Natural disasters feel as though they are becoming more common but many policyholders don’t understand their coverage.
As the weather heads toward another shift in the changing of the seasons, the potential for a new wave of severe storms is building, and homeowners insurance customers may not know exactly what type of coverage they have when Mother Nature decides to show the world what she’s really about.
Rockslides, landslides, mudslides and sinkholes are all building up a new level of threat.
While many property owners may feel that they have coverage through their homeowners insurance policies, they may want to think again as the typical policy across the United States does not cover the type of damage that is caused by “earth movements”. That would require an additional level of coverage or an entirely different policy.
Insurers are remind homeowners insurance policyholders to gain a good understanding of the coverage they do have.
Moreover, while flood policies and earthquake insurance can be purchased separately, it is important to have a look at those types of coverage, too. The reason is that those policies are typically quite specific, so even when the additional protection has been purchased, it is still important to know exactly what it provides. For instance, if only one rock or tree falls onto the structure, the policy may label it as damage that is caused by a falling object.
It is important to remember that the regular freezing and thawing that occurs in many parts of the country at this time of year can loosen the ground and the soil. This means that objects – such as trees, rocks, and anything else in or on the ground – may not be as secure at this time of year as they were before the snow first started falling.
Moreover, as the melt and rains pick up, this can cause water to flow on and in the ground, taking soil along with it, disturbing things further. Every year, many homeowners insurance customers make claims, feeling that they will be protected against many types of damage from this form of event, only to find themselves denied as their policies don’t protect them in that way. The insurance industry is hoping to minimize that occurrence, this year, through increased awareness.