Insurance coverage isn’t always the same. Understanding what is covered under your insurance coverage form is important. Sometimes you will hear agents throw out the terms basic, Broad, or Special in regards to the coverage. These are called coverage forms, and they basically indicate what the policy will cover you for. Other times they will use terms like DP1 which typically has basic coverage. Or DP3 with has special coverage. Below is what these usually mean, and what is covered under each form (a little leagalese here check your policy, these are general explanations carriers can include and exclude coverage, so its best to check your policy).

Again, these are general and a company has the right to exclude things like Theft, Vandalism and Malicious Mischief from a given policy (like a vacant home policy), or if something changes in the home coverage can change. For example, if you run a business out of the home or rent part of it out things can change so tell your insurance agent because these things can change coverage, but generally, this is what is included in each form. So which is right for you? If you ask your insurance agent they will typically tell you are special and deserve that coverage, I would tend to agree. Special is the best is so many ways, and don’t you deserve the best? With the Special form you are covered for it unless it is excluded, and there are lots of things that can be excluded. These include flood, earthquake, and landslide. These can be purchased separately, and we suggest that if you live in an at-risk area that you do so to insure you get the coverage you need.

The bottomline is that for investors, understanding coverage forms is extremely important because there will be times when you will use different coverage forms. You might use a basic form if you are doing a flip which requires a roof replacment. If you are investing in condos you might see a condo form which is close to a Broad Form. If you are a buy-and-hold investor you want special coverage. So understanding how the different coverage forms works makes a huge difference.

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Again, this is a general explanation of insurance coverage forms. Please check your policy for specifics, and your policy will have different terms and conditions, definitions, and can change coverage. Carriers can include and exclude coverage, so its best to check your policy.