4 Home Improvements That May Affect Your Home Insurance

A house with various drawings on it.

There are a lot of reasons why home renovations are very popular. Apart from improving the aesthetic and functional value of a home, renovations are a great way to help improve the resale value of a property.

Adding value to a property like a home however, does not come without a few warning labels. The renovation process can be a bit tricky to navigate, especially when things go wrong. The consequences of a bad renovation may affect not just the property’s resale value, but also the homeowners insurance the property is currently covered by.

There are a lot of insurance companies out there, and if I want to find the best price home insurance near me, I would choose one that can cover home improvements or repairs. However, it is still important to know what home improvements might not be covered by your policy or cause your homeowners insurance to be voided.

Roofs

If you plan on making repairs or replacements to your property’s roof, it’s best to give your insurance provider a call. Some insurance companies do not actually cover roof damage in their insurance plans, or they may use a lot of contract language to minimize their coverage of roof-related claims.

For example, if a house has not had any roof repairs or replacements in the past 10 years, most insurance companies will not cover any damage to the roof. This is why it’s often better to check the current state of a property’s roof before buying it. This is so that any repairs or replacements you make when you have the house insured can be covered by your policy.

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Pools

If you plan on building a pool in your home, expect an increase in your home insurance premium. Although pools can definitely increase the value of a property, they also increase the risks to your home.

Pools can be places where accidental drowning or injury can happen. When built incorrectly, pools can also be a potential source of property damage. Most insurance companies will take these risks into account and will assign higher risk ratings to your property, and could charge you a higher premium following the construction of the pool. So talk to your insurance provider to ensure that you will still be properly covered if you want to build a pool.

A house with a swimming pool for home insurance purposes.

Plumbing

Making repairs to a house’s plumbing system can actually be a welcome thing for you as a homeowner. A lot of insurance companies are very wary of water damage, since any unwanted moisture in the home’s structure can lead to mold. Hiring someone to treat a mold infestation can be very expensive, and so most water damage and mold claims are very expensive on their part.

Keeping the house’s plumbing in good shape is not without its risks though. Any damage you make while repairing pipes and waterways might not be covered by your policy, so checking in with your insurance provider before doing anything might be best for you.

A variety of plumbing tools on top of a blueprint for home improvements.
plumping

Wiring

Older houses feature outdated electrical systems that actually pose a huge risk, and if your home features any kind of outdated wiring, your insurance premiums could be adversely affected. Updating a home’s wiring to include circuit breakers for example, may be a welcome renovation project for your home insurance provider.

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