Do I have enough homeowners insurance?

Insurance Information Institute (III.org) recommends enough home insurance to cover the following: the structure of your home, your personal possessions, the cost of additional living expenses if your home is damaged and you have to live elsewhere during repairs, and your liability to others.

You need enough insurance to cover the cost of rebuilding your home at current construction costs. Don’t include the cost of the land. And don’t base your rebuilding costs on the price you paid for your home. The cost of rebuilding could be more or less than the price you paid or could sell it for today.

Some banks require you to buy homeowners insurance to cover the amount of your mortgage. If the limit of your insurance policy is based on your mortgage, make sure it’s enough to cover the cost of rebuilding. If your mortgage is paid off, don’t cancel your homeowners policy. Homeowners insurance protects your investment in your home.

For a quick estimate of the amount of insurance you need, multiply the total square footage of your home by local building costs per square foot. To find out construction costs in your community, call your local real estate agent, builders association or insurance agent.
Improvement to your home–adding a second bathroom, enlarging the kitchen or other additions that have added value to your home.

Standard homeowners policies provide coverage for disasters such as damage due to fire, lightning, hail, explosions and theft. They do not cover floods, earthquakes or damage caused by lack of routine maintenance.

– Best Insurance Services, Inc. can help answer questions about a multitude of insurance questions. Call (979) 297-2655 or visit our website www.bestinsurancetx.com