I have Homeowners Insurance. Am I covered against Break-Ins?

Does My Insurance Cover Burglaries?

Talking about insurance policies may not be the favorite pastime of most people, and for good reasons: who wants to talk about matters that could have a serious effect on a person's life and even future. The problem with these types of discussions is that when they're served up at dinner time, it's usually too late.

Take Florida homeowners insurance for example. You would be hard fetched to find a single person who genuinely believes that a policy of that nature is unnecessary. But in the event that you did, the world is wonderful canvass of personalities and characters after all, there may in fact come a time in that person's life where he or she might actually come to realize how wrong his or her prior conviction might have been on this subject.

In the 2012 calendar year, Miami registered a 4,390 property crime rate per 100.000 people! Including burglaries, motor vehicle theft and larceny theft. .

Homeowners Insurance May Help Cover Break-ins

There are two types of policies that might be of use here:

Personal Property Coverage
Dwelling Coverage

Note: The best way to find out where you stand in any insurance related discussion is to talk to the professionals. The folks at L & C Insurance Providers are the experts in this matter and will be able to answer all your questions and point you in the right direction.

Whether you are in the market for a new Florida homeowner's insurance policy or you would like a professional to review an existing policy, Liz Fernandez and her team, at L & C Insurance Providers will be only too happy to help.

L & C Insurance Providers in Florida shops all the major carriers to find the best policy and the best rate. Easy, Low-Cost and Worry Free.

That's the L & C Insurance Providers Insurance promise.

How Much Insurance Do I Need for Break-Ins?

The answer to that important question depends on a number of factors. As a rule of thumb, a personal property coverage will depend on whether you have a:

- "Replacement cost" clause for your belongings. That that means that an insurance company would undertake to replace your belongings at today's market prices.
- "Actual cash value coverage" is a more affordable alternative in which an insurer deducts for depreciation so that you might not recoup the amount of money you originally paid for the lost item.

When it comes to dwelling coverage, the aim is to to help pay to repair or replace burglary damages with material of equivalent quality.

Are there limits? Yes! Most companies set a monetary limit to claims. The common practice is to cover possessions at 50 to 70 percent of the total amount of insurance you have on your home.

What happens to jewelry or silverware? These items are usually grouped under a specific category where limits are also set. Jewelry coverage for example might be capped at $1000 or $2000.

In conclusion, if someone breaks into your home and walked away with your TV, your personal property coverage would cover you and reimburse the cost of purchasing a new one. But if that burglar finds an expensive ring on your bedside table, and takes it, in all likelihood, you will only ever be reimbursed up to the sub-limit set by your insurer. Loss of expensive pieces of jewelry will result in out or your own pocket expenditure and it is important that take the necessary steps to protect your most valuable items.

Deductible. Any policy, be it homeowners insurance or otherwise will include a deductible which you will be entirely responsible for. A scheduled personal property coverage clause might help reduce, or even eliminate that cost.

You're insured. What should you do next

Congratulations. You have taken the first step. You insurance agent will have covered the various clauses in your insurance policy but taking stock of what you own is your responsibility.

Make sure you keep a list of all your belongings, including taking pictures of each and everyone of them and keep this in a safe place. You'll want to include the type of item, the year of purchase and any other relevant information. Keep copies of receipts, purchase contracts and appraisal document as well.

In a 2014 survey of more than 1000 homeowners conducted by Allstate, a staggering 40% stated that they had not made any assessment of the value of their possessions, nor kept any sort of documentation to that effect in the first place.

You've been burglarized. Now what?

The thing you have preparing for has unfortunately become reality. First thing to do is to report the burglary to the police. The next thing is to place a call to your insurance agent. You need to do this as soon as possible. (According to the Insurance Information Institute some insurance companies place a time limit on how long you can wait before filing a claim.

Make emergency repairs. It is crucial that you protect your home from further damage. Replace broken windows, door locks damaged during the break-in.

Many of customers feel that break-ins are the among the worst types of home invasions. If you are a victim of a burglary, hopefully you will have followed the advice as laid out on our website. You will have called our agency and talked to one of our agents who would have helped you get the kind of insurance policy protection that fits your need.

While it is impossible to fully replace all of the items that were stolen or broken during the burglary, a well written Florida Homeowners Insurance policy will enable you to get back on your feet as soon as possible.

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