8 things Home Insurance won’t cover.

Buying a home is the biggest investment most of us will ever make in our lives. So naturally we want to protect it. So we shop and shop for the best insurance. We find a price we can afford and off we go. At this point we are covered for whatever comes our way, right? Just like the postman’s motto goes: come rain, snow, sleet or hail, I’m covered! Well, not necessarily. There are some exclusions that normal policies won’t cover.

8 of these exclusions are listed here:

1) Flooding: This is defined as external water entering into the house. So if a nearby creek or river floods or there is a heavy down poor of rain and that water enters your home, that would be considered flooding. This coverage requires a separate policy for it to be covered. This coverage is considered mandatory by most banks to issue a mortgage if your house is in a flood plain. There are other reasons that you can have water in your home such as sewer backup or a pipe bursting. Sewer backup has a rider that can be added to a homeowner’s policy to ensure that you are covered. A pipe bursting is normally covered under a standard homeowner’s policy. Check with your agent to ensure you have the proper coverage should one of these occur.

2) Mold: Mold is caused by moisture entering into the structure and not drying properly. This could be a leaky roof, siding that is not sealed properly or even flooding of a space in the home that was not properly repaired. Mold can be dangerous to people and pets and should be taken care of immediately when found along with the cause of the water entering into the space. It only takes two or three days for mold to start to grow and it can spread rapidly. There is no rider that can be added to a policy for mold. The homeowner is fully responsible for all repairs that would need to be made to remove the mold.

3) Sewer Backup: We touched on this a little in the flooding section. Sewer backup is when either the pipes leading to the city sewer back up and cause sewage to enter your home or when a septic system and/or sump pump fails and allows water to backup into the home. This type of damage does not require a separate policy like flooding does. A rider can be added to your existing homeowner’s policy and you will be able to choose the coverage limits.

4) Earthquakes: Standard policies do not cover earthquakes, however, you can have a rider added to your homeowner’s policy to cover you from anything that might be damaged should this type of natural disaster occur.

5) Sinkholes: We have all seen the pictures of cars and houses being swallowed by sinkholes. Sinkholes are sudden gaps in the earth’s surface that are caused by groundwater gradually dissolving rock such as limestone and carrying bits of it away, creating large pores and cracks in bedrock. Once large cavities form underground, the land above it may suddenly settle or collapse, creating the sinkhole. In the United States, sinkholes tend to happen most in Florida, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee and Pennsylvania. While this coverage is not standard on homeowner’s policies, you can obtain coverage by adding a rider. Check with your agent to get more information.

6) Termite infestation: We all know the damage termites can do to a home or structure. There is no coverage for any damage termites my do to your home. The best course is to be vigilant for signs and treat any problem areas you might find immediately.

7) Nuclear plant accidents: If you live near a nuclear plant (within a few hundred miles) there is always a risk of the unexpected accident happening. If radiation were to escape and your house were to be condemned, there is no policy that would pay for a replacement home. Make sure and do homework when purchasing a home in the area of any type of nuclear facility.

8) Acts of terrorism: Any act of terrorism or war would also not be covered under a homeowner’s policy. This could include arson, a bombing, a shooting among other things.

Talk to your agent if you have any questions or concerns about your coverage.