Home Insurance 101 - The Uninsured

Everyone needs homeowner's insurance, right? It used to feel almost as guaranteed as health insurance coverage. However, they both have serious barriers to entry. Here are some key ones to watch out for if you don't want to be on the wrong side of an insurance headache, trying to find insurance coverage, renewing or undergoing an inspection:

1. Roofs with moss, leaves, needles, chipped shingles etc. This gets top billing because it is so easy to see from sites like Google Earth. Additionally, roof leaks can cause major damage inside the house
   
   
2. Missing/rotting siding or trim. While this isn't as easy to see from a birdseye view, it can be easily spotted during an in-person inspection. Rotted on the outside could mean worse is hidden inside so insurance companies like to steer clear of rot issues.
   
   
3. Cracked masonry on foundations. Particulary if you have horizontal or widening cracks, those are signs of possible structural integrity and increased claim rates.
   
   
4. Rusted metal roofs. This is the shingle equivalent for metal roofs. Make sure to keep them painted and rust-free
   
   
5. Overgrown vegetation or overhanging trees. Overgrown vegetation touching a house is like leading a door wide open to the rot-monster. We covered that above. Overhanging tree limbs break and will fall straight down unless pushed by a major wind. Therefore, they are likely to land on your roof and cause some serious damage.
   
   
6. Rotting stairs or railings. This is bad boy #1 for liability claims because others can get seriously injured as a result
   
   
7. Outbuildings in disrepair. Falling down and ruining what is inside is bad enough. However, the potential for hurting someone else is an even bigger concern to insurance inspectors

Regular inspections, timely repairs, and preventive measures are the best ways to ensure your home remains insurable and safe. At TruBlue of Northern Vermont, we understand the importance of home maintenance and its role in ensuring that you are insurable at a competitive rates.