Homeowners Insurance FAQs

Homeowners insurance covers loss or damage to your home and your belongings. Home insurance also protects your personal liability if someone sues you, pays living expenses if you have to temporarily move out due to the home being uninhabitable, and pays for medical expenses if a guest is hurt in your home or property.

No two homes are alike, and many factors go into determining the cost of homeowners insurance. The cost will depend on things like the type of home, its size, location, and the value of your personal belongings. The best way to get a quote is to start by answering our initial eligibility questions online.

Yes, Wawanesa like many other insurance companies, inspect every home we insure. This allows us to assist you in determining and maintaining the coverage amount necessary to rebuild your dwelling in the event of a claim.

Generally, homeowners insurance and related premiums are not tax-deductible, even though your premium may be included in your mortgage payments. Wawanesa recommends you speak with your tax consultant to discuss tax-related issues.

Ordinance or law coverage helps pay for the increased costs of rebuilding your home to meet current building codes and regulations after a covered loss. For example, if your older home is damaged and local building codes now require updated electrical or plumbing systems during repairs, this coverage helps with those additional expenses that wouldn't be covered by standard dwelling coverage. This is particularly important for older homes that may need significant updates to meet current codes.

An endorsement and a rider are essentially the same thing—they're additions or modifications to your standard homeowners policy that either add, remove, or modify coverage. These terms are often used interchangeably in the insurance industry. Endorsements/riders might increase coverage limits for specific items like jewelry or electronics, add protection for events not covered in your standard policy, or customize your coverage in other ways. To discuss adding endorsements to your existing policy, please call us 800-640-2920.

A homeowners insurance policy covers the structure of your home if it’s damaged or destroyed by fire or other covered event, protects your belongings against damage, theft, or loss, protects your personal liability, and provides living expenses if you have to temporarily move out.

Learn more about homeowners insurance coverages.

Homeowners insurance generally covers your home and other structures on the premises, for example, a shed, fence or garage. If you have questions about areas of your property that may not be covered, please call 800-640-2920 and a helpful Wawanesa agent will be happy to walk you through the coverages and potential exclusions.

Homeowners insurance generally covers mold that is hidden within the walls, ceilings, beneath the floors, or above the ceilings of a structure if loss resulted from the accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam. Home insurance does not cover mold damage that forms overtime due to high humidity, leaky plumbing, flooding, or damage that arises due to maintenance problems or neglect. Remember to always refer to your home insurance policy for specific coverage and exclusions details.

Water damage is covered in certain situations. For example, if your water heater breaks and floods the basement, your insurance would cover the damages incurred in the water-logged basement. However, it’s worth noting that the broken water heater would not be covered.

Homeowners insurance typically covers damages caused by broken plumbing, but not the actual plumbing. For example, the hose on your washing machine ruptures flooding the laundry room and ruining the flooring. Your homeowners insurance would typically cover the damages caused to the flooring and not the broken hose.

Generally, homeowners insurance covers damages to your home caused by your pets, such as if your dog chews through drywall or scratches the flooring. However, damage considered to be due to neglect or poor maintenance may not be covered. For liability related to pets, most policies provide coverage if your pet injures someone else, but certain dog breeds might be excluded. For specific questions about your pet and coverage, please call 800-640-2920 to speak with one of our helpful agents.

Yes, standard homeowners insurance typically covers trees, plants, shrubs, and lawns against specific perils like fire, lightning, explosion, vandalism, theft, and damage from vehicles not owned by the resident. Coverage is usually limited to about 5% of your dwelling coverage, with a per-item limit. Note that damage from wind, disease, floods, or pests is typically not covered. Your policy details will specify exact coverage limits and exclusions.

Standard homeowners insurance provides limited coverage for business properties and generally doesn't cover business liabilities or income losses. If you operate a business from home, you may need additional coverage such as a home business endorsement or a separate business insurance policy. Please call 800-640-2920 to discuss your specific home-based business needs with one of our helpful agents.

