Tennessee Homeowners Need to Prepare

Winter storms are coming soon, and based on what happened last year, home owners in Tennessee need to get ready. This includes not only preparing their homes, but making sure all Tennessee Home Insurance policies are ready for the challenge as well.

The first weekend in 2008 included a storm that resulted in 19 counties being declared federal disaster areas. Will that happen again in 2009?

In addition to winter storms, Tennessee residents routinely experience tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and even earthquakes, so it is critical to have a home insurance policy that fully repairs the damage. Actual Cash Value policies reduce the payout based on depreciation which means that policy holders can have to come up with literally thousands of dollars if something really big happens.

Replacement Cost coverage is a little more expensive, but could be worth it in the long run. Extra riders, like broken pipe damage, tree removal, and inflation guard which ensures that the value of the policy increases based on the home’s appreciation and replacement cost. Earthquakes aren’t covered either, so buy a special earthquake rider. Flood insurance is only available through the National Flood Insurance Program.

There are plenty of ways to prepare a house to withstand storm damage, and making a few modifications can reduce insurance premiums for Tennessee home owners, such as:

• Strengthening the roof’s attachment to the home
• Adding storm resistant shutters, doors, and garage doors
• Securing the water heater to the floor

By closely reviewing your home insurance policy and making the house disaster-resistant, there’s a great chance that even if there is a storm, future days will still be sunny.