Do you have home insurance? If you do, you’ve protect yourself against all kinds of dangers, even a house fire that could leave you homeless. If a tree falls into your home, you won’t have to pay out of pocket for repairs. If a burglar breaks in, you’ll have a financial safety net to replace what you’ve lost.

Not only does home insurance give homeowners peace of mind about their property and belongings, it ensures devastating damages won’t take a financial toll on individuals and families. Homeowners should understand exactly what their insurance policies covers-both the obvious and unique-to get compensation and keep their home in tip-top shape.

The Obvious

Basic home insurance coverage covers much more than damage to your house. Most policies base coverage off of a certain percentage of the entire coverage amount you pay-discuss coverage with your insurance broker before purchasing insurance. The most basic coverage generally includes:

• Belongings – If someone burglarizes your home, your policy should replace most belongings.
• Perils – If your home experiences extensive damage (fire, lightening, explosion, smoke, vandalism, falling objects), your policy should cover it completely.
• Loss of use – If your home gets damaged and you can’t live in your house, most insurance companies cover living expenses (laundry costs, restaurant meals, hotel bills) for a time.

Depending on your insurance agency, you may have the opportunity to purchase more specialized coverage. In these cases, your home insurance policy might also cover:

• Debris removal
• Landscaping replacement
• Power outages
• Spoiled food storage
• Glass structures (doors and windows)

Some home insurance policies require you to add on certain items, including:

• Antiques
• Jewelry
• Electronic equipment

Most home insurance policy basics depend on your particular agency, but you can count on most agencies to provide you with enough coverage to suit your needs. The benefits of home insurance extend far beyond structural damages to your house.

If, for example, you run into a sticky situation with liability or fraud involving your home’s property, your home insurance might just cover those damages as well. Read on to learn about some of the more unique aspects of home insurance coverage.

The Unique

Most homeowners don’t know about these unique coverage benefits. When out-of-the-ordinary events happen, you can trust your policy to cover the emotional and financial costs of the following:

• Liability and/or medical bills – If an injury takes place on your property, home insurance usually covers medical bills. Whether a dog bites a visitor or a neighbor slips and falls on your driveway, home insurance should cover all medical costs. Insurance companies sometimes pay for legal defense along with medical bills. If a neighbor sues you over a dog bite, call your insurance broker to discuss specifics.
• Structures – If your fence, garden, or garage gets damaged, home insurance should cover repair and renovation. When a tree falls and destroys your fence or garden, get in contact with your home insurance specialist to discuss compensation and repair.
• Fraud – If someone uses your personal checks or credit cards without your permission, home insurance might cover it. While this may seem like a random aspect of coverage, insurance agencies aim to keep you and your family secure against all sorts of fraudsters.
• Grave markers – If someone vandalizes or steals your loved one’s grave marker, your insurance policy might cover most replacement costs.
• Student property – If your child moves away to college and someone steals his or her belongings, contact an insurance agent to discuss coverage and replacement options. Keep in mind: most student property coverage is limited to 10 percent of the property limit.

Apart from liability, structural damage, and fraud coverage, some insurance agencies take coverage a step further. Whether a dog ate your necklace, or you lost our favorite candlestick, your home insurance might cover reimbursement costs. Read on to learn about certain cases of very unique home insurance coverage.

• Eaten belongings – One family received insurance money after their dog ate an expensive piece of jewelry.
• Interior design fees – A number of insurance agencies cover interior design fees for home repair and renovation (resulting from previous damage).
• Spoiled food and wine – After a sewage pipe overflow, an insurance company reimbursed a family for the spoiled goods in the home’s basement.
• Security – Because they don’t want further damage and/or vandalism to occur, some insurance companies pay for security at damaged homes during repair.
• Pair and sets – When one family lost a candlestick in a set, the insurance company replaced the entire set.
• Bug-repellent services -To ensure a home stays in pristine condition throughout the year, many insurance policies cover bug-repellent services.

Whether someone burglarizes your home, or a storm damages your house, you deserve a fair amount of reimbursement from your insurance company. You never know what’s covered until you ask-make sure to discuss all coverage options with your insurance agency.