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5 Home Insurance Perils as Costly as a Fire

5 Home Insurance Perils as Costly as a Fire

Total loss is always the worst case scenario in terms of home insurance, and there are only a number of perils that can cause such loss when it comes to your home, such as a natural disaster or a fire. While these are the most expensive perils your home insurance covers, they are not the most likely. Here are the five most expensive home insurance perils outside of a natural disaster or fire.

5. Blocked or Burst Sewer Lines

The sewer line refers to the pipe that connects your home to the city’s sanitation grid. This is your responsibility to maintain as the owner of the home, and often (especially in older neighbourhoods) these become blocked or damaged by tree roots or old age. It is really expensive to repair, as it requires lots of digging and often causes secondary damage to the structure of the home. You should have it inspected as soon as something starts to appear odd, such as gurgling drains or bad smells.

4. Infestation

Cockroaches are as easy to pick up as the telephone and almost impossible to get rid of entirely. What’s worse, the chemicals used to kill them are hazardous to your health and the process is expensive and time consuming. Try not to bring any into your home by not buying used furniture or placing your luggage on the floor of even the most respected hotels.

3. Water Damage

The biggest problem with water damage is that it’s only visible when most of the damage is done. It seeps in and causes rot and leads to really expensive repairs which can cost you hundreds of thousands (especially if you have a lot of wood in the home). To avoid this, be vigilant with maintenance, waterproof often and repair leaks immediately.

2. Mould

One of the side effects of water damage (and living in the shadow of Table mountain), mould is expensive to get rid of and cause even more expensive health problems. What makes it worse is that your home insurance company could reject claims for this, as it could be prevented with proper maintenance. Be sure to check carpets, dry walling (especially ceilings), and grouting between tiles. Clean it quickly before it spreads and becomes a problem.

1. Foundation Shifts

Many people assume that doors jam in their home after absorbing water during particularly rainy seasons. Another cause is a shifting foundation, which is often accompanied by cracks in the walls. Repairing this often involves concrete reinforcement, which may not even work (if the ground around the home is also shifting). There is not much you can do to prevent it, other than making sure water runs off your property properly and all outlets are free of leaks.

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