The Homeowners Coverage Checklist

Homeowners insurance is one of those policies people buy once at closing and rarely revisit — until something goes wrong.

Start with your dwelling coverage limit: does it reflect what it would actually cost to rebuild your home today, at current construction and material costs, not what you paid for the home originally?

Next, check your personal property coverage. Standard policies often cap categories like jewelry, art, and electronics well below their real value — a schedule or rider can close that gap.

Ask how your policy defines replacement cost versus actual cash value, since the difference can mean thousands of dollars at claim time. And confirm what your policy excludes — flooding is the most common surprise, since it typically requires a separate policy entirely.

A short annual review, ideally before renewal rather than after a loss, is the cheapest insurance policy you'll ever buy.