It’s good to familiarize yourself with the hazards your clients might have to face while owning a home. Knowledge Is Confidence
Texas is known for its volatile storm season. It’s also the most hail-damaged state in the country, so it’s no wonder wind and hail are the most common perils homeowners face.
1). Wind and Hail Damage
Unsurprisingly, the most common home insurance claims in Texas are for home exterior and roof damage due to wind and hail. Nationally, 1 in 42 insurance claims involve hail and wind damage. The average in Texas is much higher. The category of wind damage includes damages from tornadoes, hurricanes, windstorms, and more.
Hail is the costliest natural disaster in Texas. It’s not uncommon for hail damages to run into the billions of dollars every year in our state. Hail in Texas causes more property damage than tornadoes and hurricanes combined. These weather events are hard to predict. Many homeowners are caught unaware, and their homes suffer from severe roof damage, broken glass, and other hazards.
2). Water Damage and Freezing
Texas is warm throughout most of the year, but many regions get some ice and freezing temperatures in winter. This can spell disaster for homes in the form of frozen and busted water pipes. About 1 in 50 insured homes files a claim for water damage each year.
Flooding is a major cause of home damage, and 20% of all floods in Texas happen outside of high-risk areas. Homeowners’ insurance typically covers the repairs for accidental and sudden water damage from broken pipes, overflowing appliances, or water that gets in during a storm.
3). All Other Property Damage
These claims cover non-weather-related property damage, both accidental and deliberate. Say, for instance, a car veers off the road and crashes into your living room. Or someone vandalizes your house with spray paint or throws a brick through your window. These types of property damage make up about 1 in 135 homeowners’ insurance claims nationally, and Texas is in line with that number.
4). Theft and Burglary
For a state of its size, Texas has a fairly low number of burglaries at a rate of 1 in 474 per 100,000 citizens. Robberies are scary, often traumatic incidents that come without warning, and homeowners who are the victims of burglary might wonder what protection their insurance policy offers. Fortunately, homeowners’ insurance covers quite a lot for victims of burglaries and theft.
5). Fire and Lightning
House fires can be devastating events leading to total property loss and medical bills. The average claim for fire and lightning damage from 2012 to 2016 was over $50,000. Even though fire and lightning claims are rare at 1 in 325 insured homes, they tend to be very expensive when they do occur. Not only is the insured family dealing with damage from the fire, they also have to contend with smoke damage and water damage from attempts to extinguish the fire. Relocation and rebuilding also increase the price. Most lightning damage insurance claims involve fires that were started by lightning strikes and replacing electronics or appliances that were destroyed when lightning struck the home.
At Home Team Insurance, every policy we write includes protections against all of these perils, either in the policy form itself, or by way of endorsement.
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D MAGAZINE 2022 BEST INSURANCE AGENT
TAMMY FARMER
Insurance Agent | Home Team Insurance
Email: tammy.farmer@hometeaminsurance.com
P. 469.589.4047 | F. 833.645.1775 | C. 802.591.0809
A. 5950 Berkshire Lane, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75225
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