The Importance of Property Insurance: What You Need to Know

The basic goal behind buying any insurance is to make you financially whole following a loss. You agree to pay a small certain fee to an insurance company today in exchange for a guarantee from the company that it will bear the burden of a large but uncertain loss in the future. Following that reasoning, property insurance protects you against damage to—or loss of—expensive personal property, such as a dwelling or a car. Forms of property insurance include auto insurance, homeowners insurance, renter’s insurance, and flood insurance.

Why Do I Need Property Insurance?

According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), a property is considered insured if it meets four essential conditions: The property has been insured with a carrier or there is a specific treaty in force covering the property. The carrier has notified the insurance company of the property’s existence and the identity of the insured owner. The insured has paid the premiums required by the agreement. If a given property does not meet all four of the basic property insurance criteria, it can’t be insured. The insurance is also based on either the “full value” of the property, which includes the replacement value and sometimes tax assessments, or the “current market value” of the property, which means the current assessed market value (MACV).

 

What Are the Different Types of Property Insurance?

There are many forms of property insurance available today and the options for coverage can become confusing. Below is a brief summary of the most common property insurance types: Life Insurance: Life insurance has always been the most widely accepted form of property insurance. The most commonly available form of life insurance for homeowners is a term insurance policy that lasts up to 20 or 30 years. In general, the insured pays premiums for the policy up front and pays the cost of a person's death after a specified period of time. In some cases, this means paying until you die, or paying until you are almost dead. Some property insurance companies require that you continue to pay premiums until the end of the policy term.

 

How Much Does Property Insurance Cost and Where Do I Get It?

There are multiple ways to get insurance, from going through a private company, to choosing a public or state-run insurer, to buying from a third party company. Because the three largest insurers in the United States are State Farm, Allstate, and Liberty Mutual, there are huge disparities in the cost of insurance policies among those companies. The type and level of coverage also varies, depending on a person’s home, business, or auto. Generally speaking, if you are in a high-risk area, you will pay more for insurance than if you are in a less risky area, because of the additional risk that you may be exposed to. What Types of Property Insurance Are There? There are three main types of property insurance: earthquake, hurricane, and wind.

 

Who Should Have Property Insurance and Why?

Every household needs insurance to deal with common events that can lead to damage or loss. Most homes need renter’s insurance, but only if they rent out their property. A higher deductible on auto insurance might make sense if you’re a safe driver, but if you’re prone to accidents, the lower premium may not be worth the risk. Homeowners insurance may be the cheapest, easiest, and most convenient insurance, but it doesn’t cover a very wide range of damage. Flood insurance is necessary in many areas of the country, but it’s not appropriate for most houses. Generally, it makes sense to have coverage on the most important items in your home, and in particular to limit liability to low-value items.

 

Conclusion

A homeowners or auto insurance policy is pretty straightforward. Just make sure that you have a policy for the household that includes both the liability coverage that would be required for accidents and other losses, and the coverage to repair damage caused by them. You might want to consider purchasing homeowner’s or auto insurance at the same time that you have homeowner’s or auto insurance for your car, since it will include a second line of coverage that covers losses related to your automobile. For renters, although they may have a policy, many will not have a renter’s insurance policy. While this may seem like a benefit because renters are often in a hurry to get out of their rental, this will make them less safe if they are in a car accident.

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anton nugroho - Sep 4, 2021, 11:12 AM - Add Reply

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