Month: March 2014

The abrupt shaking of the earth that happens during an earthquake can cause damage to a home’s foundation. Even the smallest magnitude earthquakes can cause slight cracking of the foundation, which can be extremely expensive to fix.

Many homeowners believe that their homeowners insurance will cover all, or most, of the cost to repair a cracked foundation, but that might not be the case. Even though an earth quake is considered an ‘act of God’, it is one of the perils that are listed as excluded from basic homeowner’s insurance policies.

When a homeowner’s policy lists a peril as excluded, it typically means that any expenses related to that incident will not be covered. Homeowners that are concerned about incurring the cost of damages due to an excluded peril may want to consider purchasing extra insurance coverage.

Many insurance companies offer earthquake insurance. This is often considered an addition to an existing homeowner’s insurance policy and will cost extra. How much extra this type of insurance will cost will depend upon a number of factors including how likely an earthquake is to occur in a specific area, the cost of the home, and how old a house is.

Even though homes in the Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas area are not in immediate danger of experiencing a cracked foundation due to an earthquake, it still may put a homeowner’s mind at ease to have that extra insurance coverage.

Our independent agents at Paragon Independent Insurance Agencies can help find the extra home insurance coverage you want and need. Working closely with an independent agent, you will be able to receive multiple quotes on homeowner’s insurance policies that may include coverage against damage caused by an earthquake.

When you invite dinner guests into your home, you may worry about the possibility of food poisoning. Even if food poison is not a concern, you may face high cost medical expenses if a guests in your home becomes sick from food poisoning shortly after a visit to your house. Fortunately, liability protection is available to help manage the cost in Dallas / Fort Worth, Texas.

Liability in a Policy

A homeowners insurance policy will usually have some protection against liability whenever a guest visits your home. The policy will protect against basic injuries, such as a fall down a flight of stairs or tripping on ice in front of your house. It may also protect against food poisoning when the other party proves that the sickness stems from the dinner that they ate.

Differences in Policies

Although liability protection may provide some relief from high cost medical expenses, you may discover that an exception or clause will prevent you from making a claim. Some insurers may not protect against food poisoning or may have a limitation on the amount of coverage. In some cases, it may be necessary to provide that the sickness stems from the house.

The problem with food poisoning is that it can come from a variety of sources and it may not show symptoms immediately. If the insurer discovers that the food poisoning did not take place in your home, then they may refuse to pay for the medical bills.

Liability protection is designed to help protect against high cost hospital bills by paying for the expenses. Depending on the situation and your policy, you may or may not be covered by your insurer. To learn more about liability protection, contact us to talk to an independent agent.