{"id":6297,"date":"2022-08-22T07:51:34","date_gmt":"2022-08-22T14:51:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/?p=6297"},"modified":"2022-12-21T04:49:00","modified_gmt":"2022-12-21T04:49:00","slug":"what-your-la-homeowners-insurance-does-and-doesnt-cover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/what-your-la-homeowners-insurance-does-and-doesnt-cover\/","title":{"rendered":"What Your LA Homeowners Insurance Does (and Doesn\u2019t) Cover"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Your homeowners insurance policy<\/a> is critical. Not only could it be disastrous to your finances if you experienced major damage and didn\u2019t have this coverage, but you almost certainly couldn\u2019t get a loan to buy your Los Angeles-area residence without it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But what does your LA homeowners insurance actually get you? What\u2019s covered and what isn\u2019t? We\u2019ll help you get a general idea of when you can confidently turn in for a claim, but be sure to keep your policy in easy reach for details. And don\u2019t hesitate to contact your insurance agent when you have questions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Los Angeles residents live interesting lives. California, and particularly this region of the state, are known for earthquakes, wildfires<\/a>, mudslides, and other potentially destructive phenomena. Anyone who owns a home here has to feel secure that their property is covered for financially crippling damage from such catastrophes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And you are \u2014 for the most part. Your standard homeowners policy will almost certainly pay for most natural disasters<\/a>. Those include wildfires and smoke damage, tornadoes and strong windstorms, hail, and lightning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So far, so good. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, most policies don\u2019t cover earthquakes (uh oh), floods, or such flood-related carnage as mudslides and landslides. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You might have\u202fchuckled at the thought of floods being a problem here. After all, most of Southern California (and the American West in general, for that matter) is undergoing a strong and long-lasting drought. You figure you have little reason to fear flooding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, droughts can actually cause the worst flooding. That\u2019s because the ground gets so hard that when it does rain, the water doesn\u2019t seep into the soil. It runs off until it comes up against an obstacle \u2014 which might be your basement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition, the terrain in and around LA, which consists of mountains, dips, and valleys, can turn the water flow into flash floods<\/a>, depending on where you live. Then there are the well-documented effects of climate change, seen in so many destructive ways across the globe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Does the fact that floods, earthquakes, and landslides aren\u2019t generally covered turn you off to the whole idea of owning a home in Greater Los Angeles? It shouldn\u2019t. Flood and earthquake coverage can be added to your standard homeowners policy as endorsements or add-on coverage to optimize your home\u2019s protection and your sense of security. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Destructive actions such as theft, vandalism, fires, fallen tree limbs, pest infection such as termites, and natural disasters are unforeseen. In such situations, you can\u2019t be expected to have anticipated the looming damage and protected your home<\/a> against it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Damage caused by the homeowner\u2019s neglect of regular maintenance, however, is not covered. The idea here is that a homeowner should reasonably know that such neglect can eventually result in serious and expensive damage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Take your roof, for instance. If you let it go in disrepair for decades and then rainwater or moisture gets in over several months\u2019 time, and you end up with severe mold damage that must be professionally removed, you probably won\u2019t receive a settlement from your insurer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, if a tornado or strong windstorm comes in one day, rips off your shingles, and causes major damage to your interior, this will almost certainly be covered, up to your coverage limits. That\u2019s because your insurer would have never expected you to anticipate the brutal weather phenomenon or the destruction that would result. (And even if you could predict the weather pattern, what would you have been able to do about it?) <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, remember that it\u2019s not only your home\u2019s main structure that\u2019s covered. An unattached garage, tool shed, and other outbuildings should\u202falso be a part of your policy. <\/p>\n\n\nDoes LA Homeowners Insurance Cover Natural Disasters? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019re Generally Covered by Home Insurance When Caught by Surprise <\/h2>\n\n\n\n