Ashok built his dream house in Dehradun. Within 6 months, there was a flood and landslide damaging the construction and house contents. Ashok had taken loan to construct the house and bought all new fittings with all his savings. Can this not happen to anyone?
Ravi was intelligent to insure his house for over 10 years. He along with his wife began a kitchen service at home supplying food through Swiggy. One night due to commercial usage, there was a fire in house damaging all property. Would Ravi get a claim?
Ashok and Ravi would have had lesser tension if they had taken care of insuring the house and doing regular update by paying the premiums timely.
In InsuranceSamadhan.com’s A-Z Blog series on Insurance topics, we try to provide all vital information related to the Insurance sector and demystify certain myths related to the sector. In today’s blog, we are sharing detailed information regarding – Home Insurance policy – and everything that one needs to know.
House Insurance should be an integral part of risk management but somehow, we all neglect House Insurance. It provides a financial security against all uncertainties of life. We and our house are exposed to financial loss due to natural and manmade risks. This risk can be transferred to Insurance Company by paying premium which may be equivalent to a cost of family dinner.
What is Home Insurance?
It promises to compensate the financial loss of House and contents caused due to damage by natural or manmade reasons. House Insurance covers four components of House as given below:
- House Structure excluding the land. Compensation is done on the basis of cost of construction.
- Content including all furniture, fixtures and appliances which were declared on proposal stage. Claim is paid on depreciated value.
- Third party damage including accidental damage to any third person who was present.
- Accidental death or damage to occupants including domestic animal as declared at proposal stage.
List of covered and uncovered Perils in Home Insurance:
List of some of covered Perils are given below:
- Fire
- Flood including landslide
- Earthquake
- Cyclone
- Lightening
- Water overflow due to any water pipe
- Third Party damage like a truck hitting the house
- Riot
- Theft / Burglary
List of some of covered Perils are given below:
- War like situation
- Atomic impact
- Negligence
- Natural corrosion
- Unoccupied for over one month
- Joint domestic and commercial activity
How Comprehensive House Insurance is different?
Fire and other Perils insurance may be economical but does not include all possibilities whereas House Insurance has a wide coverage and covers losses under all circumstances including accidental death and disability of occupants. It also covers the losses due to theft and burglary.
Insurance Samadhan advises not to undertake any commercial activity in house covered under House Insurance.
House insurance is also available under Group cover and Housing Societies must opt for Group House Insurance after negotiating the price. Depending on the group size, over 50% discounts are available. Premium is also negotiated on the basis of precautions like Security, Fire Services, CCTV, Piped Gas.
Cover Duration: Normally annual cover is taken but long duration coverage up to 30 years can be taken. Banks and Housing loan companies ask for Housing cover linked to the term of loan. They take a single premium cover; this single premium is reduced from the loan amount.
Claim Procedure: Insurance company need to be informed immediately so that a surveyor is assigned. Do not do any changes till visit of surveyor. Normal FIR and Fire report is necessary along with loss estimate.
Insurance Samadhan recommendations on Home Insurance Policy:
- Form a society and take Group cover include limited contents. Negotiate price.
- If you are taking a Housing Loan, then don’t take cover from Loan provider. Negotiate with an Insurance Company and take yearly premium policy, assign the policy to loan provider.
- When you take a single premium plan , then you unnecessarily pay interest on the premium amount.
- Do not take a housing cover when your apartment is under construction because that property is not owned by you and insured by the developer.
Insurance Samadhan has a team of experts who will guide you and ensure maximum claim. Contact us in case of any claim dispute for early resolution.
To reach us at InsuranceSamadhan.com –
Call us at – 844 844 0626
Mail us at – corporate@insurancesamadhan.com
Register your insurance complaint here
