EL SEGUNDO HERALD August 9, 2018 Page 9
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The Most Common Causes Of Homeowners Insurance Claims
(BPT) - The value of homeowners insurance
is often thrust into the national spotlight when
natural disasters happen. The devastation and
financial loss they can cause reinforces the
importance of making sure you have adequate
insurance coverage to rebuild if disaster strikes
your home. In 2017 alone, the U.S. was struck
by 16 separate billion-dollar disaster events,
resulting in a record-breaking $300 billion in
damage, according to the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration.
Thankfully, most Americans don’t
experience large-scale natural catastrophes,
but millions of homeowners do experience
some kind of property loss each year and
need to make an insurance claim.
“Water claims are the ones we see most
often,” says Christopher O’Rourke, Vice
President of Property Claims at Mercury
Insurance. “While certain perils are seasonal,
water damage can occur any time of year.
It’s important for homeowners to conduct
routine maintenance of appliance hoses and
water pipes to make sure there aren’t cracks
or leaks and, if any are detected, have them
repaired or replaced immediately.
“Another thing everyone can do to protect
their homes from leaks is turn off their main
water supply when they’re away for an
extended period of time.
O’Rourke also notes that most homeowners
insurance policies don’t cover flood damage
caused by rising water from storms or
overflowing bodies of water, so he recommends
homeowners consult with their local insurance
agent to learn how to protect against these
types of events.
While water claims are the most common,
fire damage is another possible concern for
homeowners and can be caused in several
ways. The National Fire Protection Association
reports nearly half a million structure fires
occurred in 2016, resulting in $7.5 billion
in property damage, and wildfires ravaged
California in 2017, leading to one of the
year’s billion-dollar disaster events.
“Most home fires happen when people
are inattentive or negligent. These fires are
preventable if people don’t leave things like
lit stoves, fireplaces, candles or portable heat
sources unattended.
Wildfires can be extremely scary and
dangerous and there is often little warning
when they sweep through areas, leaving
homeowners little time to protect their homes.
Most of this work needs to be done before a
fire erupts. Homeowners can mitigate against
this risk by keeping their yards free of dry
brush, grass clippings and twigs, keep tree
branches trimmed and bushes pruned.
Theft doesn’t necessarily pose a threat to the
physical structure of a home, but it too can be
costly and it often leaves homeowners feeling
scared and violated. The FBI’s Universal
Crime Report estimates 1.5 million burglaries
occurred in 2016 - with residential properties
accounting for 69.5 percent of these offenses.
Homeowners can help safeguard against
theft by taking simple, but often overlooked
precautions like ensuring doors and windows
are locked, and not leaving spare keys in
easy-to-find locations. Several smart home
devices can also aid in deterring potential
thieves by allowing homeowners to adjust
lights, monitor security cameras and activate
security systems from their smartphones even
when they’re away from home.
“Our claims team strives to get our customers
back on their feet after a loss. Our hope is
that people never experience such an event
in the first place, but if they do we want
them to know that it is our goal to help them
get their lives back to normal as quickly as
possible,” adds O’Rourke.
Mercury Insurance provides homeowners
with additional tips to protect against
common insurance claims. Visit https://blog.
mercuryinsurance.com to learn more.
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Assoc Broker 31 years/Manager
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