Homeownership comes with a lot of responsibilities and challenges. You’ve got to keep up with your mortgage, property taxes, and home insurance. You don’t want to pile on costs or lose the value of your house through unnecessary damages. Anytime something happens to your house, and you need to file an coverage claim, you risk an increase in premiums. No one wants to see any of their living costs rise. Your home’s value could also go down when you experience any damage. It pays to be proactive and put actions in place that will keep your premiums at bay.
Understanding some of the common home insurance claims folks in Georgia deal with will help you take steps to prevent these from happening and lower costs.
Understanding the Common Claims and the Impact on Homeowners
When something unexpected hits your house, you’re going to be leaning on that home policy. So, you might be flipping through your plan wondering what homeowners insurance doesn’t cover in Georgia. Whether it’s Mother Nature or something else, no one wants to see their house torn up. Not only does this lead to extra costs, but it throws a wrench in your whole routine. You’ll deal with people in and out of the house, fixing things. That’s if you don’t have to stay somewhere else because of all the damage.
Even with a home insurance policy, you will have out-of-pocket costs. You’ll have your deductible to pay out, and, if some parts of your claim are denied, you may have to pay for part of the expense to fix the problem. Just imagine you have water damage that causes problems throughout the house. You could be dealing with everything from the floors to the framework. Costs can really skyrocket, heading into the tens of thousands of dollars.
The Importance of Proactive Prevention
As with anything else in life, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” You don’t want to take the chance that a home insurance claim will be denied. In other words, if you take a little time to be proactive and protect your house from the usual wear and tear, you may be able to prevent home insurance claims. It’s important to take steps to minimize any damage before it happens. You’ll get away from the hassle of getting repairs completed and save any more costs that come along because of the damage.
Tackling Georgia’s Top Home Insurance Claims
Some coverage claims are more common than others. Your Georgia home insurance agent will have your back if you run into trouble. They can explain issues like what family liability protection covers and more. But let’s take a look at some common claims so you can work to prevent them from happening.
Navigating Water Damage: The Leading Culprit
Water leaks or pipes bursting can lead to extensive damage for the homeowner. Whether you have a small leak that builds up over time or a sudden gush of water from a burst pipe, you can expect to see some type of damage. Even though you might not feel like this will happen to you, it’s one of the most common claims made.
By keeping an eye on your appliances and water sources, you can catch issues early and prevent costly damage and potential claims denials for waiting too long.
Fire and Lightning Perils: Staying Ahead of the Flames
Home fires can cause a lot of awful damage. Fires are one of the top home claims. It only takes a little spark to set off a blaze. With thousands of fires occurring every year, it pays to put steps in place to reduce this from happening.
Most fires are caused by carelessness, which means many of them can be prevented. By being mindful of fire and heat sources, you may be able to save your home from a fire. Some things to do to prevent a house fire include the following:
- Stay near the stove when cooking.
- Don’t leave lit candles unattended.
- Stay with any portable heat source you’re using.
- Never overload the electrical outlets.
- Be sure all appliances have quality electrical cords, not frayed ones.
- Keep all flammable things away from the stove or oven. This includes towels, washcloths, and oven mitts.
- Have a pan lid nearby when cooking. This will come in handy if a grease fire starts. You can use the lid to cover the pan and put out the fire.
- Make sure you have smoke alarms near the kitchen.
Weather Woes: Mitigating Wind, Hail, and Storm Damage
Living in Georgia doesn’t mean you’re off the hook from a nasty storm now and then. Whenever a storm rolls through with wind, hail and rain, you might be left with a trail of damage. These types of storms are the reasons folks file claims around here.
Whether it’s strong winds or hail, you could experience shingle, siding or roof damage. And it’s not only outside damage, you may also find water leaks inside.
You can help prevent wind and hail damage by the following steps:
- Keep up to date with regular roof maintenance. Check the roof for any loose shingles or areas where water could get inside.
- Look into impact-resistant materials for your roof and siding.
- Keep trees trimmed so they are not too close to your home. Then, if branches get struck by lightning or knocked down by wind, they won’t fall on the house, creating greater problems.
- Secure any outdoor items like porch furniture, grills, and other miscellaneous things.
Your trees and outside furniture could be a problem with people who live close to you, as well. Learn when Georgia homeowners insurance covers damage to your neighbor’s property before the next storm.
Theft and Burglary: Prioritizing Home Security
Nobody likes to think their house would get burglarized, but it does happen. It isn’t as common a claim as others, but it still happens from time to time. You can take preventive measures to minimize this risk. One of the easiest ways to avoid this is to lock your doors and windows before leaving or going to bed. Also, don’t leave a spare key in an easy-to-find place.
Another smart way to keep burglars away is to install a home security system. You may even get a discount with your home coverage carrier if you install a security monitoring system.
Specific How-To Tips: Preventative Measures Across Scenarios
As mentioned, it’s always better to nip potential problems in the bud before they lead to a claim. There are a few minor things you can add to your routine to reduce your chances of a mishap.
Daily Checks to Avoid a Washing Machine Mishap
It only takes a little drip, drip, drip to lead to water damage. One common problem leading to water dripping is broken or leaking washing machine hoses. Since around six gallons a minute can leak through a broken washing machine hose, a burst hose will flood the room with water. It’s easy to stay on top of this before it becomes a problem. To avoid be sure to inspect your washing machine hoses regularly and replace them if you see signs of damage.
Keeping Your Hot Water Heater in Check
Your hot water tank can end up leaking, too, if it gets damaged or becomes old. Here are a few tips to stay on top of it:
- Inspect your water heater to ensure it’s not on its last leg and ready to fail.
- Be sure to have your water heater flushed out twice a year. This ensures that sediment doesn’t build up.
- Place a drip pan beneath your water heater.
- Check the location of your water heater. Is it in a place that, if it leaks, would cause extensive repairs? You might try putting it in the garage if possible.
- Replace your water heater when it wears out, which is usually between eight and 12 years.
Dishwasher Diligence to Avert Unwanted Leaks
Dishwashers are another appliance that, when damaged, lead to leak issues. You can avoid leaks from a dishwasher by checking behind the kick plate every six months for signs of water. Also, take a peek under the kitchen sink where the hose feeds into the water. If you notice the dishwasher seal is looking brittle or damaged, it’s time to repair or replace it.
Ensuring Your Roof Can Withstand the Elements
Can your roof handle a storm with strong winds? If your roof is impacted by a terrible windstorm and becomes damaged, it can lead to a lot of other damage. Water can leak in; and rodents and other pests can wiggle through any gaps in the roof, too. Your roof is highly important since it shields the rest of the house from the elements.
Take time to inspect your roof regularly, especially after a storm.