From the rooftop to the kitchen range, it's important to understand the home insurance basics, wherever you choose to live in Ontario. Learn how it helps protect one of your biggest investments—your home!

What can home insurance protect against in Ontario?

A standard home insurance policy in Ontario insures the home itself and the things you keep in it.

Home insurance is typically a package policy, which means that it covers both damage to your property and your liability or legal responsibility for any injuries and property damage you or members of your family cause to other people.

Protection for your Property

Dwelling

This offers protection as a result of damage to the structure of your home, including fixtures, plumbing and heating, due to a covered loss like fire or hail storm damage. You need enough coverage for the cost of rebuilding or repairing your home, minus the cost of the land.

Other structures

This includes coverage for detached structures, such as a garage, garden shed, and fixtures attached to land such as a driveway, sidewalks, patio, fence and swimming pool.

Personal property

‍This covers the contents and personal items in your home such as furniture, clothing, and sporting goods. It also extends to your personal belongings anywhere in the world. To determine your property’s value, we’ll provide you with a home inventory checklist to help you quickly and easily itemize your belongings. Replacement cost value ensures that you can replace yesterday’s purchases at today’s prices.

We recommend insuring your personal property for its replacement cost value.

‍Loss of use

‍In the event that a covered loss forces you from your home, such as a fire, loss of use provides a safety net for additional expenses over and above your normal living expenses while you are unable to live in your home, up to the policy limit.

Liability Protection

This portion of your policy covers against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or family members may cause to other people.

It pays for both the cost of litigation and any court awards, up to the limit of your policy. It covers you whether you are at home or away.

In the event that a visitor is injured in your home, medical payments coverage allows the person to submit medical bills directly to your insurance company.

The benefit is that expenses are paid to the injured person up to the policy limit without a liability claim being filed against you.

Additional Considerations

Disasters: Damage caused by many disasters is covered in a standard homeowners insurance policy, but floods, earthquakes and other specific types of occurrences are generally excluded. Since policies can vary widely, the best way to be sure about specific exclusions is to read your own policy.
Vacant Property: If your home is left vacant due to a move or new construction, you are vulnerable to losses from vandalism and other mishaps. Please check with us to learn more about the coverage options available to protect your property.

READ: Understanding Your Homeowners Policy [COMPLETE GUIDE]

Ontario Home Insurance: The Big Picture

It’s prudent to get enough home insurance coverages for the following:

Completely rebuild your house in the event it is destroyed by fire or other insured disaster
Replace everything in the house
Protect your liability in case someone is injured on your property and sues you

Consider additional coverages based on your unique risks such as the following:

Special floaters for jewellery, collectibles and expensive items
Extended or guaranteed replacement cost for the structure
Sewer and drain back-ups
An inflation-guard clause, which automatically adjusts annually to the construction costs in your area
Umbrella liability coverage for a pool or other high-risk items

As an Ontario home insurance broker, we specialize in providing solutions so you can get back to the business of living, knowing one of your largest assets is protected.

Contact Scrivens today at 613-236-9101 to learn more about how we can help you insure your property.