Obtaining solid Kansas homeowners insurance coverage is important to protecting yourself, the long term investment of your home, and your personal property. When shopping for homeowners insurance coverage in Kansas there are many different policies with different rates, as well as different types of homeowners insurance. Coverage for Kansas residents buying a house with the intention of renting it is different than your insurance coverage if you are going to live in it. The facts below involve coverage for your main residence.
Rate Differences In Kansas Homeowners Insurance Coverage
There are items in your homeowner’s insurance policy that are covered at different rates. For example, in Kansas the deductible for wind and hail damage are determined differently than your standard deduction set up in the policy. This deductible is determined by the value of your home. Usually it is 1% or 2% of the cost of the house but can be as much as 5%.
Flood coverage in the event of weather related disaster is also handled differently. Most flood damage is covered by FEMA and you will be required to contact them regarding coverage. This means that if the result of flooding of your home is caused by a storm, it falls under FEMA coverage, if your basement floods because of a broken water pipe or water tank, you will need to file the claim with your homeowners insurance company.
Levels Of Homeowners Insurance Coverage In Kansas
- HO1 – The first level specifies perils with very limited coverage. This is usually the minimum insurance that your lending agent will require.
- HO2 – The second level of homeowners insurance specifies perils with less limited coverage. Where it will not cover everything, it will cover a lot more than a HO1 policy.
- HO3 – This level of insurance covers all perils on buildings and specified perils on personal property excluding the risk of floods, earthquakes, war and nuclear accidents. You will want to look into the changes that were made in the act-of-war exemption. These have changed since the terrorist attack of September 11. Some insurance companies will now cover your home in the event of a terrorist attack. This is where you are able to start adding your personal effects as well as riders for jewelry, art or antique collections.
- HO4 – This is renters insurance. It will cover the cost of your personal effects but not the cost of the house you are living in.
- HO5 – Condominium insurance. This covers the owner’s personal property loss as well as the loss of use of the condo.
How To Find Out What Kind Of Kansas Homeowners Insurance Coverage You Need
Here is a list of questions to ask yourself when deciding what kind of coverage and how much you will need.
- Are you looking at purchasing only the minimum insurance that your mortgage lender is requiring of you, or do you want a comprehensive plan that protects your property and belongings?
- Is the home in a high crime rate area? If it is you will want to make sure you have optimal insurance against theft and vandalism.
- How far away is the local fire department and hydrant? If you have a slow response time of the fire department, you will want to make sure that you have optimal fire coverage.
- Do you have a dog? Is the yard fenced? Dog bites are one of the things that can drive up insurance rates. You are legally responsible if your dog bites someone on your property or kills a neighbors pet and most times homeowners insurance will offer coverage for this. You will have to check with the insurance company, it may be part of your standard coverage or you may have to have it added on, especially if you have a breed of dog that is considered high risk for attacks, such as a Pitt Bull or Akita.
- Does the property have a history of problems? This can be determined by looking at the Home Disclosure Report or the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE). These two reports will not only tell you what kind of problems the house has had in the past, but it will give you an idea of what kind of problems it may have in the future.
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