Delaware Homeowners Insurance Guide

Despite it’s rank as one of the smallest states in the country, Delaware has one of the largest population densities, meaning there’s a significant number of people packed into a small area. This makes a quality home insurance policy all the more necessarily. Even though the state experiences few major disasters, just one is capable of causing large amounts of damage to many people. For instance, with such a dense population, a large fire or flood could quickly spread through hundreds of homes. If you’re a resident of Delaware, you need to read this informative homeowner’s insurance guide:

Types of Policies

Presuming you took out a mortgage to purchase your home, chances are your lender will require that you have a home insurance policy. Each lender sets different minimums for policies, usually depending on where you live and the types of risks associated with that area. Here’s a broad look at the general types of home insurance policies that make sense for most Delaware residents:

• HO-2: Sometimes referred to as broad coverage, the HO-2 level offers coverage for many natural disasters and perils, such as fire, snow, and ice. It also provides protection from theft, vandalism, and even falling objects.
• HO-3: This is your standard home insurance policy and covers most types of natural disasters. It’s usually considered to be the most popular type of home insurance because it covers just about everything, besides what the policy specifically excludes. Depending on the provider, some of the perils that aren’t included in HO-3 generally include floods, earthquakes, and mudslides.
• HO-4: If you rent your home or apartment, then HO-4 is probably the option for you. This coverage doesn’t provide coverage for the actual dwelling, but for the contents inside it. With HO-4, your property is covered for the same perils as the HO-2 type.

Floods

Like every other state in the country, Delaware is not immune to its share of natural disasters. Of particular note to Delaware residents are floods. All homeowners, especially those in Delaware, should be aware of the dangers that floods pose to your home and your possessions. Flood water is far from the pure rain water that falls from the clouds, as floods pick up all kinds of sewage and chemicals as they roll on. That’s how a flood could permanently damage your home and personal possessions, such as furniture mattresses, and clothes. Remember, floods are almost always not covered in standard house insurance policies. Most home insurance providers offer the coverage separately, but it will increase your rate. While it varies depending on your provider and flood risk level, flood insurance usually costs around $500 a year. Despite the extra cost, protecting yourself from flood damage is well worth it.