Owning a home is one of the most important investments you can make. As your family grows, your needs will change as well as your risk. We think it is very important to review your home insurance program every year to make sure it still meets your needs.
Compared with investment decisions and estate planning issues, perhaps questions about the language in your homeowner’s policy may seem hardly worth considering. Yet the more successful you become, the more complicated your asset-protection needs are likely to be, and the more you have to lose.
1.Gaps in homeowner’s coverage. Every homeowner needs to review their coverage regularly to keep up with rising replacement costs. But insuring different kinds of homes in different locales poses extra challenges. If you buy insurance from more than one carrier, you may face contrasting rules, limitations, and policy renewal dates.
2.Under insuring art and collectibles. Standard homeowner’s policies limit coverage for the losses of antiques, furs, and other valuables. While you could schedule additional coverage, insuring the real value of a collection of contemporary art or vintage muscle cars, likely will require a specialized policy addressing several critical issues.
3.Make sure you keep up with the true replacement cost of your home. Often people let this go for a few years, but it can be devastating.
4.Forgetting to insure household employees. When someone works for you or your family as a nanny, landscaper, personal assistant, or in another role, you could be liable for medical expenses and lost wages if the worker is hurt on the job.