Commonly excluded things in a homeowner’s policies are different kinds of weather events such as flooding. It can be as distinct as rain versus wind versus snow versus sleet. Intentional acts and sexual assaults and battery are also usually excluded. Underage drinking and alcohol might not be covered as well, but it depends on the circumstances. You have to be really sure what your homeowner’s coverage is and whether or not it is covering the things that you are most worried about.
Q: Is it worthwhile for me to have an attorney review my insurance policy?
You don’t necessarily need an attorney to review your insurance policy. However, everyone should be very wary about buying insurance online without having someone to walk you through the coverage. It is important that you understand what you’re buying and what the limitations are, and believe it or not, it’s also really important to read the policy when you get it to make sure it is what you thought you were buying. Insurance policies are very hard to read so it’s recommended that you go with an insurance agent who can walk you through your policy and tell you whether or not it is what you thought you were buying.
Q: Is there any kind of insurance agents’ malpractice where you think you are buying something and it turns out you are not?
It’s usually a situation where somebody has specifically requested an amount or a kind of insurance that is not ultimately put into the policy. It is not an uncommon situation and there are insurance agents carrying insurance for exactly that reason. Pay attention when you call your insurance agent because a lot of times you’ll notice they say we cannot bind your insurance by phone or can’t bind it by voicemail. Make sure you actually have the policy and the coverage you want. That is also important when you’re buying a car. You want to make sure you’ve got your coverage in place. Most policies cover you even if you haven’t changed the insurance at the moment you purchased it. But if you’re buying a new car you really don’t want to risk it. Make sure your insurance company knows you’re buying a new car.
