the cost. 

Some acceptable natural disasters that could happen that makes the insurance company cover the cost of repairs for a 15-year-old roof are:

Hailstorm

Suppose you stay in a place where a hailstorm happens. Of course, no one wants to experience hailstorms, but no one can control when it happens. And, everyone would agree that hailstorms can cause damages to roofs as it refers to the raining down of ice pellets. Such a situation can put holes in the roof, leading to damage. In such a case, the insurance company will cover the repair cost, even if it is a 15-year-old roof. Yes, the age of the roof does not matter in this case. What matters is that you have a homeowners’ insurance plan, and they have to bear the cost according to the agreement. 

Hurricane

 There can also be the case of a hurricane, a storm that comes with violent wind. Typically, people are always looking for shelter during hurricanes, and you can be sure that it can also affect roofs. We often see that hurricanes detach roofs from their houses. But if you have a homeowners’ insurance plan, you will not panic in such a situation as you know that your insurance company has you covered. After all, the hurricane was a natural disaster, and no one had control over it. Therefore, they have to come through and help with the cost of repairs or replacement. 

Earthquakes

 The force of earthquakes can even bring down houses. So, you know that it can also affect roofs, and the insurance company is aware. It is why earthquakes classify as one of the natural disasters that could happen to a roof, and the insurance company will bear the cost of repairs or replacement. So, if you have a homeowners’ insurance plan with any insurance company, you do not need to have any worries if an earthquake affects your home. Yes, even if you have a 15-year-old roof, it is covered under your insurance package since it was affected by a natural disaster. 

In What Cases Will Insurance Not Cover A 15-Year-Old Roof?

Insurance will not cover a 15-year-old roof when it is affected by man-made issues. For example, if your roof gets damaged due to wear and tear or neglect, the insurance company will refuse to bear the cost. 

Neglect: It should be common knowledge that people need to care for their roofs, and there are many ways to go about it. However, that is not the focus of this article. Sadly, we see that people always forget to care for their roofs, and it can stay for years without them indulging in actions that care for the roofs. In such a case, we can say that they are neglecting their roofs, and it would cause issues. Thus, if anything happens to the roof because of neglect, the insurance company will not cover the cost. Instead, any repair or replacement cost will be from your pocket. 

Wear And Tear: Again, it should be common knowledge that wear and tear would affect a roof, especially a 15-year-old roof. So, you need to always care for your roof. However, if your roof gets damaged due to wear and tear, it is not a part of the cost that the insurance company would bear. 

Cost Of Homeowners Insurance Plans In The USA

Understandably, many people desire to get homeowners insurance plans for diverse reasons, including ensuring their 15-year-old roof. However, the price differs based on insurance companies and states. 

But, here is a table showing what to budget for homeowners’ insurance plans in some US States. 

FAQs 

Below are some frequently asked questions:

Do Insurance Companies Insure Old Roofs?

Most insurance companies do not like to insure old roofs because they are prone to different issues. It is why the insurance companies that insure old roofs come with a clause that the insurance coverage will not hold if the damage is due to neglect or wear and tear.

Does The Age Of Your Roof Affect Insurance Rates?

Yes, the age of the roof affects insurance rates. Older roofs usually have higher risks. So, it would cost more. 

What Kind Of Roof Damage Is Covered By Insurance?

Roof damages caused by natural disasters are the type of roof damages covered by insurance. 

Conclusion 

Even though many insurance companies do not like covering old roofs, you can get a company that doesn’t mind covering a 15-year-old roof under their homeowners’ insurance plan. 

However, it is always important to note that the roof damages covered by insurance are the damages caused by natural disasters. 

Sources 

2021 UPDATE***Can you Insure a 15-Year-Old Roof in Florida?

Buying a home with a roof over 15 years old? Heads up.

When it comes to your roof, age matters at claim time

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Replacement?

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Roof Replacement?

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