Make Sure You Have Enough Homeowners/Condo Insurance
You never know if and when something will happen — whether it’s a big catastrophe or something less destructive – so you need to be prepared!
It’s essential to choose the right company, the right price, and the right coverage for your specific situation.
Keep in mind, homeowners insurance is really a collection of different kinds of coverage such as fire, theft, liability and windstorm wrapped up into a single policy.
Whether you’re a current homeowner who may need to upgrade your coverage or a potential new buyer who is purchasing home insurance for the first time, review these steps so you have the right coverage for YOU:
How Do You Determine Coverage?
Your coverage should be based on the square footage of your home, but it must also factor in how much it will cost per square foot to rebuild in case of disaster.
The cost to rebuild a home in the San Francisco Bay Area ranges from about $250-$300 per square foot and up, especially given the rising cost of lumbar and supply chain delays of today. You may want to insure a bit higher than your insurance company suggests.
Your insurance company will most likely require you to purchase coverage that insures 80% of the replacement value of the home.
Be sure to take into consideration everything that you have inside the home, which will also need to be replaced in the event of disaster.
Do You Have Enough Coverage?
Get current information about what your home is worth today, and how much it would cost to rebuild it. Again, you may want to go higher to reflect the Bay Area average costs to rebuild.
Make sure that your deductible is set at a price that you can afford in the event that you must rebuild or do extensive repairs to your home.