I am joined by Seth Arruda to talk to you about looking for insurance in the middle of a real estate transaction. I have some tips and tricks which should help you win in the San Diego market.
So, what things must a consumer know to make an educated choice about insurance coverage? Let’s take a look at the five questions consumers should ask themselves.
1. What is covered?
2. How much coverage do you need?
3. How do you insure your personal property and belongings?
4. How do you insure the items which mean the most?
5. What about liability?
To start with, what is covered? In California, standard hazard or fire insurance, as everyone likes to call it, insures you for sudden, accidental occurrences and catastrophic perils such as fire, wind, hail, and lightning.
How much coverage does a client need on a house? This is where we get into talking about replacement cost value of a home. Insurance companies insure the structures based on their reconstruction costs, so they are not concerned with the market value of a home.
What about insuring personal belongings? You need to make sure that you carry replacement cost value for all the contents in your home. With this insurance, if any of your personal items are destroyed due to a covered peril, you will get the full replacement for those items such as furniture, electronics, clothing, etc.
How do I cover my expensive jewelry, diamonds, gold, collectibles, and antiques? The insurance companies call those items “scheduled personal property,” and you want to make sure that they are itemized on your insurance policy. You will usually need an appraisal or receipt showing the value of the items.
Finally, what do we cover with liability? Liability is attached to your home insurance and will give you liability protection for your residence premises and personal injury matters. You want to have proper liability for things such as libel or slander.
As you can see, there is a lot that goes into insurance, which is why you should have a good insurance broker that can shop several different options. You can contact Seth at (760) 724-2124 if you would like to speak to him about a new policy or modifying your existing policy.
If you are interested in buying or selling, please feel free to reach out to me by phone or email. I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Seth Arruda
Alta Vista Insurance
(760) 724-2124
altavistainsurance.com
