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Atlas Insurance Agency

520 E. 4th Street
Royal Oak, MI 48067

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Is My College Student’s Apartment Covered by My Home Insurance Policy?

Your insurance policies generally cover your children while you claim them as dependents, and they are less than 27 years old. Your home insurance policy generally covers the property of a college student, but several additional limitations come into play, which are discussed below. If you need answers concerning your home or other insurance coverage, contact our Atlas Insurance Agency team serving Southeast Michigan.

Limits on Home Insurance Coverage of College Students

Home insurance policies generally cover your dependent child’s property while they are at college. Their computer, bicycle, and other personal belongings are covered against theft, vandalized, or other covered peril, as is their personal liability if they injure someone or damage property. However, most insurers only cover losses if the student lives on campus, and they may not cover a student living in a fraternity, sorority, or other housing that is not university-controlled.

Other issues limiting the coverage of college students include:

  • They generally must be full-time students, and some insurers set their age limits lower at 24 or 25.
  • Insurers often set relatively low limits on electronics, jewelry, and selected other items.
  • Many insurers limit coverage of "off-premise" property to 10% of your personal property limit.
  • The coverage of their belongings is subject to your standard deductible.

For college students, particularly those living off campus, it’s essential to consider the added protection of renters insurance. This type of insurance is often affordable and offers comparable coverage to what they would receive under a parent’s home policy.

Insuring with Atlas Insurance Agency

Atlas Insurance Agency serves Southeast Michigan and looks forward to helping develop an insurance plan that meets your needs. Visit our office or call us today at 248-545-7500 to protect your family and its possessions.

Geodesic Dome Homes and Insurance: Unique Dwelling Coverage

Geodesic dome homes in the Southeast Michigan area, known for their distinctive spherical structures, have gained popularity for their energy efficiency and structural resilience. Geodesic dome homeowners must consider specific factors when obtaining home insurance to ensure their property is adequately protected.

Understanding the Unique Risks of Geodesic Dome Homes

Geodesic dome homes stand out due to their unconventional design and materials. Their spherical shape and often unconventional construction make them distinct from traditional homes. This is where the underwriting is tailored to the specific needs.

Structural Coverage for Geodesic Dome Homes

Structural coverage is paramount when it comes to home insurance for geodesic dome homes. Policies should address these dwellings’ distinctive building materials and construction methods. Protection against perils such as fire, wind damage, and natural disasters must be tailored to geodesic domes’ specific vulnerabilities and strengths.

Personal Property Coverage

Beyond the structure, personal property coverage is crucial for homeowners. Geodesic dome dwellers need protection for their belongings, including furniture, appliances, and other personal items within the unique confines of their spherical homes.

Liability Coverage Considerations

Liability coverage is another essential aspect for geodesic dome homeowners. Given the unconventional design, liability protection should consider potential risks associated with visitor safety.

Customizing Coverage for Geodesic Dome Homes

Customization is vital when insuring geodesic dome homes. Homeowners should work closely with insurance providers to tailor coverage to the specific needs of their spherical dwellings. This may include addressing energy-efficient features, specialized building materials, and associated risks.

Navigating Zoning and Regulatory Compliance

Geodesic dome homes may face zoning challenges due to their non-traditional appearance. Insurance policies should comply with zoning regulations.

Atlas Insurance Agency Can Help You

At Atlas Insurance Agency, we can help answer questions concerning home insurance. We serve the Southeast Michigan area. Contact us today. 

Customize Your Home Insurance with Riders

When you purchase home insurance from Atlas Insurance Agency for your Southeast Michigan home, let us help you customize it to protect the special items you own with riders to your policy. These riders increase the amount of coverage in your policy for items like jewelry and business equipment.

Home Policy Riders to Protect Everything

The term rider refers to a clause added to your insurance policy to cover specific property or situations. Most types of insurance policies let you add riders, although the types of riders vary. The insurance industry offers seven common riders for home policies.

  • At-home business rider: Those who run a home-based business generating more than $2,000 of annual income add this rider to cover business equipment, such as computers, printers, or screen printing machines.
  • Earthquake/Hurricane coverage: These riders insure personal property damage from high-risk perils that can do wide-ranging damage. In some states, home insurance coverage doesn’t automatically cover these two named perils.
  • Identity theft rider: If your identity gets coopted by a criminal, this rider pays for the legal fees and experts to rectify the damage and restore your identity solely to yourself.
  • Pet damage rider: If your home business involves walking or keeping animals, such as a pet sitting service, this rider protects your home from damage the animals’ cause. If a dog pees on the carpet, for example, or a cat tears up the couch, this rider covers the cleaning or repairs.
  • Replacement cost rider: The typical insurance policy uses actual cash value to pay you for items damaged, stolen, or lost. That means your check covers the depreciated value, but this rider ensures that your insurance pays you the cost of replacing the damaged item with a new one.
  • Scheduled property rider: High-dollar items like an engagement ring benefit from this rider, which covers the expensive item’s full replacement cost.

Give Us A Call

Contact Atlas Insurance Agency today to add the riders you need to best protect your Southeast Michigan home. Let us help you protect your financial investment.

Confused About Home Insurance? Here’s Your Guide

You are a busy person. Understanding the nitty-gritty of policies like home insurance may be too much to ask of you. We understand because insurance can be a challenging topic for most people. Luckily, if you partner with a knowledgeable insurance agent like Atlas Insurance Agency of Southeast Michigan, we can make home insurance a simple topic to digest.

