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Depending on which company you choose,
you may obtain one of several basic packages of homeowners
insurance in Florida to protect
your home and belongings. Each package protects against
a specified number of perils, or events that cause damage to
property, such as fire, windstorm or theft.
Your homeowners insurance policy may also
cover your dependent children's belongings while they attend
college, whether they live on or off campus. You may need a
separate policy to protect personal possessions for your
child who attends college and no longer qualifies as a
dependent (on your household tax return). Covered perils
apply to four categories:
 Structure
(the dwelling itself)
Other
structures (like sheds and fences)
Personal
property (the contents of the structures)
Loss of
use (also called Additional Living Expense or ALE)
The first three are defined as
"property."
Property
Property coverage helps pay for damage by
covered perils to your home, the contents of your home and
other personal belongings owned by you or family members who
live with you. In some cases, it helps pay for damage to
other structures, such as tool sheds, detached garages,
small boats, guest houses and their contents. Your insurance
agent or company can point out the items covered in a given
policy. Your policy provides limited coverage for some
personal property, such as antiques, jewelry, furs and
electronics. You may need additional coverage as an
endorsement, or addition to your insurance policy, to modify
its original terms for an additional premium. You can insure
your home and belongings for
replacement cost or actual cash value.
Note: Homeowners policies do not cover
vehicles. Your agent or company can help you find coverage
for cars and large boats.
Additional Living Expense (ALE)
Homeowners packages provide additional
living expense coverage that will pay some extra expenses if
damage to your home prevents you from living there while it
is being repaired. Most policies also will provide this
coverage when a civil authority (law enforcement agency,
emergency management service, etc.) prohibits the use of a
residence due to direct damage to neighboring homes by a
covered threat.
The items typically covered - above and
beyond normal expenses - include extra costs for food,
housing, telephone, transportation (to and from work or
school), relocation and storage, utility installation and
furniture rental for a temporary residence. Be sure to check
your policy to find out what is specifically covered.
This coverage applies only to differences
in expenses. For example, it would apply to the cost of
restaurant meals minus normal food expenses. It does not
cover your mortgage, groceries and utilities or the monthly
cost of a telephone in a rented space (since you normally
pay for the telephone in your house).
Your policy may designate a limit of
coverage for additional living expenses, but your policy
does not obligate your company to pay this amount up front
or in full if you suffer a total or partial loss. For this
reason, you must keep receipts for additional living
expenses and submit these to your company for reimbursement.
Additional living expense coverage does
not apply to your dependent children while they are away at
college. It applies only to the primary insured structure in
the event of a loss.
Policies generally offer ALE coverage
without any deductible. Flood insurance policies, however,
don't provide this coverage. For more information, contact
your insurance agent or company.
Two additional types of coverage are
known as personal liability and medical payments.
Personal Liability
This coverage protects you against a
claim or lawsuit resulting from (nonauto) bodily injury or
property damage to others. For example, if a neighbor slips
and falls in your house and sues you, and a jury finds you
legally liable, this coverage would pay that claim plus
legal fees up to the policy limits. This coverage applies to
you and all family members who live with you. It does not
cover intentional damage or harm caused by you or family
members who live with you. Check your policy for any
exclusions and discuss them with your agent.
Medical Payments
Regardless of fault, this
coverage pays for medical expenses, up to the medical
payment limits, of persons accidentally injured at your
home. It does not apply to your injuries or those of anyone
living with you or to activities involving an at-home
business.
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