Wow, the summer is half over and August is here!  Has anyone else been working on their home this summer?

I have done a lot of maintenance to my home this year.  Everything from kitchen faucet handles, to a new roof.  Sometimes when you make a change to the home it is considered a maintenance item. And sometimes, you have improved the home, adding value over what was there before.

What I have been up to, is considered maintenance… replacing and fixing things around my home with like kind and quality.   This really has no impact on the rebuilding value of my home.  However, it does show I am a responsible homeowner and take pride in my home.  Fixing things up, also helps prevent possible claims.   I did not wait for my roof to leak, but replaced it BEFORE I had a problem, because it was just time.

Now what if I had replaced items, such as upgrading to a granite kitchen countertop, changed cabinets to custom built, and had custom tiles put on the floor?  In this case, it would be considered an improvement, these items change the rebuilding cost of my home.  When you change the value of your home by an upgrade in quality of fixtures, add an addition, add porch/deck or finish that basement room, your insurance agent should be notified, and changes discussed.

A Homeowners policy should reflect Dwelling Coverage A,  at current "rebuilding" cost.  So remember,  if you added that deck this summer, changed the quality of fixtures, replaced regular asphault shingles with architectural shingles on the roof, etc… please contact you insurance representative to review. 

For more information and insurance advice, call us at 978-352-8000 or email info [at] georgetowninsurance [dot] com

Enjoy the rest of your summer!