Homeowners Insurance in San Diego

The first thing is first, what is homeowners insurance? Homeowners insurance is property insurance designed to cover the house you live in plus all that makes up your home.

​There are many reasons to buy homeowners insurance in California; the following are just a few of the major ones:

• Providing property coverage–to cover the actual home itself and your belongings if they get damaged or destroyed.
• Providing liability coverage – If a neighbor or friend is injured or killed on your property, your homeowner's policy will cover your legal obligations.
• Home loan requirements- your mortgage lender makes insurance a condition of a home loan.

You should still carry a homeowner insurance policy if you do not have a mortgage. Skipping on coverage to save money could cost you way more in the long run.

For example, replacing a roof can cost a homeowner thousands of dollars, which most of us don't have lying around. Or consider this, what if someone accidentally drowns in your pool? It could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospital charges. Legally you would be responsible for covering those costs out of pocket if you do not have homeowners insurance.

​Common Perils Covered by a Homeowners Insurance Policy

The first thing to understand about your coverage is it's not automatic. It only kicks in when there is a covered loss.
Covered perils on a homeowners policy may include:

• Fire, smoke, wind, hail, lightning, explosions, or civil unrest
• Trees and other falling objects
• Theft or vandalism
• Rupturing and sudden overflowing of plumbing, heating, air-conditioning appliances, or sprinkler system
• Weight of ice, snow, sleet, and freezing rain

​Common Perils Not Covered by Your Homeowners Policy

​It's important to understand that your insurance policy doesn't cover everything. Some things that are not covered happen pretty frequently. The most notorious excluded perils include:

• Acts of war or overthrow of the government
• Floods or sewers that back up into the home
• Damage from pets, birds, rodents, or insects
• Land movement, including earthquakes, landslides, and mudflows
• Deliberate damage to the home
• Pollution damage
• Normal wear and tear

Now that You Know What is Covered, Know How Much Coverage You Need

When going through the quote process, we will discuss how much of a dwelling limit, personal liability, and medical payments you need before purchasing the policy. The value of your home is typically the deciding factor on what these limits should be.

Loss of use allows a limit of 20 percent of the dwelling limit, and other structures are 10 percent of that amount. For instance, your dwelling coverage limit is $450,000, and coverage for contents or personal property is 50 percent of your dwelling limit. So your coverage for the personal property would be $250,000, loss of use would be $90,000, and other structures would be $45,000.

Understanding Your Policy Deductibles

Many San Diego residents get confused when it comes to deductibles. Deductibles are affordable for most homeowners and apply to both the home and personal property. Basically, a deductible is how much you pay out of pocket before the insurance company pays. The reason for deductibles is to mitigate frivolous claims filed against the insurer. If you find yourself stumped on deductibles, feel free to reach out to us anytime!

Finding the Right Homeowners Insurance in San Diego

​There are various types of insurance policies out there, and they are as unique as the companies that offer them. When shopping for new coverage, we recommend going through the following checklist:

• The type of claims, if any, you have had in your home.
• Does it affect the premium when renewing the policy if I submit a new claim?
• Does my credit history affect the cost?
• What is covered by the policy? What is not? What are the coverage limits?
• How much coverage will I need for my stuff?
• How much liability coverage do I need?
• Do I need flood insurance or earthquake coverage as well?

Variables that Determine Your California Homeowners Insurance Premium

​Many factors go into determining the premiums you pay. Each insurance carrier charges a different premium based on their individual rating criteria. How much insurance coverage you decide to buy will also affect the premium. But there are many other factors, and we are happy to walk you through all of them.

Our knowledgeable insurance professionals are experienced in creating personal insurance policies designed to fit your needs. With Richard Turner Insurance, our friendly staff will work with you on a one-on-one basis to develop the perfect protection package and a lasting relationship.

When you work with Richard Turner Insurance, we'll provide the quality service you are looking for and attention to detail that you can only find with an independent insurance agency. Please feel free to contact us at any time about anything