Does homeowners insurance cover fire damage? In recent times, homes have caught fire for nearly many reasons. Fire damage can happen from a gas cooker being left on for too long to lightning strikes. You can easily reduce the risk of fire damage by monitoring your gas cooker or by not firing the grill close to your deck railing.
However, since many homeowners cannot get rid of every physical risk, there are always questions like “Does my homeowners insurance policy cover fire damage?” Here is a quick review of what you need to know about fire damage coverage on a homeowner’s insurance policy.
Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Fire Damage?
Yes, homeowner’s insurance covers the fire damage to your home in certain events. In addition, this policy typically covers your home and the belongings in it. Most include coverage that can help make payments for repairs or to replace your home. And it’s content if they are destroyed by fire.
A standard home insurance policy helps to cover perils. Many people own a HO-3 policy, which provides certain coverage for your home’s structure. This generally means that every cause of the fire damage is typically covered, apart from things that are specifically excluded from your policy.
What Are the Types of Fire Damage the Homeowners Insurance Covers?
Just so you know, your home policy is likely to cover damages done to your home by these fire sources as long as they are accidental and sudden.
- Fire pit fires
- Also, Candle Fires
- Faulty appliances
- Brush fires
- Fire damages caused by Vandals
- Garage fires
- Brush fires
- Wood stoves and fires
- Overloaded circuits
- Faulty appliances
- Barbecue grill fires
- Candle fires
- Kitchen fires (including unattended stoves or greased fires)
- Space heater fires
- Propane tank explosions
- Lastly, Christmas trees fire
As long as the fire damage done to your apartment is not intentional, then the policy is likely to cover it.
What It Does Not Cover?
Just as mentioned above, the policy may not cover all of the events. For example, if you start a fire in your home intentionally, the insurer will not pay to help repair the damage. Also, most homeowners’ insurance providers do not cover damage that is caused by an act of war.
Here are also some cases where the home insurance policy might not work.
- Vermin: Most providers look at damages caused by mice, raccoons, and other animals as preventable. Rats or mice chewing on electrical wiring can lead to a fire. Your policy may not cover the vermin problem that you neglected.
- Also, neglect or lack of maintenance: if you neglect obvious damage to your house and it leads to a fire, your insurer may not cover it.
- Vacant property: if you leave your home vacant for too long or you move out, your policy may not cover it.
- Seepage or continuous water leakage: Just so you know, damage done by water can lead to electrical fires. If you have had a gap in your policy for a long time and a fire breaks out in your home, your policy may not cover it.
If fire damages are caused by any of these acts, you might have to pay for them from your own pockets. Because your insurer might not cover it, depending on your policy.
Types of Homeowners Insurance Fire Coverage and the Limits
Your homeowner’s policy is made up of six coverages, which may be very relevant when there is a fire.
| Types of coverage | What it covers | Amount of Coverage |
| Dwelling | Destruction and fire damage to your home structure | You will have to choose (this is subject to minimums that are prompted by your home loan lender and maximums allowed by your provider based on your rebuilding costs). |
| Other Structures | Fire damage to structures on your property that are not attached to your apartment | About 10 percent of the dwelling coverage |
| Personal property | The cost of replacing or repairing your personal items, such as electronics, appliances, clothing damaged by fire, water, etc. | This is often in the range of 70 percent of dwelling coverage. |
| Loss of use | Additional living expenses, like hotel expenses while your home is being attended to after an outbreak, might exceed your normal daily expenses. | About 20 percent of the dwelling coverage |
| Liability | This helps to cover legal expenses if you are sued for damages or injuries caused by a fire that happened in your home. | The limits mostly begin at $100,000. |
| Medical payments | Medical payments for a person who got injured by the fire that happened in your apartment | This is always between $1,000 and $5,000. |
Depending on your type of policy, you may be able to get more coverage than the one listed above.
How Can I File for Fire Damage?
A fire outbreak in your home? This is how you can easily file for a homeowner’s insurance claim:
- First of all, contact your insurance company and file your claim over the phone or on their websites.
- Take pictures and necessary videos of the fire damage and send them to your provider.
- Ensure you secure your belongings against further damage by making the repairs needed. Make sure you avoid any major repairs until the adjuster has made assessments.
- Also, after you have filed your claim, your provider will send a claim adjuster to look at your home damages and file the report. Make sure you respond well to messages and calls from the adjuster.
- Once the report is done, you will be provided with an estimate of the amount your insurance carrier paid for the repairs.
After everything is done, keep receipts for your temporary repairs. And other costs your insurer included in your policy.
Conclusion
Finally, a homeowner’s insurance policy can help cover fire damage to your home and personal belongings. It can also help to cover the cost of medical bills if someone gets injured by the fire that happened in your home today. Get insurance for your home today and protect yourself against sudden financial expenses.