Homeowner's Insurance Underwriting - Part 3

The Appearance of your home and premise and why it affects your insurance.

Your home’s appearance and physical condition play a large role in underwriting insurance.  Property and premise that are not maintained have a higher risk of loss and many carriers will deny coverage based solely on the condition of the home and premise.

A roof that is in poor condition will leak and can cause major interior damage to the home. Missing or loose gutters and downspouts, and missing soffit and fascia can also allow water into the home, resulting in mold and mildew that can grow unseen until the health of the residents becomes affected.

Cracked sidewalks, stairs without proper handrails and porches or decks without solid railings can result in personal injury. Too many items in your yard, broken fencing, an old shed that needs to be torn down, are also things that can cause coverage to be denied.

Proper maintenance of your home, yard, trees and fencing indicate pride of ownership, help maintain your property value and may prevent losses. 

If the underwriter is on the fence about writing an account, pictures of a well maintained home may be enough to sway the decision.

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Photo Credit

Put yourself in the underwriter's shoes. If you could make an exception, which  house would you be more likely to say, "Yes, I am willing to take a chance with this account." and why?