Your home is where your heart—and much of your money—is. Ensuring your home and belongings are protected is essential. Many Floridians who live by the coast or further inland experience storm or hurricane damage and homeowners insurance can help you bounce back after a covered event like a fire, hurricane or other covered event.

What Is Homeowners Insurance?

Homeowners coverage is a package policy that includes both property protection and liability coverage. This type of insurance helps financially protect you should you experience damage or loss to your dwelling, structures on your property and your personal property. It also provides financial protection against any bodily injury or property damage claims for which you may be liable. Finally, it can also provide coverage for additional living expenses if your home is damaged and you must live elsewhere while repairs are made.

How Does Homeowners Insurance Work?

The process of purchasing homeowners insurance differs by insurer. A McKee Insurance Agency team member can explain our process and help you to obtain the coverage you need.

Homeowners insurance is a contractual agreement with your insurer whereby you agree to make regular premium payments in exchange for providing the coverage defined in your policy. If you experience a covered loss during your policy period, you may choose to file a claim against your policy. Each insurance company also has its own claims process, and we can help you navigate our claims process.

Is Homeowners Insurance Required?

Generally, no state or federal laws require you to have homeowners insurance. However, if you plan to have a mortgage on your home, your lender may require proof of insurance before approving your home loan. If you decline home coverage, you may be at risk, potentially assuming high financial costs if you have a substantial loss. We can help you with affordable home insurance that gives you the protection you may need and that your lender may require.

What Does Home Insurance Cover?

The coverage protections included in your home insurance depend on your specific policy. Typically, most homeowners insurance consists of the following protections:

 

·        Liability protection—This portion of your policy may help pay for bodily injury and property damage you or a listed party on your policy cause. It may also help cover the costs associated with a third party’s injury on your property, including court costs and awards up to your policy limit. The liability portion of your policy may also help pay your court costs and any awards up to your policy’s limit. Some people may buy an additional umbrella insurance policy for broader coverage, including claims for libel and slander.

·        Personal belongings—This portion of your policy may help cover the repair or replacement costs for furniture, clothing, sports equipment and other personal items stolen or damaged by a covered incident. If you have expensive or high-value items, you may choose to add a personal property endorsement or floater to insure more expensive items for their appraised value.

·        Property structure—This portion of your policy may help cover the costs associated with repairing or rebuilding your home if it’s damaged or ruined by a covered event. The policy may extend coverage to detached structures on your property, including garages or gazebos. Please note that damages caused to your property's structure due to hurricanes, flooding or windstorms may not be covered under the standard home insurance policy. Talk to your agent about securing additional lines of coverage.

·        Additional living expenses—This portion of your policy may help pay for your living costs if you must live elsewhere because of a covered incident. Your hotel bills, meals and other living expenses may be covered—up to your policy limit.

As a Floridian, you may live in an area that might be affected by incidents such as flooding or hurricanes. In that case, you may want to purchase additional coverage, such as a personal property endorsement, or a separate insurance policy, such as flood or hurricane insurance.

Protect Your Livelihood

McKee Insurance Agency can help ensure your home and belongings have the protection that will give you peace of mind. Call 850-224-6055 to speak with one of our agents about homeowners insurance or any other insurance need.