FAQs
I bought a car during the weekend, am I covered?
If you have an existing auto policy, you will have automatic coverage for a newly acquired car for 30 days. Your automatic coverage is the same as the broadest coverage you already have on your policy. So if you have at least one car with liability, medical, uninsured motorist, comprehensive and collision, your newly acquired car will also have these coverages. If none of your existing cars have collision coverage, neither will your newly acquired car.
 
Someone broke into my car! Is my stuff covered?
If you have comprehensive coverage, the damage done to your car is covered, along with any equipment pertaining to the maintenance and use of your car is covered if it is stolen-like a tool kit or emergency kit and up to 5 CDs or cassette tapes. Any other personal property that is stolen must be claimed under your homeowner policy.
 
My teenager is taking drivers training, when do I need to add him/her to my policy?
Not until they has been issued a driver's license. At this point we have a brief questionnaire for your young driver to complete. This will give us direction on how to classify them on your policy. We also like to have young drivers come in for an interview to talk about thier new responsibility and privilege as a licensed driver.
 
Does my auto policy cover a rental car?
Yes and No. Your auto policy will cover a temporary substitute auto, like a car that you rent. Coverage extends to comprehensive and collision if you already have this protection on your policy. HOWEVER, your policy will only respond to direct damage to the rental car. Many rental car companies will also charge you for the number of days the car was in the body shop being repaired. Since they could not rent the car during this time, they will look to you for reimbursement. Many gold and platinum credit cards will pay for damage you might do to the rental car, if you use that particular card to rent the car. If this is the case, you can refuse the damage waiver coverage on the rental car agreement and look to your credit card for damage you are responsible for. Check with your credit card company for details.
 
My tree fell down in my own yard, will my policy help with clean up?
Yes, if the tree falls on your house, outbuilding or fence. In this case damage to the structure and debris removal up to $500 is covered, subject to your deductible. If the tree falls over and does not damage a structure, there is no coverage for clean-up or the value of the tree.
 
My tree fell over on my neighbor's garage, am I covered?
This is a question of liability and whether or not you are negligent. If you know the tree is weak or diseased and do nothing about it, your homeowner policy will probably take care of your neighbor's damage under the liability section. HOWEVER, if a strong wind blows your tree down and there is nothing to indicate that it was in poor condition, your homeowner policy will probably not respond, because there was no negligence on your part. Coverage is triggered by negligence. No negligence? No coverage.
 
I just got my homeowners insurance renewal. There is no way I could sell this house for as much as it is insured for.
That may be true. However, the insured value of your home is not based on market value or assessed value. The insurance company is obligated to rebuild your house to be just like it was before the loss. Reconstruction must take into account the added cost of debris removal and the higher cost of labor involved in working in confined areas and matching materials that may not have been damaged. The cost of putting you back into your home after a loss is typically more than the cost of new construction.
 
Will my homeowners policy cover my cars and/or motorcycle while they are in the garage?
No. A homeowner policy will only cover motorized vehicles that are used strictly for maintaining your premises. This means your lawnmower, lawn tractor, garden tiller are covered, but your car, street bike, dirt bike is not. When a policy has an exclusion like this, it is usually because there is another type of policy that specifically covers the item in question-like your auto or motorcycle policy.