Here is what you need to know about home insurance:

Home insurance covers more than your building

Most people know that home insurance covers the building structure. While this is true, home insurance covers more than your building. Standard home insurance covers the assets inside your home. It also protects you against liability claims and covers loss of use if your home has been rendered unlivable by a peril listed in your policy.

Home insurance has exclusions

Like most insurance policies, home insurance has limitations and exclusions. Your standard home insurance won’t cover damage arising from:

  • Floods
  • Earthquakes
  • Pest and mold infestation
  • Intentional damage
  • Government actions
  • Sewer back-up

If you want to protect your home against the above risks, it doesn’t mean you can’t do it. Talk to your insurance agent about “add-ons” to boost your home insurance.

Update your home insurance

Most things in life aren’t static — home insurance isn’t an exception. Ensure that you update your home insurance at least once a year. This ensures you are paying the right premium and that your current insurance needs are covered.

Also, update your home insurance if you undertake significant renovations, add a dog, or start a home-based business.

Buy sufficient home insurance

Do not underinsure your home because disasters can strike when you don’t have enough cash to repair your home. Always consult with your insurance agent to buy enough insurance.

Want to learn more about home insurance in Southeast Michigan? Please get in touch with Atlas Insurance Agency for more information.

 

When is the best time to review your home policy?

Home insurance is something that needs to be reviewed regularly. Your life doesn’t stay the same and your home insurance shouldn’t either, it needs to be updated. At Atlas Insurance Agency in Southeast Michigan, we take your insurance needs seriously and as independent insurance agents, we can do the work of finding the right carrier and policy for you. 

Most home insurance policies renew yearly. At the very least, you should review your policy yearly. When you get the new policy, it has a declaration page on the front. This is a synopsis of your policy all on one page. How much your replacement cost for your home is, your liability coverage, your deductible, and any endorsements you have added. It also lists your content coverage and with some digging, you should be able to figure out exactly what type of content coverage you have. 

Do the amounts of coverage that you have make sense with what you know about your home and your neighborhood? Does the liability coverage protect you with enough coverage? If you have added a dog to your family or have a pool, you may want to increase your liability coverage. Do you have teens who may make bad decisions? Extra liability is a good idea and maybe even an umbrella policy. 

If you have done repairs to your home that have increased its value or if you have added extra square footage, be sure that your insurance agent is aware of these changes. Some changes you make can save you money like adding a new roof, a home security system, or wired smoked detectors. Talking to your independent insurance agent about your home and your coverage will allow you to make necessary adjustments. 

Contact Atlas Insurance Agency in Southeast Michigan when you are ready to review your home insurance coverage. 

Things your home insurance won’t cover

Owning a home is the American dream. It does come, however, with an increased level of risk. Your home insurance is what helps to mitigate some of the risks you are living with. You probably feel pretty safe with your home insurance protecting you. Some risks, however, are not covered by your home insurance; they are listed in the exclusions on your policy. At Atlas Insurance Agency in Southeast Michigan, we have helped thousands of people to find the right insurance for their needs. 

Flooding

Floods are catastrophic natural disasters. They cause an immense amount of devastation every year. When rivers, streams, and the ocean rises and rolls over the land, there isn’t any way to avoid the damage. If you are counting on your home insurance to protect you, you will be disappointed. Floods are not covered by home insurance. Luckily, you can buy flood insurance, and if you live somewhere with flood potential, it is a necessity. 

Mold and mildew

Mold and mildew are some of the things that your home insurance may not cover. What will determine the coverage is the cause of the mold and mildew. To be covered, it must be caused by a hazard that the policy covers. So if it is caused by flooding, it won’t be covered. 

Earth movement

Most people think of earthquakes when they think of earth movement. But there are several other types of earth movement that are also excluded by home insurance. You won’t be covered for a sinkhole on your property or a mudslide. You can, however, buy a policy to cover it. 

Sewer backup

This is a nasty thought, but it isn’t covered without a special endorsement on your home policy. 

Contact Atlas Insurance Agency in Southeast Michigan when you require home insurance. 

What is included with a home insurance policy?

Buying a home is one of the most momentous occasions in someone’s life. When you purchase a home in Southeast Michigan, you are not only getting a place to live, but you will also be making a great long-term investment. If you are going to purchase a home, it is vital that you continue to insure it properly. A full home insurance policy can include several forms of coverage that could make it a great investment and purchase for you. 

Liability Insurance

One important form of insurance coverage that you will get with home insurance is liability insurance. When you are a property owner, you could be held responsible if a guest is injured or a flaw in your home causes damage to another’s property, which could be a result of a leak or fire. The cost to cover these claims can be high. Fortunately, when you get a full home insurance policy, you will receive the coverage and protection you need to mitigate these risks.

Protection and Coverage for Dwelling

Another advantage included with an insurance policy is that you will receive coverage and coverage for your house. Your property is a significant and major asset that needs to be protected. A great way to do this is by getting home insurance, which will give you coverage to repair your home if it is damaged.

If you would like to get a home insurance policy in Southeast Michigan, you should call the team at Atlas Insurance Agency. When you call Atlas Insurance Agency, you can get the support you need to choose a new policy. The team here will assess your needs and give you the support needed to choose the right policy for your situation.