Water, water,...water everywhere!

This is a quick note about how most Homeowners policies provide coverage for damages sustained as a result of high winds, hail and heavy rain. Most policies, if not all policies, will cover any damage sustained from high winds. High winds can cause shingles to blow off the roof and also siding to be blown off the house. These are the two most common claims submitted because of high winds.

Another common claim due to high winds are fallen trees. Homeowners policies are very specific when it comes to fallen trees. Most of the policies I have seen will cover damage to YOUR property if a tree falls onto the the house, garage, deck, shed, etc. Your neighbors property is NOT covered under your Homeowners policy if your tree falls onto their property. If a tree falls onto your property (property is defined as a house, garage, shed, etc...not grass, trees, bushes, etc.) then most policies will pay what it cost to remove the tree from the property and place the tree on the ground. From there, most policies will pay up to a certain limit, usually between $500-$1000, to remove the tree from your yard. Homeowners policies usually do NOT pay to remove a tree from your yard if a tree does to cause any damage to your property. However, if a tree lands on a driveway or walkway then the policy will pay to remove the tree from the walkway or driveway and place it on the ground. From there, the limit of $500-$1000 will kick in to remove it from the yard.

As rar as rain is concerned, basically most policies will provide coverage for water that comes from the sky and enters the house.  Water from the ground that enters the house is typiclaly NOT covered. I highly recommend the water backup and sump pump endorsement that your insurance company offers. It is to not too expensive and it could come in handy especially if you have a finished basement. Opt for at least $10,000 in coverage as the first $5,000 will be spent drying out the basement.

Homeowners policies typically provide coverage for any damage sustained to a house, shed, garage or any other structure as a result of hail.  

Be sure to discuss, with your agent, the pros and cons of reporting a claim.  If you have not had a claim in 5 or more years, you are most likely getting a Loss Free Discount.  This discount can be quite significant and may disappear for up to 5 years after a claim is reported and paid.