Homeowner’s Insurance Usually Exempts Two Types of Fire Damage Claims

2/25/2020 (Permalink)

Vacant home fire in Willow Spring, IL

Homeowner’s Insurance Usually Exempts Two Types of Fire Damage Claims

Having homeowner’s insurance in Willow Spring, IL is not only recommended by all the experts, it’s also a little piece of mind in a complicated world. When a home fire happens, the coverage is often the last refuge you have while you’re watching your home go up in flames. However, insurance isn’t a panacea – two types of fire damage are specifically exempted from coverage:

• Vacant home fires, and
  
• Certain cases of arson
  
  

A Vacant Home Is an Invitation to Trouble

Most insurance companies define a vacant home as one that’s been unoccupied for at least 30 consecutive days. Leaving a home uninhabited for long periods of time increases the chances and severity of many types of structure damage.
When a house is known to be vacant, it invites squatters and vandals to make your place their own. If a pipe or roof is leaking with no one to notice it, it’ll have much longer to create havoc. And with no one to see a vacant home fire, the resulting damages are usually far in excess of a fire in an occupied home. Plus, emergency response in general prioritizes situations where there’s a threat to life, meaning that a home fire in a vacant property might have to wait during high-volume call times.

Some Instances of Arson Are Never Covered by Insurance

Intentionally set fires to an insured property are usually a crime. If anyone who is in any way connected to ownership of the property played even a small role in the crime (such as asking a friend to burn it down), that will automatically negate insurance coverage and may lead to criminal charges if the investigation find evidence of wrongdoing. If the fire had nothing to do with the insured, it will then usually be covered.
If you have any questions about your coverage, talk to a professional restoration company that’s used to dealing with insurance adjusters. They can give advice and help start the cleanup after a home fire in Willow Spring, IL.