Several factors can classify a home as higher risk. Typically, these are:

• Older homes (especially those with outdated electrical, plumbing, or roofing)
• Homes in areas prone to natural disasters (wildfire zones, flood plains, hurricane regions)
• Properties with certain liabilities (pools, large trampolines, etc.)
• Homes with a previous claims history
• Vacant or unoccupied properties

Risk classification varies by insurer. To see if you're home is eligile, please start your home insurance prequalification online.

No, you cannot typically pause or suspend homeowners insurance while the home is unoccupied. In fact, most mortgage lenders require continuous coverage. If your home will be vacant for an extended period, you should notify us, as standard policies may limit coverage for vacant homes. Special vacant home insurance may be needed if the property will be unoccupied for more than 30-60 days. Please call 800-640-2920 to discuss your specific situation.

Yes, structures like fences, decks, and patios are typically covered under the "other structures" portion of your homeowners policy. These structures are protected against the same perils as your home. However, normal wear and tear or gradual deterioration are not covered. For specific questions about your existing property, coverage, and exclusions, please review your policy document or contact us at 800-640-2920.

Yes, you can switch homeowners insurance companies at any time, even mid-policy. If you've paid your premium in advance, you'll typically receive a prorated refund for the unused portion of your policy period, minus any cancellation fees that may apply. Before cancelling your current policy, make sure your new coverage is in place to avoid any gaps in coverage. If you're considering switching to Wawanesa, start by answering our initial eligibility questions online.

Standard homeowners insurance typically does not cover damage from:

• Floods (requires separate flood insurance)
• Earthquakes (requires separate earthquake insurance or endorsement)
• Landslides or mudflows
• Sinkholes (in most states)

Some of these exclusions can be covered through additional policies or endorsements. For example, Wawanesa offers earthquake coverage through the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) as an optional add-on. To understand your coverage options for natural disasters in your area, please contact us at 800-640-2920.

The best way to obtain a homeowner insurance policy is to start by answering our initial eligibility questions online.

A $50 cancellation fee will apply on any new homeowners insurance policy that is cancelled within 60 days of the initial effective date.

We offer several discounts that can help you save on your homeowners insurance premium. Including multi-product discount, non-smokers discount, claims free discount, and several others. See all the homeowners insurance discounts offered.

It’s easy, call 800-640-2920 and speak with one of our helpful agents who can verify that you're getting all the homeowners insurance discounts you’re eligible, on your existing policy.

Yes, your personal belongings are covered while you are traveling anywhere in the world.

Yes, filing a claim may affect your premium at renewal. The impact depends on several factors such as the type and severity of the claim and your previous claims history. However, each situation is evaluated individually, and we strive to offer our members fair and competitive rates.

Please mail your check, payable to:

Wawanesa General Insurance Company
P.O. Box 85048
San Diego, CA
92186-5048

Or log in to your online account, available 24/7 to make a payment.

Yes, you may designate one additional person to receive notice of cancellation of your home insurance policy for nonpayment of premium. This designated person will receive notice at least 10 days prior to the effective date of any cancellation of your policy for nonpayment of premium. You may designate, change, or delete this person at any time. Please note that this person will not have any rights under the policy except for the right to receive notice of lapse, termination, expiration, non-renewal, or cancellation of your policy for nonpayment of premium.

To add, change, or delete an additional person to receive notice of cancellation for nonpayment, log in to your online account or contact us at 800-640-2920 with the following information:

1. Your policy number
2. Your full name
3. The full name of the additional person you wish to designate
4. The complete mailing address of the additional person you wish to designate
5. Whether or not you authorize Wawanesa to discuss your policy's billing information with this designated additional person

A policy canceled for non-payment of premium at renewal or mid-term will be reinstated without a lapse in coverage provided:

1. The provided payment of the past due amount in full is received within 30 days past the payment due date.
2. The payment is the full amount that is past due.

A policy canceled for non-payment of premium at renewal or mid-term that does not meet the above requirements for reinstatement may be considered for rewriting of a policy subject to new policy terms and conditions.