Not many individuals in Aurora, CO, besides All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc. staff, indulge in reading homeowners’ insurance policies. Those who do might occasionally stumble upon terms they find challenging to comprehend.

One such term is ‘outbuildings.’ Are they covered under a homeowners’ insurance policy? This post will provide some insights about outbuildings and their coverage under home insurance.

What Are Outbuildings?

Outbuildings are structures on an insured property that serve a purpose and hold value. These include an unattached garage, shed or sheds, and even fencing.

Are Outbuildings Covered Under a Homeowners’ Insurance Policy?

Yes, outbuildings are typically covered under most basic homeowners insurance policies. They are usually insured against the same perils as the primary structure.

Coverage Limits for Outbuildings.

Outbuilding coverage limits are generally a percentage of the main structure’s coverage. If there is a significant unattached structure on the property or one with substantial upgrades, homeowners may want to consider additional coverage to insure these structures to their full value.

Outbuilding Maintenance

It is essential to note that outbuildings must be adequately maintained to be fully covered. If damage occurs due to poor maintenance, such as rotting fencing, an infested wood shed, or wear and tear, it may not be covered.

Get the Answers to Your Questions

One advantage of being insured through All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc. is access to professionals who can answer your insurance inquiries. If you are a homeowner in the Aurora, CO, area, we invite you to contact us for a homeowner’s insurance review and price quote.

Winter can start early in Colorado. Preparing your home for winter should begin before the snow starts to fall.  At All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc. in Aurora, CO, we work for our customers to get them the right policy at the best price. 

Winter Home Preparation Tips

Have your chimney cleaned

Cuddling up in front of a roaring fire when the weather outside is frightful is a part of winter in Colorado. Before your first fire of the year, it is vital to get the chimney cleaned to lower the risk of a chimney fire. 

Get a furnace clearing and tuneup

In order for your furnace to work at maximum efficiency, it is essential to get it cleaned and tuned up. This is a proactive way to avoid a breakdown in the dead of winter. 

Make sure your snow blower is working

Don’t wait until the first snowfall to ensure your snow blower is operational. If it is not working as it should, you will have the time to repair it yourself or take it in for repair. 

Load up on sand and salt

Head to your local home improvement store or warehouse for bags of salt and sand. When ice is an issue, salt and sand are a big help in allowing your vehicle to get a grip on the driveway. Get an extra bag to keep in your vehicle. 

Clean your gutters

Fall is very hard on gutters. When the leaves fall from the trees, they can clog up the gutters and affect the gutter’s ability to drain correctly. Installing grates over the gutter to allow the water through but not the leaves is a good strategy. 

Get Insurance Coverage For Your Needs

Contact All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc. in Aurora, CO for personalized customer service and the right home insurance policy to meet your needs. 

If you are a homeowner, there are many ways that you protect your home and belongings. One of the important methods for doing this is to have a home insurance policy. These policies offer a number of protection types so that you are well-protected against many possible risks. Your mortgage lender will require you to have this coverage because it’s so important to have it in case of a damaging event.

If you’re buying a house and need home insurance, you can call us at All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc in Aurora, CO.

Benefits of Home Insurance 

It Covers Your Home

The home that you purchased is likely your largest investment, and you need to protect it with insurance. Home insurance covers the dwelling so that they are protected against a large number of possible events. From disasters to accidents, this insurance keeps you covered where it counts. If you didn’t have this coverage, you would have to come up with the funds to repair your home after a damaging incident. This can be an enormous expense, so it’s always best to stay covered with home insurance. 

It Protects Your Possessions

Next to your investment in your home, your next largest investment is likely in your things. Your possessions have a lot of value, and it may e hard to imagine how much it would cost to replace them all. If an event caused significant damage to your items, your home insurance can pay for them to be replaced. You need this converge so that you aren’t left to pay for everything on your own. Never go without this important coverage. 

Get a Home Insurance Policy

When you are about to buy a home, you need to have your home insurance arranged to be in effect from day one. Call us at All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc in Aurora, CO.

Not many people in Aurora, CO have taken the time to read their entire homeowners’ insurance policy from front to back. Although they really should because there could be some interesting exclusions which they may not be aware of until something happens. Talk to your agent at All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc to find out about the coverage included in your policy.

One important exclusion to watch for is in relation to additional members of the household, such as a boyfriend or girlfriend, a roommate, a friend, or anyone else living in your home that you are not related to by blood or law. These people are classified as "other members" of the household on your home insurance policy. Unless you specifically adjust your policy, they may not be covered for liability or property damage claims.

Who Is Covered by Home Insurance?

