Homeowners Insurance

Typically, not. There are some instances where mold may be covered, for example, if it results from a covered event such as a burst pipe. In most cases, though, mold is not covered.

If damage to your roof comes from a covered event, such as hail storm, and a leak develops, your policy should cover repairs.

It depends on what caused it. If you had a burst pipe or water from a failed water heater, then yes. However, if your water damage is due to negligence on your part, a backup in a sewer line or flooding in the area, then most likely not. You may be able to purchase additional coverage for these types of events.

In most cases, your home policy will not cover termite – or any other pest – infestations. Most insurers feel that this is caused by a lack of maintenance on the part of the homeowner. However, there are some circumstances where damage caused by termites, or other pests, may be covered.

If someone breaks into your home, car or anywhere else and steals your belongings, your home insurance will most likely cover these losses – up to a certain amount. For example, if your belongings are stolen from a hotel room, your insurer may cap your claim at 10% of your total belongings coverage. This means that if under your policy you have a $100,000 coverage for personal belongings, you would get $10,000 for items stolen from a place away from your home. Other policies may cover items up to a certain amount, for example, electronics may be covered up to $1,500 and jewelry may be covered up to $2,500. You can always add more coverage under most policies.

If your home is broken into and your items are stolen, your policy will cover you up to 100% of your limit for personal belongings.

It depends. Some policies will cover your liability if someone gets bitten by your dog off your premises and some will not. Likewise, if your dog injures another dog at the dog park or while on a walk. Some policies will cover the ensuing vet bills and some will not. If you have a dog, it’s best to make sure you are covered for anything.

Yes, if the tree fell because of a covered event, such as a storm, your policy should pay to remove the tree and make repairs up to your policy limits. However, if the tree is deemed to be unhealthy and that contributed to its fall, your claim could be denied since this is considered homeowner negligence.

Much like other damages to your home, if the cause of the problem is a covered event, such as a fire or storm, then yes. However, if your foundation damage is due to flooding, an earthquake, negligence or construction mistakes, it would not be covered.

In most cases, your policy will reimburse you for any expenses related to your temporary relocation after a covered event up to a certain limit. Many policies have a 20% cap on loss-of-use expenses. For example, if your home is insured for $300,000, you would have up to $60,000 to use for these expenses, which include:

• Hotel or rental expenses
• Restaurant meals
• Groceries
• Pet boarding
• Laundry costs
• Moving and storage costs

Be sure and keep all of your receipts. Most policies reimburse you after the fact.