You probably know homeowners insurance can help protect you if a fire, storm, or theft damages your home or belongings. But what about the groceries in your freezer? Your college student’s laptop? Or damage caused by something falling from the sky?
Depending on your policy and the circumstances, homeowners insurance may provide coverage in some situations you wouldn’t expect. Here are six examples worth knowing about.
1 – Food spoiled during a power outage
A prolonged power outage can leave you with a refrigerator and freezer full of spoiled food. Depending on what caused the outage and the terms of your policy, homeowners insurance may help cover the cost of replacing it.
Coverage for food spoilage may have its own limit, and your deductible may apply. If the outage is part of a larger covered loss, such as a storm that also damages your home, be sure to include any spoiled food when discussing the loss with your insurance company.
2 – Your student’s belongings in a college dorm
When your child heads to college, some of the belongings they take along may still have protection under your homeowners policy.
A student’s clothing, electronics, and other personal belongings in an on-campus dorm may be covered under a parent’s policy, subject to certain limits and eligibility requirements.
Living off campus can be different. Students renting an apartment or house may need their own renters insurance. Before move-in day, talk with your insurance agent about where your student will live and what they’re taking with them so you can determine what coverage they need.
3 – Damage caused by falling objects
Some falling objects are more likely than others. A tree limb falling on a roof probably isn’t hard to imagine. An airplane part or meteorite is another story.
Homeowners insurance may cover damage caused by falling objects, depending on the policy and circumstances. While the chances of something unusual landing on your house are small, the broader lesson is useful: don’t assume a strange accident isn’t covered just because it isn’t a typical claim.
If something unexpected damages your home, document the damage and contact your insurance agent or company before assuming you’re on your own.
4 – Cemetery markers
Your property coverage can sometimes extend beyond the belongings physically located inside your home.
Headstones and other cemetery property belonging to you may have some protection under a homeowners policy if they’re damaged by a covered cause of loss, such as vandalism. However, coverage limits can apply.
If your family owns an expensive monument, headstone, or other cemetery memorial, ask your agent whether your existing limits provide enough protection.
5 – Dog bites and other liability claims
Homeowners insurance doesn’t only cover your house and belongings. It can also provide personal liability protection.
For example, if your dog bites someone and you’re held responsible for the injury, the liability portion of your homeowners policy may help with certain expenses, subject to the policy’s terms, conditions, and exclusions.
Coverage for dogs can vary considerably by insurance company and policy. Some insurers place restrictions on certain animals or may exclude an animal based on its history. If you have a dog, it’s worth discussing your coverage with your insurance agent rather than waiting until an incident occurs.
6 – The cost of living somewhere else after a covered loss
Imagine a fire makes part of your home temporarily unlivable. Repairing the physical damage is only part of the problem. You may also need a hotel or temporary rental, and your normal living expenses could increase while you’re away from home.
That’s where loss of use or additional living expense coverage can come in. Depending on your policy and the circumstances of the loss, this coverage may help with certain additional costs you incur while your home is being repaired after a covered loss.
Knowing ahead of time what your policy provides can make an already stressful situation a little easier to navigate.
Your policy matters
These examples highlight an important point: insurance coverage isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Two homeowners policies can have different limits, deductibles, exclusions, endorsements, and coverage requirements. Even when a particular type of loss can be covered, the circumstances surrounding the claim matter.
That’s why it’s helpful to review your homeowners insurance before you need to use it. Consider talking with your insurance agent if you’ve made significant home improvements, purchased valuable belongings, added a dog to the family, sent a child to college, or experienced another major life change.
You don’t have to prepare for every unusual scenario. But understanding the protection you already have, and where you may have gaps, can help you feel more prepared for both the expected and the unexpected.