You as well as any member of your household that you are related to by adoption, blood, or marriage are covered by your homeowners’ insurance policy. In addition, any minors in your full-time care, such as foster children, are also covered. These are the people in your household who will automatically be covered for personal belongings in the event of a catastrophic event such as burglary, burst pipe, or fire. They are also covered in the personal liability portion of the policy.

Unmarried couples whose names both appear on the deed are now typically covered without the need for an "other members" endorsement. However, it is always a good idea to check with your insurance provider to make sure this is the case with your specific policy.

Adult children and senior parents living in your household are also covered under your home insurance policy. This is because they are related to you by blood. Boyfriends, girlfriends, roommates and unmarried couples who are not both included in the deed will need to purchase an endorsement for "other members" coverage.

If you are not certain that all of the members of your Aurora, CO household are covered by your home insurance policy, contact All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc today. We will be happy to answer any questions that you have.

At All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc, we’ve worked with many people in Aurora, CO, who have struggled when their liability coverage maxed out. This situation can cause many financial difficulties and must be approached with an appropriate level of caution. Here’s what you need to know. 

Maxed Out Liability is a Problem 

If your liability coverage maxes out due to a lawsuit or other similar liability concerns, you will be stuck paying any money left over. For instance, if your policy maxes out at $25,000 and you owe $50,000, your policy will cover half of it and leave you with another $25K to pay somehow.

Unfortunately, this may result in you struggling to pay various costs in a lawsuit, such as paying for a person’s medical care and much more. Therefore, you need to know how to avoid this problem by adjusting your policies and preventing severe complications.

How to Avoid Problems 

If you’re concerned about a high risk of liability problems at your home, getting umbrella insurance policies or increasing your liability protection in your standard coverage is crucial. Of course, you’ll pay more for this protection, but it will protect you if you run into any complications. 

Unfortunately, any problems you experienced before this policy are not covered, so you may still be in a challenging situation if your policy is maxed out. Therefore, it is vital to take steps before any problems occur to ensure you don’t get stuck in a bad situation.

Find Insurance That Makes Sense

Liability coverage is essential for your needs because it can keep you safe from serious financial difficulties if you get into a lawsuit. Thankfully, we at All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc can help Aurora, CO people get the help they need finding policies that make sense for them.

Coverage Types in Home Insurance

Few people kick back with a hot cup of coffee to read their homeowners’ policy, so you might not know why your bank requires you to carry it while you pay off your mortgage on your Aurora, CO home. Your home provides you with four handy types of coverage – liability, named perils, property damage, and contents coverage. All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc. wants you to understand this important policy and the insurance components to which you can add to it.

The liability component means if someone gets hurt on your property, their medical bills are covered. If they take you to court, you won’t have to pay out of pocket to pay a settlement.

The named perils component pays you for repairs to your home or its replacement if a named peril strikes. A named-peril means a natural hazard such as a tornado, hail, or lightning strike.

Property damage coverage reimburses you for repairs to your property from other types of damage. Let’s say your teen accidentally drives into the garage door. The door gets obliterated. Your garage door receives the same awesome coverage as your roof. You get a new garage door, and your home insurance pays for it.

The contents coverage component protects your personal belongings inside your home. If snowpack and ice weight cause your roof to give way, the items inside receive protection. Your snow-covered TV, bedding, stereo, etc., get replaced, paid for by this coverage of your homeowners’ insurance policy.

You can add to the coverage in the standard home policy. You can increase your liability coverage, add jewelry coverage, cover a home business, etc. Call All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc., serving Aurora, CO, to obtain or expand your coverage today.

Because home insurance is typically an avoided topic of conversation (unless a natural disaster hits), it’s all too common for people to form several misconceptions. When it comes to home insurance in Aurora, CO, it may be helpful to start dispelling a few myths. All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc. is here to tell you three facts that may make it easier to adjust your coverage if you need to. 

Home Insurance May Not Cover Certain Things

Pet damage, flooding, personal property: your home insurance is different from your neighbor’s in terms of coverage. You can’t assume that something is covered unless it’s listed in black-and-white. 

Home Insurance Helps If You’re Sued 

If a guest injures themselves because of a poorly maintained home, it’s home insurance that will help you cover the expenses of a lawsuit or a settlement. What you may not know is that your policy also lists certain limits, so you may want to consider if they’re high enough to cover something like serious medical bills. 

Home Insurance Is Dependent on Your Carrier 

How fast is a claim processed? How easy is it to get ahold of an agent? Is it easy to understand the terms of your policy? You may be meeting your mortgage requirements by having home insurance, but the carrier you choose matters. The more you know about your policy, the better your decisions will be. 

If you don’t want to take chances with your policy or have questions about which kind of policy is right for you, All-Star Insurance Brokers Inc. is here to serve the homeowners of Aurora, CO. Contact our office to speak with an agent about your options.