5 Popular Home Insurance Add-Ons - NYCM Insurance Blog

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Dec 18, 2018

5 Popular Home Insurance Add-Ons



When shopping for a home insurance policy, it is important that you choose the coverage that best fits your lifestyle. Homeowners insurance is designed to protect you from things like disasters, damages, liabilities, and stolen items. As you start searching for the right homeowners insurance policy for your needs, you may also want to consider common insurance add-ons that can keep your home secure and provide more complete coverage than your standard insurance.

Below are 5 home insurance add-ons to consider:

Sewer and Drain Backup

Sewer and drain backup are not covered in most standard homeowners insurance policies. Certain problems that may occur are:


- Clogging in your main sewer line

- Breaking or collapsing lines due to age and decay

- Blockages and holes forming in sewer pipelines due to tree root growth

 

Sewer and drain backups may not happen quite often, but when they do, having service line coverage will save you from a lot of work. Speak with your insurance agent about sewer and drain backup to determine if this add-on is necessary for your home.


Guaranteed Replacement Cost

Guaranteed replacement cost is a home insurance add-on that ensures your policy will cover the entire cost of replacing your home, even if the cost exceeds the policy limit.


For example: if your house gets damaged or destroyed, the insurer will spend however much it takes to replace your home. There are no depreciated costs, and this investment will fully replace your home, even if the policy limit is exceeded.



Flood Insurance Coverage

In most cases, a homeowners insurance policy will not include flood insurance coverage.

 

You don't necessarily need to live in a flood-prone environment to purchase this add-on. Floods can happen unexpectedly from unpredicted events such as heavy rainstorms. Work with your insurance agent to decide if flood insurance is a necessary add-on for your home insurance policy.

 

Valued Possession Coverage

Another common homeowners insurance add-on is valued possession coverage. This extra protection will save you from stress if your valued items are damaged, destroyed, or stolen. 

Items that are often insured by valued possession coverage include:

 

Jewelry, especially wedding rings

- Electronic devices such as smartphones, computers and cameras

- Tools and equipment

- Musical instruments

- Recreational items

 

If you believe this home insurance add-on may be right for you, take inventory of your valued possessions and discuss next steps with your insurance agent.


Umbrella Coverage

Umbrella insurance is a liability insurance add-on that protects you from major claims and lawsuits, as well as providing underlying coverage. Umbrella coverage may also extend your coverage to other vehicles and properties.

 

The protection provided by umbrella coverage includes:


Up to $1,000,000 additional coverage beyond personal liability insurance that you ordinarily carry

- Protection for you and your family by making payments of judgment against you resulting from personal activities

- Coverage for your automobile and watercrafts worldwide

- Coverage of legal defense costs, in addition to indemnity, in many areas where there is no underlying coverage

 

Having umbrella insurance will expand your coverage and will give you added peace of mind everywhere you go, even outside of your home.

These five popular add-ons will help to keep yourself, your home and personal items secure. When choosing your homeowners insurance coverage and add-ons, remember to consult your insurance agent to make sure you have the appropriate coverage for your home, belongings and lifestyle.