Home Insurance – Protecting West Virginia Homes
Your home is the center of your daily life, and likely your most valuable asset. When your home is damaged or destroyed, you need your claim settled by an insurance company that understands this simple fact. Citywide Insurance can help you find the homeowner’s insurance that will best meet your needs and provide the most valuable combination of tailored coverage, quality service and fair pricing.
Insurance for All Kinds of Homes
Depending on where you live – a house, apartment, or condominium – the right home insurance policy can provide you peace of mind as well as the money you need to repair or replace your home and/or belongings. Contact us for more information today!
West Virignia – What you need to know about homeowners insurance
Whether you own or rent, insuring the place you call home can help protect you financially if you suffer a loss due to fire, theft, vandalism, or other covered events. It will also cover you in the event someone is injured while on your property and wins a legal judgment against you.
Homeowners policies differ by which losses are covered, which coverages you choose, and what type of residence you own. You choose which policy is best for you, whether it’s a comprehensive policy that cover losses such as fire, hail, smoke, falling objects, vandalism and theft of personal property, or whether it’s a policy that covers only specified losses.
Citywide Insurance is here to help you find the right insurance for your home
Whether you’re a home or condo owner, a renter, or a landlord, Citywide Insurance will work with you to find a home insurance policy that fits your needs. We specialize in making it easy to choose the insurance coverage that gives you the best value for the best price.
Your home insurance policy is most often made up of the specific options you choose, so how much you’ll pay for your policy depends on:
- What you select. Oftentimes homeowners insurance options are priced individually, so how much you’ll pay for your policy depends on what coverages you buy.
- How much you want to cover. Higher deductibles usually lower your premium price by shifting part of the loss payment to you. For example, if you had a $500 deductible, you would be responsible for paying the first $500 of the covered loss.
- Where you set your limits. You may choose to set higher limits than the recommended amount if appropriate to your situation and needs.
- Worried you aren’t completely covered? Consider an umbrella insurance policy that extends your coverage.
The Right Coverage. The Right Price. The Right Value
The amount you pay for your homeowners insurance depends on many factors. Think of your personal housing situation, and the assets you want to protect.
Protection for Your Home
Property or Dwelling Coverage typically pays to repair or rebuild your home if it’s damaged or destroyed by an insured event like a kitchen fire or windstorm.
Protection for You and Other People
Personal Liability Coverage applies if someone is injured or their property is damaged and you are to blame. The coverage generally applies anywhere in the world.
- When choosing your liability coverage limits, consider things like how much money you make and the assets you own. Your personal liability coverage should be high enough to protect your assets if you are sued.
Medical Coverage
This covers medical expenses for guests if they are injured on your property, and in certain cases covers people who are injured off of your property. It does not cover health care costs for you or other members of your household.
Additional Living Expenses
If you can’t live in your home because of a covered loss, your home insurance policy will pay additional living expenses—commonly for up to 24 months—while damage is assessed and your home is repaired or rebuilt.
Protection for Your Belongings
Your home is filled with furniture, clothes, electronics and other items that mean a lot to you. Personal Property Insurance helps replace these items if they are lost, stolen or destroyed as a result of a covered loss.
Scheduled Personal Property Coverage
If you have special possessions such as jewelry, art, antiques or collectibles you may want to talk to your agent about this additional coverage. It provides broader coverage for specific items.
If You Rent Out Your Home
Landlords may have the option to buy optional liability coverage for the risks posed by tenant-occupied dwellings.
Protect the Things that Matter to You
Make an inventory of your home and personal belongings. If possible, make a list as well as take photos or video – using two inventory methods can help expedite the claim resolution process. Keep this list somewhere other than your home. Keep in mind that your policy doesn’t cover damages caused by poor or deferred maintenance on your part.
Every home is unique – talk to us today to find out how to get the best price and value on homeowners insurance for you.
The Citywide Insurance Difference
Your home is one of your biggest investments, so it is important to make sure it is protected. Homeowner’s insurance is your safety net for life’s accidents. While there are standards for coverage, such as fire, there are many ways to customize your policy to make it work for your home. With Home Owner’s insurance from Citywide, you are given both protection and peace of mind.
Basic Coverage
Basic coverage of homeowner’s insurance is your safety net for life’s accidents, and if you have a mortgage, it is likely required. It covers, fire and smoke, lightning, theft, ice, snow, and frozen pipes. If you cannot live in your home due to one of the covered risks, it will typically cover your living costs. But, it’s not just your home that we protect. If somebody is injured while in your home, our liability coverage will cover them and any possible court fees associated with the injury.
Filing Claims
It is important for you to read through your homeowner’s policy to determine what your coverage excludes. Exclusions vary from one company to the next and also depend on the type of coverage you have. According to insurance.com, most homeowner insurance policies exclude damages due to flood, nuclear accident, war, earthquakes, or an act of terrorism. You can purchase additional coverage to include these events. It is important to note that damage from normal wear and tear is never included in a homeowner’s policy. The homeowner is responsible for performing or scheduling regular maintenance on the home.
When filing a homeowner’s claim you have certain rights, including access to your insurance policy in the event it was lost and also access to your insurance claims report. In addition, you have the right to challenge any denied claims. Be sure to provide proper documentation for the claim and fill out the forms correctly. If a claim is approved, the payment is sent either directly to you or to the account manager of your mortgage escrow account. Be sure to limit the number of small claims you make on your insurance as too many claims increase of your insurance risk profile and will appear on your insurance credit report.
Deductibles
A deductible is the amount of money you have to pay toward your claim before your insurance will pay. Insurance companies utilize deductibles to reduce the number of trivial claims. Be sure to understand what deductibles you have on your homeowner’s policy. You can have a deductible ranging from $250 to over $5000. The higher your deductible the lower your homeowner’s insurance premium will be.
Insurance Rates
Your insurance premium is determined by several variables. The location of your home is an important factor as some areas have a higher level risk of flood, wind damage or crime rates. Other factors include the age, size, and construction of the home as well as the replacement value of your home. Newer homes are built with stronger materials, making them less risky, while larger homes cost more to replace so the risk is higher. Another factor that may impact your premium is the value of your personal property and the amount of personal liability coverage you have.