Covered Claims

Covered Events:

Damage Resulting from Wild Animal Intrusion:

If a wild animal, not normally know to “infest” a human dwelling, gets into your home and causes damage, the standard HO-1 through 5 policies will provide coverage for such an event. Damages, (other than fire damage), caused by rodents, of any kind, are excluded from coverage when the damage is a result of the infestation of the insured structure. Damage resulting from the homeowner’s own animals, be they wild or domestic is also excluded under the standard policy.

Damage from Lightning strikes:

Lightning striking your house or power lines which lead to your house is always covered under the standard HO-1 through 5 policies. In fact any damage caused by lightning, such as fire or electronic damage, is covered under the basic policy provisions even in central Florida -the lightning capital of the world!

Damage Resulting from Power Failures :

While every policy contains coverage for the loss of food in your refrigerator and freezer due to general power failures (usually up to $500), electronic devises, such as your home computer, are not covered for damages which are cause by power surges which occur when the power comes back on. In this case your best insurance policy is the purchase of a surge protector!

Damage from Appliances:

If your water heater explodes or your blender catches on fire, the resulting damage is covered under the standard HO-1 through 5 policies. Damages from this type of event are classified, by insurance companies, as sudden and accidental. The basic homeowner policy was created to cover “sudden and accidental” losses.

Damages from Civil Unrest:

In the case where terrorists or an antigovernment militia attempt to take over a town, and the homeowners dwelling is destroyed in the process the event will probably be covered by the standard HO-1 through 5 insurance policies under the peril-civil unrest. However, there is no historical precedent for coverage and given the nations current state of “War on Terrorism” an insurance company could argue the event falls under the exclusion for war. Given today’s political and social climate the coverage issues for such an event might just wind up in litigation!

Damages from Objects Colliding with Home and Meteorite Damage:

If you live on the corner of a busy street and a car leaves the road and collides with your home the resulting damage will be covered under vehicle collision clause of the standard HO-1 through 5 policies. But what happens if something falls from the sky, like an airplane or meteorite? Some meteorites, such as the one that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and led to the second ice age, will not be covered, as the damage they cause will probably be excluded as an Act of God. However, for smaller meteorites that merely destroy your home or a part thereof, there is coverage! In this event the coverage falls under the category of “objects falling from the sky”. This category will also cover you in the event an airplane or even space junk, such as the International space station, lands on your house.

Legal Defense Costs if Sued

What happens if someone does get hurt on your property and sues you for damages? In the unfortunate event that you are sued, your homeowner’s policy will cover the cost of your legal defense. Not only that, your insurance company will also provide the legal counsel. If there is a question as to policy coverage for the event, your homeowner’s insurance company is obligated to pay for “cumis” counsel, (counsel of your choosing) until the case or the disputed coverage issues are resolved.