Homeowners Insurance and 19 States Where You Want Flood Insurance

Homeowners Insurance is a form of property insurance designed to protect an individual's home against damages to the house itself, or to possessions in the home. Homeowners insurance also provides liability coverage against accidents in the home or on the property.

In the U.S. there are seven forms of homeowners insurance that have become standardized in the industry; they offer various levels of protection depending on the needs of the homeowner.

While homeowners insurance covers most scenarios where loss could occur, some events are typically excluded from policies, namely: earthquakes, floods or other "acts of God" and acts of war.

There are 19 states in the paths of the Atlantic and Gulf storms. Densely populated Florida, with its shallow elevation, is most at risk.

Other vulnerable states are Louisiana, where 750,000 homes are at risk, New York had 466,919 homes, New Jersey 445,928 and Texas 434,421.

For homeowners living in these parts of the country, adding an extra policy for flood insurance can be a good idea to offer further home protection and peace of mind.

4 Things You Need Before You Buy A Home

Many factors go into whether it makes more sense to buy or rent. Here are four things you should have before homeownership. If you have them, buying may be a smart move.

1. An Emergency Fund: If you have avoided or paid off debts, your credit is healthy and you are saving for retirement, you may feel good about your financial situation. Before buying a home though, it's important to go another step further: Focus on building up an emergency savings fund.

4 Things You Need Before You Buy A Home

While everyone should really have an emergency fund to cover unexpected costs, it's especially important to homeowners. This should be in addition to the money you plan to use as a down payment. If you have enough cash to cover three to six months of your living expenses, you are much more prepared for homeownership. This way, in case your steady income is interrupted, you can still afford mortgage payments while you get back on your feet.

2. A Budget: A track record of maintaining a budget can be a good sign. If you already have a budget, try adjusting it to fit your new financial life as a homeowner before you buy. This should include mortgage payment, utility bills, homeowners insurance, property taxes, maintenance and upkeep costs. It's a good idea to even try living on that new mock budget for a few months. If you can do that comfortably, it may be a good time to buy.

3. A Steady Income: With mortgages usually 15 to 30 years in length, buying a home is a serious long-term financial decision. When calculating how much house you can afford a consistent income that covers monthly payments and miscellaneous home expenses is important. You may want to consider your other goals beyond buying a home. This may include how your financial situation will be affected if you plan to go back to school, start a family or change careers in the near future.

4. A Good Credit Score: When you go to a lender to apply for a mortgage, they will also look at your credit score in addition to your income. It's important to know where you stand before you actually apply for the mortgage, since there may be incorrect information on your credit reports that you can correct. And since your credit score will be a major factor in determining not only the interest rate you'll qualify for, but also whether a lender can even lend to you. (You can check your credit reports for free once a year -- here's how -- and you can see two of your credit scores for free on Credit.com.)

Carlisle Mitchell - Houston - Homeowners Insurance

Carlisle Mitchell - Houston -
Homeowners Insurance. Homeowners Insurance is a form of property insurance designed to protect an individual's home against damages to the house itself, or to possessions in the home. Homeowners insurance also provides liability coverage against accidents in the home or on the property.

In the U.S. there are seven forms of homeowners insurance that have become standardized in the industry; they range in name from HO-1 through HO-8 and offer various levels of protection depending on the needs of the homeowner.

While homeowners insurance covers most scenarios where loss could occur, some events are typically excluded from policies, namely: earthquakes, floods or other "acts of God" and acts of war.

For people who live in certain parts of the country, adding an extra policy for earthquake insurance or flood insurance can be a good idea to offer further home protection and peace of mind. Some homeowners insurance is designed for renters, typically HO-4 or "renters insurance", and only covers possessions within the home and isolated events not covered in the property insurance held by the owner.

Renter's Insurance

Renter's insurance is a form of property insurance that provides coverage for a policy holder's belongings and liability within a rental property. Renter's insurance applies to persons renting or subletting a single family home, apartment, duplex, condo, studio, loft or townhome. The policy protects against losses to the tenant's personal property within the rented property. In addition, a renter's insurance policy protects against losses resulting from liability claims, such as injuries occurring on the premises that are not due to a structural problem with the property (in this case, the owner's - not renter's - policy would apply).

Increasingly, proof of renter's insurance is required by many landlords. Personal belongings within a rented property are typically not covered under the owner's or landlord's property insurance. For example, if a flood or fire destroys all the personal property within a rented apartment, the structure would be covered under the landlord's policy, but the personal property would only be covered through a renter's insurance policy. Without this coverage, the tenant would be responsible for the loss out-of-pocket.