For most people, a home is the largest single investment they will ever make. Protecting your investment against losses is important – make sure you have enough of the right types of coverage. As an independent insurance agency, we represent a number of different insurance companies, and can structure an insurance package that provides you with adequate and appropriate insurance, without any provisions you don’t need.

A standard homeowner’s policy consists of four parts. Click on the links below for more information.

Home and Other Structures

Personal Property

Loss of Use

Comprehensive Personal Liability

Coverage A & B: Home and Other Structures     ▲TOP

This covers your home and other structures on your property (garages, outbuildings, fences) for a variety of risks including:

• fire

• smoke damage

• lightning/hurricane/tornado/windstorm/hail

• damage by aircraft

• rain damage through an opening caused by wind or hail

• damage by vehicles

• building collapse

• explosion/riot/civil commotion

• vandalism/malicious mischief

• falling objects

• water escape (overflow from plumbing, heating, or air conditioning), but not flood

At The Hartwell Corporation, we recommend that your home be insured at a replacement value, rather than relying on market value as an indicator of your needed insurance coverage. Insuring your home at replacement value assures you that you'll be able to rebuild a house of similar construction in the same location with the similar materials and craftsmanship.

Coverage C: Personal Property     ▲TOP

This coverage protects your personal belongings such as furniture, appliances, clothing, and similar property. The homeowner policy typically includes a Personal Property limit equal to 70% of the dwelling insured limit. Because some belongings of special value are better insured specifically, your Homeowners Policy limits the amount you can collect for such items as jewelry, furs, and fine art. To ensure you have the proper protection for these items, you will need to obtain specific insurance for these items.

Coverage D: Loss of Use     ▲TOP

Loss of Use pays for the extra cost of living if your home is not habitable due to an event
covered by your policy.

Coverage E: Comprehensive Personal Liability     ▲TOP

In the event that someone is injured on your property as a result of negligence, liability coverage protects you from claims up to the Personal Liability Limit of your policy. Personal Liability Coverage can also cover negligent actions away from your home that arise from your non-business activities such as an errant golf ball breaking the window of a nearby structure. The Medical Payments Sublimit provides coverage for minor injuries to others on your premises, regardless of who is at fault. Personal Liability and Medical Payments Coverages are not subject to a deductible.

Earthquake and flood insurance are excluded from the standard homeowner policy. In some cases, earthquake coverage may be added by endorsement to the homeowner policy. Flood coverage may be required by your mortgage lender and typically has a waiting period after the application has been submitted before coverage takes effect.

Insurance coverage is also available for individuals who own a condominium, rent a home or apartment, or own a residential dwelling rented to others. Contact our office for additional information on those types of insurance.

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