Many victims of natural disasters are shocked to discover that they don't have enough insurance to rebuild their homes. But all it takes is a few steps to make sure your coverage doesn't come up short.
Contact your insurer if you've built an addition or made any major home improvements. Most companies pay only 125% to 150% of your home's insured value, even if it costs significantly more to rebuild.
Check your home's insured value at AccuCoverage.com. For $7.95, you can access the same replacement-cost estimates that insurers use. It takes about ten minutes to fill out an online questionnaire about your home's age, size, building materials and other features. Then the site quickly calculates how much it would cost to rebuild.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Cover your valuables. Most insurers pay a maximum of $1,500 to $2,500 for all of your jewelry, even if the items are worth a lot more. They also limit coverage for coins, firearms, furs, silver and stamps. But you can buy an inexpensive rider that boosts your limits and provides more-extensive coverage.
Buy flood insurance. Standard homeowners policies don't cover flooding. Purchase coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program.
NEXT: Write a Will Without the Hassle
JUMP TO:
Finance
Credit
Retirement
Investing
-
Four Surprising Signs You’ll Never Retire (and How to Fix Them)Gearing up to retire? If any of these four signs ring true, you may want to make some changes before you do.
-
Stocks Rise After Trump-Powell Fed Tour: Stock Market TodayNvidia hit a new all-time high intraday, but another renowned semiconductor name and some less iconic stocks were bigger movers Friday.
-
Amazon Resale: Where Amazon Prime Returns Become Your Online BargainsFeature Amazon Resale products may have some imperfections, but that often leads to wildly discounted prices.
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnbreal estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute VacationTravel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?insurance When assessing how much life insurance you need, take a systematic approach instead of relying on rules of thumb.
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day? Everything We Know, Plus the Best Deals on Apple, Samsung and MoreAmazon Prime Amazon Prime Day is four days this year. Here are the key details you need to know, plus some of our favorite deals to shop during the sale.
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Stepsinsurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
-
Five Ways to Shop for a Low Mortgage RateBecoming a Homeowner Mortgage rates are high this year, but you can still find an affordable loan with these tips.
