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Published with permission from RISMedia.

If you own a house, homeowners insurance is a necessity. A storm might damage your home, your belongings might be stolen, or someone might be injured. Without homeowners insurance, you would be responsible for paying those bills, which could easily total thousands of dollars. Homeowners insurance can protect you in many instances, but not always. It’s important to understand what a policy does and doesn’t cover.

What Homeowners Insurance Covers
A homeowners insurance policy provides coverage for specific perils, or things that could cause damage, injuries or losses. A typical policy will cover damage to your house caused by a storm or fire. A policy covers the house itself, as well as a garage, deck, porch or shed. If your home is damaged by a covered peril and you’re not able to live there while it’s being repaired, your homeowners insurance policy should cover your living expenses in the interim.

A homeowners insurance policy also covers personal property. It will pay to replace your belongings if they’re stolen, damaged or destroyed by a covered peril. If you own expensive items, such as jewelry or furs, you may need to purchase additional coverage with higher limits to cover the value of those items.

Homeowners insurance can also protect you from financial liability for injuries to others. For example, if a guest falls on your property and is injured, your homeowners insurance policy will pay for related medical bills and legal expenses.

What Insurance Doesn’t Cover
A typical homeowners insurance policy doesn’t cover all types of natural disasters. Most policies do not cover flooding or earthquakes, although you might be able to purchase additional coverage to protect yourself from those perils. These types of coverage are not available in all locations.

A homeowners insurance policy might cover damage caused by a burst water pipe, but a claim could be rejected if the pipe bursts because of a lack of maintenance or insulation. Some policies cover mold, but the company may only pay if the mold was caused by a burst pipe. Policies typically do not cover sewer backups, although it may be possible to purchase additional coverage for this peril. Injuries caused by dog bites may or may not be covered, depending on the breed.

Deductibles
When you file a homeowners insurance claim, you will typically need to pay a deductible. This is an amount set by the policy that the policyholder needs to pay before the insurance company will pay the remainder of the value of the claim.

Talk to Your Insurance Agent
Damage, accidents and injuries can occur at any time, and they can be expensive to address. Homeowners insurance can protect you in many, but not all, circumstances. It’s important to ask your insurance agent exactly what is and is not covered and whether you should pay extra for additional protection.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Here are four natural solutions to give your home aromatic appeal…

Aroma Diffuser

Fill the air throughout your house with a gentle mist of your favorite essential oils using an aroma diffuser.

Lavender Sachets

An excellent way to give your living space a refreshing smell, these work especially well in smaller rooms.

Homemade Spray

Blend distilled water with a little rubbing alcohol and essential oils or organic extracts for a chemical free DIY spray.

Naturally Scented Candles

Candles are a go-to option if you want to create a cozy atmosphere and appealing aroma.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Before listing your home, improving curb appeal is a top priority. Luxury homebuyers want a turnkey residence that requires zero work before they move in and if your house is looking a little worse for wear from the street, they could be turned off before even stepping through the front door.

In order to get your home in tip-top shape, be prepared to show a little love to the exterior. Here are a few ways to add major curb appeal that will have potential buyers excited when they pull up to your property.

Landscape Design

Bringing in a professional landscape team to do their magic is always a good idea. Lush plantings and flower gardens, as well as neatly pruned hedges and trees, will instantly transform your front yard.

Stage the Front Porch

If you want prospective buyers to feel that the home is welcoming before they even get inside, staging the front porch is the way to do it. Potted plants and beautiful light fixtures will set the tone and, if space allows, a wooden bench or small seating area always feels inviting.

Tend the Exterior

Power washing the exterior and adding a fresh coat of paint or stain will have your home looking brand new in no time. Replacing the front door, or simply painting it a charming new color, can also do wonders. If your garage door is nothing special, upgrading it to a stylish, high-end model is another opportunity to set your home apart.

Welcoming Walkway

Dont make visitors trudge across your lawn. A thoughtfully designed stone or pebble path that meanders through your front yard is the perfect way to guide them from the curb to your porch.

Redo the Driveway

Often overlooked, a stately driveway can have prospective buyers impressed upon arrival. There are plenty of different options to explore depending on the style of your home, like cobblestone, pea gravel, or blue stone.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Break-ins occur every day across the U.S., resulting in property damage, theft and, in some cases, injuries. The unfortunate reality is that anyone can become a victim; however, studies have found that criminals are much less likely to target homes with security systems.

Reasons to Get a Home Security System
Installing a security system could give you peace of mind. You would know that your home was protected, whether you were there or not, and that the police would be alerted if someone tried to break in.

A security system could also save you money. If thieves broke into your home and stole valuables, your homeowners insurance policy would cover the losses, but you would still have to pay a deductible, which could be several hundred dollars or more. If a laptop that contained financial documents were stolen, the burglars could use the information to commit identity theft”or sell it to other criminals for that purpose. They could open fraudulent accounts in your name, wreck your credit and prevent you from obtaining loans or credit cards that you needed. Thieves might also steal items that could not be replaced, such as family heirlooms or photos that were stored digitally.

Installing a security system could even help you save money on your homeowners insurance. The system would make your house less likely to be the target of a break-in, and your insurance company might reward you by lowering your premiums; therefore, the security system could pay for itself in whole or in part.

Which Type of Security System Should You Install?
There are two main kinds of home security systems: wired and wireless. Earlier security systems were wired directly to a landline and the homes electrical system.Not only is a wired system difficult to hack, but it’s also hard to remove and reinstall somewhere else, so it typically stays with a house when it’s sold. If you installed a wired security system and decided to put your house on the market in the future, it could be an attractive selling point.

A wireless system could be installed quickly, probably without professional assistance. If you chose to install a wireless system, you would likely be able to control and monitor it using a smartphone, which means you could let trusted individuals, such as family members, into your house and be able to keep an eye on your kids if they got home while you were still at work. In addition, you could take the wireless system with you if you were to move in the future.

Make Security a Priority
Regardless of where you live and how safe you think your neighborhood is, the truth is that crime can happen anywhere. Protecting your home with a security system can give you peace of mind and help you and your family avoid the financial costs and psychological trauma of being the victims of a crime.

Published with permission from RISMedia.