Home Insurance Reduces Your Stress During Wildfires

Keep yourself and your family from being homeless in the off chance that your house is destroyed by a wildfire. Get a homeowners insurance.

Each year, an average of 100,000 wildland fires burn millions of acres of land across the U.S., according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety. In the one-year-period to November alone, more than 77,000 wildfires burned an estimated 5.26 million acres, according to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC).

During these wildfires, hundreds of homes have been damaged, if not totally burned. In the Santa Barbara wildfire of November alone, more than 100 homes have been destroyed.

These statistics should concern you, especially if your house is in areas of the U.S. frequently hit by wildfires. Protect your home ownership. Research on homeowners insurance policies and buy one.

What are the things you should remember when buying a home insurance?

1. Choose a home insurance quote that will enable you to rebuild your home. Calculate using the replacement value of the house and not the cash value.
2. Ask about three contractors to estimate the cost of rebuilding your house. Use these amounts to arrive at the amount of your insurance coverage.
3. Ask your insurance agent about additional coverages such as temporary accommodations while your house is being rebuilt or repaired.
4. Ask if the home insurance company covers damages caused by soot or smoke.
5. Ask your agent what you can do to receive discounts on the insurance costs. You may have to install fire alarms, smoke detectors or fire extinguishers.
6. Remind your agent about discounts on your home insurance cost if your house is just a mile or two from a fire department or if your house is largely made of fire-resistant materials.

Lastly, lower the risk of damages from wildfires by trimming your trees, storing wooden materials away from the house and maintaining a wide clearing around your house.