Many Colorado home buyers are especially concerned about having adequate homeowners insurance in Colorado before the harsh winter weather sets in.

After all, the state is home to a whole host of beautiful mountains that frequently feature fairly treacherous weather conditions. Ice, snow, and weather damage to homes and businesses may be common during the worst of the winter weather, so being prepared is truly essential for any home buyer and homeowner. Below, the most important parts of any homeowner insurance policy in the state of CO are discussed.

Purchasing your home and ensuring that it is protected is one of the most important decisions in your lifetime.  It is typically one of the most expensive purchases you will ever make.  Being a homeowner in Colorado can open up many doors including discounts for insurance as well.  These discounts include homeowners discount and a possible multiple policy discount, which is often referred to as a “Bundling” discount.

When shopping for Colorado home insurance you will need to answer some basic information concerning the home.  Some of the information includes, but is not limited to, the location address, finished square footage on the home, type of roof the house has, and the outside material that covers the house.  

There are two types of home insurance policies.

Homeowners Policies & Dwelling Policies

Homeowners Policies insurance covers the structure, contents, and gives the own liability coverage.

Dwelling Policies on the other hand only insure the structure and very few contents. These types of policies are typically meant for properties that are leased or rented.

It is important to understand that some policies do have limitations within the homeowner’s insurance Colorado Springs policies where personal vehicles such as ATV’s, motorcycles, boats, etc. are not considered to be protected in the personal contents section.  These items would need to be covered under a separate policy for that particular personal use vehicle.

Many people wonder what homeowners covers.  Some of the most common perils include fire, wind, hail, freezing, and water damage.  Please note, water damage is not the same as flood coverage.  Flood coverage (water coming into the house from outside) needs to be covered under a separate policy.  Water damage does cover damage from say a broken pipe within the home. 

When shopping for home insurance policies, it is important to ask questions to make sure you are getting the coverage that you need. Colorado Springs can be complex and confusing, especially if you are a new home buyer. 

Carole Walker of the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association (RMIIA) has given the following advice to home insurance seekers in Colorado: “Think about the unthinkable. Then you will be better prepared to financially survive it.”

When it comes to finding suitable Homeowners coverage in Colorado Springs, a provider wants to know that the homeowner has done whatever is necessary to lessen their risk of having to file a claim because of wildfire or hail damage.

Here’s just a few of the recommendations that the RMIAA makes that will mitigate wildfire damage risk and help insurers feel better about taking on a policyholder:

• Create Defensible Space: Companies who provide Homeowners insurance want to see that homeowners have taken steps to remove flammable vegetation from around their homes and replace it with less flammable plants. The RMIIA’s recommendation is thirty to two hundred feet of defensible space depending on slope and vegetation.
• Trees and Branches: Reduce the number of trees present in heavily wooded areas. Prune branches until they are 10 feet above ground and within the area of defensible space. Don’t allow branches to hang above the roof and remove dead leaves and needles from the yard, roof, and gutters.
• Flammable Items: Remove woodpiles and propane gas tanks from the defensible space. Don’t have these things hanging around any flammable vegetation.
• Roofs and Windows: Install a roof with a Class A fire classification. Metal roofs are a good idea since they are both fire and impact-resistant. Install double or triple-pane windows and reduce the size and/or number of windows that face flammable vegetation.