Arizona Home Insurance - How Much Is Enough?
Home insurance can easily be one of the most costly expenses of home ownership in Arizona. If you have a mortgage, you are forced to cover the property to protect the bank’s investment. This type of insurance covers the buildings and your personal belongings. This is separate from title insurance that pays you, the consumer, in the event you lose the home through incorrect title searches.
Consumers also have the option of buying additional “riders” that are meant to cover losses of expensive clothing, furniture, electronics, and jewelry.
Some geographic areas fall within zones that require even more insurance such as flood insurance. Flood insurance comes in two types: mandatory and optional. If you live in a flood zone such as within a few miles of the coast, you will be required to have flood insurance. If you do experience a flood caused by a storm, only your flood insurance policy will cover your losses. If you don’t live in a flood zone it’s still a good idea to have flood insurance if you live within a reasonable distance from the official flood plain.
Arizona insurance companies are typically regulated by the state and if a consumer has a particular problem with his insurance company that cannot be resolved at the consumer to business level, the state’s regulatory board will explain how to file an official report. An inquiry could take a while, but if the regulatory board finds merit in your complaint, you will be apprised of what is happening.
Insurance companies want to make money, so be cautious about buying unnecessary coverage. Keep your costs reasonable by increasing your deductible. One particular area that people tend to overdo is when they add up all their furniture and insist on paying to have it covered. You have a slim chance of ever needing to put in a claim for all your furniture, so don’t waste your money.
Choose select items based on their individual value - antiques, designer made, custom built, etc. You don’t need to insure that hall table.
All Arizona home insurance policies should cover the cost of replacing your home in a disaster. Make certain you have updated this each time you renew your policy. You don’t want to find out the hard way that you are only insured for what you paid for your home years ago.
If you ever have trouble getting a claim paid, or if you believe your insurance company should be paying more, hire a public adjuster. They will deal with the insurance company on your behalf. They understand the industry, they know the laws, and they will more than likely get what you deserve. They will even go back and renegotiate older claims that have already been paid.