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Vacation Home Insurance

If you have another home aside from the one you’re currently living in, you will want to ensure it is protected at all times. Whether it is a property you use on special occasions or a vacation home you visit in summer or winter, it is essential that you take out a secondary residence insurance policy to safeguard it against disasters and other unfortunate events.

Like primary home insurance, secondary home insurance typically insures the dwelling and its contents from damages and losses caused by fires, natural disasters, theft, and burglary. It also includes personal liability coverage in the event a guest is injured or their property gets damaged while in your home.

Additional Protection Beyond the Basic Coverage

However, unlike primary residences, second homes are considered riskier because they are frequently unoccupied. Thus, they are more vulnerable to home invasion. They are also generally located in areas susceptible to disasters such as snowstorms, hurricanes, and wildfires. Furthermore, your secondary residence may keep expensive items like a boat.

It’s, therefore, wise to obtain extra protection. Some of the options you may consider bundling with your basic policy include:

• Hurricane, flood, or earthquake insurance. Standard secondary residence insurance does not cover these perils. This is crucial if your secondary home is situated in a flood-, earthquake-, or hurricane-prone area.
• Boat insurance. This is important if you have a boat in your vacation home. Boat insurance basically provides property and liability coverage.
• Personal umbrella insurance. This takes over if your standard policy limits are exhausted. This gives extra liability coverage in case you need to pay for a claim that is more expensive than what is covered by your policy.
• Personal property insurance. Although this is already included in your standard policy, you can have this tailored to ensure all your valuables and belongings are insured.

Factors that Affect Coverage Costs

Given that secondary residences are riskier to insure than primary homes, the coverage may cost you more.

Key factors that affect secondary home insurance costs are:

• Property type – Your home’s architectural integrity, age, and the building materials used matter.
• Location – A desirable location (beachfront, on the mountains) or a disaster-prone area impacts coverage price.
• Amenities – Does your getaway house have a hot tub, an in-ground pool, or a fire pit? These pose risks and increase policy costs.