Home insurance protects your home and your family.

Every home is different. Consider home insurance that’s unique to you.

Protect the place you call home.

Your house is probably one of the biggest investments you will ever make. But more importantly, it is where your family lives, where memories are made, and where a whole lot of life happens.

Homeowners insurance is there to help protect all of that when something goes wrong.

The right policy can help with damage to your home, your belongings, temporary living expenses, liability claims, and other risks that come with owning a home.

At Providence, our job is not just to hand you a homeowners quote.

We want to understand your home, explain what is actually covered, point out the gaps that could surprise you, and help you choose coverage that makes sense for your family.

Because protecting a home is about a lot more than protecting four walls.

What are the risks your home faces?

Imagine if your house caught on fire. Not only would you lose your home, but you’d also be burdened financially and emotionally. Without adequate home insurance, you would be left with no way of raising the funds to pay off the balance of the mortgage. That’s why it’s important to have a homeowners insurance policy that covers your risks and fits your needs. It may also protect you from more common things like pipe leaks and property damage. Even small issues can add up, and having coverage helps you protect your biggest investment.

Every home is different. Your coverage should be too.

No two homes are exactly alike, and the insurance protecting them should not be either.

The age of the home, how it was built, the roof, the value of your belongings, whether you have a pool or other structures on the property, and even how you use the home can all affect the coverage you may need.

That is why we do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.

At Providence, we help you work through the different coverage options, explain what each one is actually doing, and make sure the policy fits your home and your family.

Some of the coverages worth reviewing include:

Is your home protected the way it should be?

Having homeowners insurance and having the right homeowners insurance are not always the same thing.

Your home, your belongings, your family, and the risks around your property are all different from the next person’s. That is why we believe your coverage should be built around your situation, not just the minimum needed to get a policy in place.

At Providence, we take the time to understand your home, explain your options, and help you identify gaps that could matter when something goes wrong.

Whether you live in a starter home, a forever home, or something in between, the goal is the same: make sure the place you call home is protected in a way that actually makes sense.

If you are not sure whether your current policy still fits your needs, we are happy to help you review it.

Why did my homeowners insurance go up even though I haven’t filed a claim?

This is one of the biggest questions homeowners are asking right now.

The frustrating part is that your own claims history is only one piece of what determines your rate.

Insurance companies also look at things like construction and labor costs, the cost of roofing materials, severe weather losses, claims activity in your area, the age and characteristics of your home, and the overall results of the insurance company.

Here in Georgia and across the Southeast, storms, wind, hail, and rising rebuilding costs have put a lot of pressure on homeowners insurance.

So yes, your rate can go up even if you have never filed a claim.

That does not mean every increase should simply be accepted. At Providence, we look at the entire policy, make sure the coverage still makes sense, and compare options when it is worth doing.

Sometimes shopping helps. Sometimes staying put is the better decision.

Our job is to help you know the difference.

Will homeowners insurance pay to replace my roof?

Sometimes. But a homeowners policy is not a maintenance plan for an aging roof.

If your roof is damaged by a covered event, such as wind or hail, your policy may help pay to repair or replace the damaged portion, subject to your deductible and the terms of your policy.

Age, wear and tear, deterioration, and lack of maintenance are different.

This becomes especially important in Georgia, where strong thunderstorms, wind, hail, and fallen trees can all cause legitimate roof damage.

Another thing homeowners often miss is how the roof is covered. Some policies may provide replacement cost coverage while others may settle an older roof using actual cash value, which accounts for depreciation.

That difference can mean thousands of dollars after a storm.

The best time to understand how your roof is insured is before the next storm rolls through, not while there is a tarp on top of your house.

Does homeowners insurance cover water damage?

Sometimes, and where the water came from matters a lot.

A sudden pipe burst inside your home may be handled very differently from water that slowly leaked for months.

A sewer or drain backup may require additional coverage.

And rising water coming into your home from outside is generally considered flooding, which is typically not covered by a standard homeowners policy.

That is why simply asking, “Is water damage covered?” does not always have a yes-or-no answer.

We look at what happened, where the water came from, how suddenly it happened, and what your particular policy covers.

Water claims can get complicated quickly. If you are unsure what you are looking at, this is a good time to call us before making assumptions about what is or is not covered.

Does homeowners insurance cover flooding in Georgia?

In most cases, no. A standard homeowners policy generally does not cover damage caused by flooding.

Flood coverage is usually purchased separately.

And flooding is not only a coastal Georgia problem.

Heavy rain, overflowing creeks, drainage issues, and rapidly rising water can affect homes all across Georgia and the Southeast, including homes that are nowhere near the beach.

One mistake we see is assuming that if your mortgage company does not require flood insurance, you do not have flood risk.

Those are two different questions.

If water rising from outside your home is a concern, it is worth having a separate conversation about flood insurance rather than assuming your homeowners policy will take care of it.

Why is my house insured for more than I could sell it for?

Because market value and rebuilding cost are not the same thing.

Your home’s market value includes things like the land, location, school district, neighborhood, and what a buyer is willing to pay.

Homeowners insurance is primarily concerned with something different:

What would it cost to rebuild the house after a major loss?

That can include demolition, debris removal, labor, materials, contractor demand, building-code requirements, and other reconstruction costs.

In a widespread storm or disaster, those costs can rise even more because everyone is trying to hire the same roofers, contractors, electricians, and tradespeople at the same time.

So it is entirely possible for a house to be insured for more than its purchase price or current market value.

That does not automatically mean it is overinsured.

The question we want to answer is whether the amount is a reasonable estimate of what it would take to put your home back together.

What is the difference between replacement cost, actual cash value, and a roof payment schedule?

This is one of the most important differences in homeowners insurance, and unfortunately a lot of people do not discover it until they have a claim.

Replacement cost generally looks at what it costs to replace damaged property today with something similar.

Actual cash value generally takes depreciation into account.

A roof payment schedule is another way some policies may handle roof losses. Instead of paying full replacement cost or using a traditional depreciation calculation, the policy may pay a set percentage of the roof replacement cost based on the roof’s age and sometimes the type of roofing material.

Here is a simple example.

If your 15-year-old roof is damaged in a storm and a new roof costs fce_id=”fce_6a907f60ebe72″5,000:

With replacement cost coverage, the policy may ultimately respond based on the cost to replace the damaged roof, subject to your deductible and policy terms.

With actual cash value coverage, depreciation may be deducted because of the roof’s age and condition, leaving you responsible for more of the replacement cost.

With a roof payment schedule, the policy may say that a roof of that age is only eligible for a certain percentage of the replacement cost. The older the roof gets, the smaller that percentage may become.

That can create a very different claim outcome.

The exact details vary by insurance company and policy, but the takeaway is simple:

Do not wait until there is storm damage to find out how your roof is covered.

At Providence, this is something we want to understand on the front end, because “I have homeowners insurance” does not always mean “my roof will be replaced at full replacement cost.”