Areas that are not protected by most homeowner insurance policies typically include natural disasters like earthquakes and floods and large-scale commotions like war and riots. Damage due to negligence or intentional damage done to property is also not covered by this policy and is inherently risky items such as trampolines. Lastly, items such as jewelry have limited coverage on homeowners insurance.
The table below contains the those of homeowner insurance and a brief explanation of each of them.
| Types of Homeowner Insurance | Explanation |
| HO-1 | Covers basic damages on the property |
| HO-2 | Covers your property against 16 specifically named perils |
| HO-3 | Covers the 16 specifically named perils and goes beyond them too |
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.