Ask Danny | Ep. 14: Answers to Your Homeowners Insurance Questions

Ask Danny | Ep. 14: Answers to Your Homeowners Insurance Questions

This 7 days, Danny Lipford chats with Michelle Tennant from Erie Insurance coverage to explore how people can uncover peace of mind with homeowners insurance policies. (3 Echoes Written content Studio/Erie Insurance)


This week, I’m speaking with Michelle Tennant, vice president of Item Administration in the Erie Insurance policy Particular Lines division. 

Michelle has been with Erie since 2001 and has served to create Erie Insurance’s Auto, Umbrella, and Renters insurance plan goods, as well as its Householders insurance coverages.

Erie Insurance has been in small business since 1925, and for practically a century we have been supplying property, vehicle, business and life insurance policies. 

We are based mostly in Erie, Penn., and we provide shoppers in about 12 states. We know insurance policy can be intricate so with each individual policy, we have a knowledgeable impartial agent within your community that can guideline you by way of the method to get the ideal coverage for your daily life. 


Insurance policy, seen on a desk beside a pair of reading glasses.
House owners coverage presents economical protection in the function of a catastrophe. (Mohamad Fazil Bin Ramli/Getty Images)

Why You Need Homeowners Insurance plan

Each individual home owner has property owners insurance policies but numerous really don’t know why — what is the reason of house owners coverage?

Michelle: Householders coverage delivers financial defense in the function a little something nuts transpires, like an accident or weather conditions-associated celebration that damages your house.

At Erie Insurance policies, we assume about this in a handful of distinct means.

Very first is the household alone — the framework. It would go over the exterior of your household if there is harm.

Subsequent is your personal house. A coverage will include valuable products that are significant to you inside of your residence must people be damaged or stolen.

A different factor is legal responsibility. If you ended up responsible for harm to a person else’s house or anyone was injured on your residence or if your pet injures someone.

Furthermore, I’d like to incorporate, one protection that Erie presents and we suggest all consumers have is certain alternative price tag. If your house is wrecked, this protection will to spend to rebuild it to issue what the price. If you do not have it, you may appear up short up on cash and deal with steep out-of-pocket charges. 


Homeowners insurance agent goes over policy with young couple
Some house coverage policies only cover a particular amount of money of square toes, so let your agent know if you’re setting up to rework. (Adobe Stock)

What to Communicate About With Your Agent

What all must you examine with a house coverage agent?

Michelle: You ought to have an open up dialogue with your agent. Make certain almost everything that is vital to you in and close to your dwelling is coated. 

If you’ve transformed your household or approach to transform, convey to your agent. Do you run a small business out of your property? Make positive to mention that so your business enterprise resources are covered. And, let your agent know if your family members is increasing or shifting.

These are just a couple items you want to discuss about with your agent. With that data, they can get the ball rolling and locate the coverage that’s ideal for you.


receipt book
When compiling a house stock, help you save receipts for significant-ticket goods. Original receipts are constantly ideal, but a photocopy can do the job in some scenarios. (c-George, Getty Images)

Making a Property Inventory

How do you even get started the process of creating a home stock?

Michelle: If a catastrophic celebration were to happen, it can be extremely mind-boggling to try to remember for memory every little thing worthwhile in your home. 

When producing a home inventory, get started at a small commencing position. Perhaps your most worthwhile items or go from space to room.

Acquire videos or images and narrate or create down what each individual item is so you remember in the long term. Categorize apparel and retain receipts. 

Applications are common and there is an app for all the things, even dwelling inventories. Shortly, Memento Database and Nest Egg are a number of you can use.

You can come across a checklist of what you have to have on the Today’s Home owner webpage on Erie’s internet site.


renter's insurance paper with pen and keys
A renter’s plan from Erie Insurance can secure your possessions immediately after a covered loss. (designer491, Getty Photos)

Renter’s Insurance plan

Let us not leave our renter pals out of the discussion. Converse about renters insurance coverage for people who are the tenants.

Michelle: If you are leasing, you should really undoubtedly look at a renter’s policy. Your landlord likely has a plan to include the making or construction, but not what is inside of. You will want some type of protection to guard your particular property. 

Erie Insurance’s Secure Tenant policy covers your individual assets or decline of use in scenario you want to relocate. It also offers protection to secure your belongings if they are harmed shed or stolen, even if you are absent from property.


For rent sign in a front yard by a sidewalk
Erie Insurance policy gives a variety of insurance policies and endorsements to assist guard your home. (Joe_Potato, Getty Graphic)

Insurance coverage for Landlords

Is there a unique variety of policy for a house owner who needs to lease out their home?
Michelle: Landlord insurance coverage policies are rather distinctive. If you are a property owner and wondering about renting out your home, the Safe Rental merchandise from Erie Insurance policies is what you need to have. It is mainly produced for dwellings rented to others for one particular- or two-household homes. That gives very similar protection to our home goods, and with that you will also get the confirmed substitution price tag.


General Advice

Speak to a local unbiased insurance policies agent to overview your policy to make guaranteed you have the protection which is correct for you. It will give you some peace of mind to know you have the protection you need to have in scenario a catastrophe takes place.

Examine out Today’s Property owner webpage on Erie’s web-site. It has a good deal of video clips and articles about your property to retain you safe and sound and geared up for the surprising. 


Further Looking at


Check with a Dilemma! (Podcast)

Question a concern and we could respond to it on the “Today’s Homeowner Podcast!” We also might use it on our nationally syndicated radio broadcast or on todayshomeowner.com.

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