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The Wisest Choice In Home Insurance Is Comprehensive

By Clea Spahn


Today, most homeowners insurance is comprehensive, covering property, belongings, liability and living expenses in one policy. It's wise to divide up your insurance budget properly, and get enough coverage for the areas you need most.

All perils, otherwise known as comprehensive insurance, covers pretty much everything with some notable exceptions like earthquakes, settling, floods, and wear and tear, and deterioration of mechanical or other variety, to name a few examples,

Most comprehensive home insurance policies include contents insurance, which covers the cost of replacing your belongings, up to a set amount. Before you purchase comprehensive insurance, there are exclusions listed in the policy, have a good look at those. In most cases, the exclusions can be added to the policy for an extra charge, in what is called a rider.

The comprehensive insurance you choose will likely cover your personal gadgets as part of that policy. There's a few things to check here, though. You need to look at what you are protected from, house fires and theft are the only things on many insurance policies.

A guaranteed-replacement policy replaces your home, even if the costs to do so exceed the maximum amount on your policy. This insurance pays for replacement using the same or similar materials, so some older homes may not qualify. There are several kinds of home insurance, but guaranteed-replacement policies are the most expensive.

A property owner could be sued for injuries caused on their property from falls or other accidents, to dog bites, to any number of circumstances, and comprehensive personal liability insurance protects a homeowner from these potential costs. It pays medical bills for the injured person, his lost wages, rehabilitative services and a settlement payment in the event of a lawsuit brought against you by the injured person.

A comprehensive policy will also include coverage for living expenses for you and your family if damage or loss forces you from your home. You may have to live in a motel or a rental unit until your home is repaired or rebuilt. This kind of coverage does have it's limits.

Keep in mind, the majority of disasters are covered; a hurricane or tornado can cause major wind damage, and this is covered by the windstorm peril that is part of the policy's approved perils. A regular insurance policy will not include damage caused by flooding or earthquakes, however. And also remember not to file claims unless you have to -- if you file more than two or three claims, your rates will rise and your policy may be canceled. You are best advised to get a policy with a high deductible, so that you've got no reason to file lower-cost claims that will raise your premiums or lead to future cancellation of your policy.




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